It's December, and soon it will be the end of 2018. The New Year is a time when people often look back at what they've accomplished and learned - and look forward to the year ahead.

I like this simple ritual that helps me to really enjoy my time off and go into the new year with maximum energy.

I call it 'Closing Your Year'.

Spend 5 or 10 minutes doing each of the following steps:

1. Spend a few minutes to list all the things you've accomplished this year, the memorable experiences you've had, and everything you're grateful for. You might be surprised at just how much you've accomplished in twelve months. Include everything - make no judgements about how worthy an accomplishment is.

2. Next, list the things you no longer want in your life - make a list of the things you'd like to leave behind. We all have things in our lives that are past their 'use by' date: physical objects, unhelpful habits, limiting beliefs, thought patterns that hurt, people we no longer wish to spend time with.

3. Think about your dreams for the future. What experiences would you like to enjoy? What would you like to do? How would you like to be? Make notes, draw a picture or speak into a digital recorder to help you remember your dreams. Spend as long as you like dreaming about the future you desire. If you don't know what you want, you can ask yourself the 'miracle question': "If there was a miracle in the night, and when you woke up tomorrow, everything in your life was exactly the way you'd like it to be, how would you know there'd been a miracle? What would you see, feel and hear that would let you know a miracle had taken place?’’

4. List the practical things you'd like to bring into your life. What are the things, qualities, skills, and ways of being you'd like to experience more of in the future? They can be quite general: Do you want to spend more time with your family? Get fitter? Enjoy earning more money? Spend more time in the present moment? List the things you'd like to attract into your life.

5. Make a list of your goals for the year ahead. What would you like to accomplish? What would you like to learn? What would you like to get? Who would you like to meet?

6. Read through your list of accomplishments and congratulate yourself for them. Put this list (#1) on your left. Read through the list of things you'd like to leave behind. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you feel you've made, and put this list (#2) on your left also. Take the materials relating to your dreams (#3), and place them in front of you. Review the list of things you'd like to attract into your life, and put this list (#4) on your right. Read through your goals for the year ahead, then put this list (#5) on your right also (or if you are left-handed, lists 1 & 2 on your right and 4 & 5 on your left).

7. Sit quietly for a few minutes. Imagine all the good feelings, thoughts and energies from your accomplishments coming into your body (you can visualise this as a stream of light, sparkling dust, or anything else you imagine). Then become aware of any of your energy that's tied up in the things you want to let go of, and see it returning to your body. Look to your dreams, attractions and goals: any of your energy that is tied up in those (e.g. in wishing or wanting) can also return to you in the present moment. Notice how it's possible for you to feel even better about those dreams and goals when your energy is in the present. A great deal of people's awareness is often wrapped up in wishes for the future, or memories of the past. It's great to have access to these dreams and memories, but it's also good to have our energy available to us in the present moment.

8. Allow yourself to be fully present at this moment. Become aware of the fact that all your accomplishments and activities of the past year were accomplished in an earlier present. Become aware of the fact that all your future accomplishments and experiences will take place in a future present. Really experience how it feels to be fully present.

The purpose of this ritual is to close your year, enjoy your time off and go into the new year with maximum energy.

Let me know how you get on!

Best wishes

Joseph

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