Self-Care Rituals for the New Year

How do we wrap up a year that’s been both a challenge and a relief as things continue to shift and swirl around COVID? I share my best end of  year/start of the new year rituals here. Below you’ll find them all mapped out.) Plus a few others gleaned from my Self-Care Group for Extremely Busy Women on Facebook. But first, I start this show by sharing an episode I did to set the scene. I woke up one morning recently with some large, general insights that might be of help as you move on through your day.  Namaste, Suzanne’s Ritual: Find a cool place other than home Bring all relevant materials, paper and digital PART ONE: ASSESS Assess by whatever metrics are important to you THAT EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU DID ALL YEAR WORK Business owner might focus on sales or expenses or bottom line or customers served An employee might focus on work contribution made Manager might focus on interactions with staff and clientele What are all the relevant metrics that really mean something to you? Meetings attended? Days worked? Raises obtained or acknowledgements given THEN… note things you’d like to changePLACES TO LOOK: (Your memories will tell you a lot)Journal on: What irritated you? What made you swell with pride? What surprised you? What moved you? What do you long for? PERSONAL Time spent with loved ones Time spent on you? Vacations? Getaways? Hobbies started? Performances attended? Parties had or gone to Health goals or losses? Check ups?  Body work? New friends?THEN… note things you’d like to changePLACES TO LOOK: (Your memories will tell you a lot)JOURNAL ON What irritated you? What made you swell with pride? What surprised you? What moved you? What do you long for? Once you go through it all, take a breather… finish a different day, perhaps, or walk away for a while Then… when you return: PART TWO: ACKNOWLEDGE & PLAN AHEADJournal on this: What are your takeaways? What could you do differently? How’s your self-care What do you need that you’re not getting? Get a clear list of changes you might make – your GOOD IDEAS list Don’t be vague—be specific i.e. ‘A trip to HI’ instead of ‘A Vacation’ Get clear measurable parameters on them  A new massage therapist? A new gym? A new meet up to find friends? Ask for a raise or better hours? Figure out any resources your need Visit the gym, book with massage, go to meet up, ask for a raise? Book it into your calendar Boundary setting Asking for help Being easier on yourself Also notice if GOOD IDEAS includes qualitative shifts Could be a walk in a pretty place A bubble bath A piece of great pie at a bakery Whatever feels right to you Acknowledge yourself when you are done with a great big treat RESOURCES Suzanne’s Self-Care Assessment Bonus Suzanne’s Blog, Some Key Insights That are Helping Me Cope The Extremely Busy Woman’s Guide to Self-Care audiobook MORE ABOUT SUZANNE Suzanne Falter is a writer, podcaster and essayist whose work has appeared in SELF, O, More, Fitness, New Woman and The New York Times, Tiny Buddha and Elephant Journal. She is the author of multiple self-help titles including How Much Joy Can You Stand? (Ballantine) and the upcoming book, The Extremely Busy Woman’s Guide to Self-Care (Sourcebooks). Suzanne also hosts the Self-Care for Extremely Busy Women podcast where she interviews leading self-care authorities and shares her own ideas.