Kat Kelly – Through the years, I have changed how I look at the week between Christmas and a New Year. I know that it is a really important week for me to center myself, but I’ve never quite known how to describe it to others.
But this year, I have finally figured it out and now I’m claiming it and am not afraid to share. The “in-between” week is a spiritual time for myself. The process, the clearing, the act of intentional time, is almost like a form of meditation and an exercise in faith.
Some years I do better than others, but after Covid-19 completely derailed my 2020 vision board, at the end of 2020, I just crossed it out and wrote 2021. At the time of this writing, we’re preparing to enter year 2022, and I refuse to recycle that same list and vision.
So, while I like to ensure that the content we publish here at Vexteo is evergreen, I also want to acknowledge that this time we have been living through for the past two years at the time of this writing, has been like no other. I am eternally grateful to still be here in my home with my family.
So, for today, I’d like to honor that, look forward, and move on. My family will still sit in the way that best protects us, our community, and our global village. As we set our eyes and intentions on a new year, I wanted to share some of my ritualistic hacks with you.
So, here goes…
- Identify the systems you use to organize your life in your “command center.” For me, my command center is my office. This is where I house the “business of Kat.” And year after year, this is where I focus the bulk of my personal rituals.
- In your command center, what makes you feel organized? Is it files, is it a list (or lists), are there boxes, or notes? Identify those and consider your personal process for “how” you are actually organizing them. For me, it’s files and lists.
- Next up, from those things you have identified, what do you need to pull forward into a new year? Marinate a little on what has worked and what hasn’t. Retire the things that don’t work for you. Don’t be afraid to try new things as you look ahead. Clean out those files. Put them in a bin that you take to your next community shred day. Or, if it’s not too many, shred them right there. Do you want to move from paper to electronic files? If so, make those changes with your personal vendors and bill companies.
- Don’t ignore the thing that allows you to keep things rolling, your financial picture. How can you better organize that? Should you think about a budget over the coming year? Are things feeling good and organized? Are you honoring your money as best possible? And if not, how can you? Also, how can you help others with what you have either financially or through time or energy?
- Take a lesson from Marie Kondo (gahhhh, I love her) and touch the things around you. Do they spark joy? If not, it’s ok to donate or give them away. Try to thank them as you put them in a bin to part with. Part with them at the time and place that feels right.
- What do you need to set free? Are there old cards or pictures that you are holding onto? I keep a “burn bag” for my backyard firepit. But, if you don’t have access to a firepit or prefer another method, maybe shredding those would feel good. Trust your gut, but don’t be afraid to let them go.
- Last but not least, forgive yourself. This is something I struggle with the most. But, year after year, there are areas where I have been imperfect and where I want to do better; as a parent, as a partner, as a citizen, as a spiritual being, as a Christian, and as a human. And while you’re forgiving yourself, don’t forget to forgive others.
- Write your vision. Sure, things don’t go the way we plan all the time, but we need to know what we are aiming for. I made a template of the format that I have used for the past several years and I’m sharing it with you here. You can use words, or pictures, or whatever feels best under the six life pillars. And if my predefined pillars don’t work for you, I’ve included a blank one, so you can choose which one to print.
Now, this is a lot, and there is really no way to capture everything that I do as an end of year ritual. But, I hope it helps you think about your own processes and gets you started with building a framework. And, I hope the matrix helps you. I sent mine to Staples (and nope, they are not sponsors, but I might not say no if they were interested) and ordered it on a 24×18 poster board and I cannot wait to fill it out before the end of the year.
Happy New Year…and if you’re reading this at another time, there’s no time like the present to start creating your own rituals and processes and claiming them!
Go get your life!
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Kat Kelly is the founder of Vexteo Media Group and is passionate about all of us living our best lives in every way possible. She is a connector, a nerd, and also pretty much anxious about everything. But, she believes in goodness and evolution.
