Hello my friends,

I can hardly believe we are now in the last week of 2021. What a year it has been! Even though there will never be anything like what transpired in 2020, I think many of us found the ups and downs of 2021 to be a uniquely challenging and disorienting year.  As we know life is never predictable, and things are always changing, but what remains constant (for me) is my infinite gratitude for you and for this community. While so much is uncertain and unstable, I find great comfort and joy in this little corner of the internet, our community.

As we are now in the awkward week between Christmas and New Years Eve, I wanted to share with you my little end of the year process. While we cannot change what has happened in the past, we can honor it, learn from it, and influence our future with purpose and hope.

I really, really love to take the last week of the year to reflect and honor the time that has passed, and clear the slate for a new chapter to begin. This year, it feels especially meaningful for me to do so.

In this little ritual, I honor the good, the bad, and everything in between. I encourage you to try this, feel what resonates for you, and use this as inspiration for your own year-end ritual. I prefer to use my journal for this exercise, but feel free to approach this in whatever way feels meaningful for you.

Part One: Take an inventory of the highs. In this first section, call to mind everything and anything that went well for you this year. Ask yourself these questions:

What did I accomplish?  Where did I grow, personally?  How were my relationships? In what ways did I take care of myself and my boundaries?

Sit with yourself as you ask these questions and begin to notice what comes up for you.  It’s easy to think that this year was filled with everything wrong and in chaos, but when you take this moment of pause, you can start to notice the small moments of happiness, joy, and growth. Even though this year was incredibly difficult in many ways, when you dig a little deeper, you can find these silver linings. Notice how you feel when you recall and honor your successes.

Part Two: Remember the lessons learned. This year was filled with unexpected challenges, pivots, and collective trauma. I encourage you to honor yourself for your perseverance and resiliency in this section. Ask yourself these questions:

What did I learn from this unparalleled year? What makes me stronger? What changes will I make in the year ahead?

We know that 2021 was not easy, but in difficulty lies strength and fortitude. Take heart in knowing that you will leave this year behind wiser, stronger, and with a deep will to persevere regardless of what happens in the external world.

Part Three: What do you wish to cultivate? In this section, allow yourself to tap into your desires, hopes, dreams and creativity. Ask yourself these questions:

How can I build from my successes of this past year? How will I use the lessons learned to propel me further towards my dreams? What pivots will I make as a result of all that has transpired in 2021, so that I can make 2022 more aligned, purposeful and joyful?

Start leaning in to what you would like this new year to look like, feel your feelings deeply, and allow yourself to experience the optimism and hope, in this very moment.

My deep desire and hope is that this process will be helpful and meaningful for you. I hope that you can shine light on the happy moments that you might have forgotten about, gain strength from the challenges, and remember that each new day is a chance to begin again. You always have a choice, and this is your power.

Again, with my whole heart, I want to thank you for being a part of this community during these wild and unprecedented times, and thank you for your continued support of me and for Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life. Now more than ever, it’s important to honor the spaces where you feel loved, seen, and heard, and I thank you so much for allowing me to have this space to do so.

Here’s to a healthy, happy, and meaningful 2022,

Michelle

Michelle Maros is Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life's Creative Director and resident writer. She has a degree in Journalism from Indiana University and is also a certified holistic health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and registered yoga teacher with trainings with Anuttara Yoga Shala and Strala Yoga. Michelle has a deep desire to help people find happiness in all areas of their lives, and truly believes the Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life movement will bring lasting change to the world. Michelle splits her time between Florida and New York City and loves connecting with people from all over the world. If you'd like to contact her, she can be reached at 

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