Saying Goodbye to 2024 and Welcome to 2025

Everything we do either nourishes or drains us, feeds our ego or inner life, and moves us toward love or fear. Last week’s newsletter had you look at what you want to release. These things don’t have to be just from 2024…often we lug around baggage from childhood and carry it on life’s highway for decades.

I will share a short version of a liberating ritual from my book. Rituals heal. Think of it as if you are standing in front of a blackboard filled with limiting beliefs, self-deprecating thoughts, and disturbing events. Doing the Release What Weighs You Down portion of the ritual is like taking an eraser and cleaning the slate so you can invite empowering thoughts and events into your life.

The Embrace What Lights You Up part of the ritual is like writing on the blackboard all the things that make you happy and feel centered in alignment with your soulful self. This is what you want to bring into your New Year.

Part 1 – Ritual to Release What Weighs You Down

Letting go of what weighs us down can be an empowering and liberating experience. When we release beliefs, habits, or relationships that no longer serve us, we free up emotional and mental space that allows for new growth and possibilities.

Preparing – Find a relaxing spot where you won’t be interrupted. Gather a piece of paper, a lighter, a stainless-steel bowl, and water to fill it.

Creating the Space – Quiet yourself, breathe deeply, and relax your body and mind. Set an intention to open your heart to forgiveness for yourself and others. Fill the bowl with water.

Doing the Work – Scan your memories and think about what behaviors or limitations you’ve adopted that no longer serve you. What stories do you tell yourself that limit your self-expression, peace, and ease? What do you want to let go of…things like yo-yo dieting, anxiety, the people who weigh you down? On the paper, write everything that pops into your mind that you want to release.

The Ritual – Slowly read the list of limitations, wounds, and resentments. Check-in with your body, feel if there is tension, and if so, breathe relaxation into those places. Hold the paper over the bowl of water, and light the paper on fire as you speak words that ring true.

• I release you.
• I release my pain.
• I release my expectations.
• I release my shame.

Breathe love into your heart; acknowledging this moment is a turning point. Feel your sense of ease and freedom.

Part 2 – Embrace What Lights You Up

It’s time to fully embrace your unique qualities and strengths and name the attributes you want to bring into 2025.

Preparing – Choose a place to do this work that is quiet and comfortable. Bring your journal, pen, and a candle (optional).

Creating the Space – Create a calm, relaxing space – make a cup of tea, turn off your phone, and light the candle.

Doing the Work – Take at least five slow, deep breaths and let your body and mind enter the present moment. As you read over the below, write anything that comes up in your journal. Think about the people who have cheered you on and your wins in life. What are the things that bring you happiness and ease? What strengths and empowering character traits did you develop? What do you want to do in 2025 that will light you up and be in alignment with your soul’s purpose?

The Ritual – Read over the journal entries about the things that make you happy and reflect on the strengths you developed. From these entries, write statements beginning with the word “I,” and then add to the phrase qualities you’ve developed. For example, “I do hard things.” “I follow my instincts.” “I am adventurous and am going to travel alone this year.” “I trust my creative flow and will create at least once a week in 2025.”

Once you have finished, read what you’ve written aloud. Let the words sink in. If emotions surface, feel them and breathe into them. Sit in this space until you feel centered and nurtured. You can write your statement on pieces of paper…make them arty…and put them around your house as a reminder of your strengths, your power, and your vision for the year.

I wish you a beautiful New Year. I appreciate your time and interest. There are so many things that grab our attention these days, and I am over the moon grateful you chose to put your attention here. Many blessings and all good things, e’Layne

To buy my #1 Amazon Bestselling book, click on the picture of my book below. It has lots of exercises to quiet the minds loud-mouth naysayer I talked about above. If you’ve purchased my book and haven’t left a review, I would really appreciate it if you would…Amazon puts books in front of more people based on reviews…thank you so much, e’ xooxo