Ditch the end of year pressure. Try this instead.

Welcome to the last Sacred Sunday of 2024!

With less than 72 hours left to close out the year, this may be a great opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months.

What practices did you sustain throughout the year? What served you well and kept you aligned with your values? What do you want to carry into the new year, and what are you ready to leave behind?

It may be a good time to look through your camera roll, calendar, and/or journal to remember the highlights, the challenges, and the storyline of your year.

Or ….

it may not be the best time to do this because you’re traveling with friends, exploring a new city, or skiing down a slope.

That’s the tricky part about this holiday — real life doesn’t always align with the end-of-year practices you’d like to implement. It’s also why starting New Year’s Resolutions on January 1st often falls flat.

This used to frustrate me— until I discovered a practice that changed my perspective on everything.

That’s the practice of living in alignment with the seasons.

Respecting the natural flow of seasons helped me realize something profound: this “new year” holiday lands squarely in the middle of winter. While I still love New Year’s Eve celebrations, I no longer feel pressured to start a brand-new life on January 1st.

I’ve let go of the rush to close out everything by December 31st. And I no longer feel the frustration of being out of routine on the very day I’m “supposed” to begin fresh, new habits.

Instead, I give myself grace and align my actions with the rhythms of the season. Between October and December, I focus on closing the loops on matters that truly need to be wrapped up by December 31st — like taxes and finances. Beyond that, I take my time.

I enjoy the process of reflection.

I savor the winter.

I contemplate practices rather than resolutions.

I flow with the seasons instead of forcing them.

Tony Robbins says, “We overestimate what we can do in 1 year but underestimate what we can do in 10.” 

I’d add that we also underestimate what we can accomplish WITHIN a year because we overestimate what needs to happen in January.

That’s why today I want to give you permission to celebrate the end of the year while remembering that the winter season isn’t over yet. You will still have time to “spring” into action.

Reflection and projection don’t have to happen this week. If next week feels better, do it then. What matters is that you don’t skip these exercises altogether because they are important.

On today’s podcast, I’m sharing 5 intentional practices I use throughout the year that outlast resolutions. Living by the seasons is the first practice, but there are 4 more I’m excited to share with you.

Let’s flow into 2025 with peaceful, graceful energy. We have plenty of time to optimize this year— you’ll see!

See you in the new year.

Bliss’n Up Podcast