There are lots of things to say about 2020.

It was a year of hardship for many. Of pain. Of growth and transformation.

But even if it was an AWESOME year for you – and I hope that it was – it’s still a good practice to release what you are transitioning from.

If you had a 2020 like many people did, releasing is not optional. It’s essential.

I love end-of-the-year rituals, and that feeling of starting afresh.

Here are 5 of my favorite rituals to close out 2020,

and welcome 2021. 

1. Burn what you’re leaving behind.

A burning bowl ritual is one of the most well-known of the New Year rituals, and it’s a good one!

Here’s how to do your own burning bowl ritual at home:

Write down what you want to release from 2021. Examples include:

• things that happened that took your power
• energy that no longer serves you
• emotions like fear or doubt

Write these down on scraps of paper, not in a journal.

Toss the scraps of paper into a fireproof bowl, and let them burn to ashes. (It’s a good idea to do this outside, so you don’t set off your smoke alarm!)

2. Throw your energy.

When I’m in the grip of a powerful emotion like anger, sometimes the ‘calm release’ just doesn’t feel possible. 

In that case, I like to imagine that I’m throwing firebolts out of my palms, like a superhero. 

I always aim them out a window, or at trees or the ground – never at a person or someone’s home. 

I feel my anger pouring out of me, and my palms, and I’m left much calmer. This is sort of the grown-up version of punching a pillow… and it works!

3. Remove 1 thing that doesn’t serve, and add 1 new thing that delights you.

Because we get accustomed to what is in our space, your surroundings may not be as delightful as they once were. Especially this year, when you may have been spending more time at home.  Here’s what I did: 

First, I removed things in my space that I realized were part of old patterns.

You don’t have to break the bank to add something that delights you to your space. The picture at the top of this blog is a glass jar with twinkle lights in it that I set up in the corner of my office (and everything came from a 2nd hand store!). It makes me smile everytime I see it.

4. Pick a word or emotion that you release, and a new word that you adopt.

Picking a ‘word for the year’ is another common ritual that I love. You can add to this ritual by adding a ‘release word’ first.

You can put your word for the year in your space. You can also create a mantra for yourself using these two words: “I release _____, and I welcome ____.”

5. Set new goals and write them down so you can read them every day.

I’ve had a goal sheet for years that I create and update the week before January 1st. Writing your goals down is good, reading them every day is even better!

Here’s a simple way to do that: Make a list of your goals, and print them on a piece of 8.5×11 paper in a font that you love. Then frame them, and put them in your office or another place that you see daily. In doing this, you’re automatically releasing the patterns of the past. This gets your subconscious mind working on your new endeavors, even when you’re focused on other things!

If you’re ready to move into 2021 in a big way, grab a ticket to my 3-day virtual event EMPOWER: Elevate Your Business for the World to See. When you get your ticket before January 1, it comes with two special bonuses!