2022 to 2023

The end of the year is fast approaching. Do you love New Year or hate it?

Personally I used to dread New Year’s Eve. However, I feel that this was a template given to me by my mother who also hated New Year’s Eve because of the fear of the unknown of the year ahead.

Anyway, I don’t dread it at all now. I feel there is a balance of excitement and curiosity of what the year ahead will bring. I have a few rituals that I implement to transition the end of the year and the start of the new year.

I take time to reflect on the gifts that the year has given me.

Perhaps you can take time to reflect on the gifts that 2022 has given you, and how that has been beneficial for your growth.

• What were the gifts in 2022?

• What did I learn from all the challenges (gifts) in 2022?

• What am I learning in my life, and how is that helping me?

These reflections help with the ending of the year, and the transition to the new year. Take time and reflect, appreciate your growth, be kind and compassionate to yourself and acknowledge what’s happened to you over the last year.

As you think and reflect about 2023, is there a word that comes to your mind? Gretchen Rubin has a ritual of choosing a word for 2023.

My word is balance.

I also like to create a vision board for the year ahead. Karen Walrond has a wonderful ritual of making origami butterflies because they symbolise transformation. Origami is not my strength, however I think I will draw or collage or colour my own butterfly.

I would love to hear what made 2022 important to you. What were your gifts that you learnt.

I would like to wish you all the very best for the transition to 2023.

Much love,

Sarah Harwood MA MACA RPT, 

Sarah Harwood is a Marriage, Child and Family psychotherapist, and a Registered Play Therapist. She is also a wife and mother to two wonderful daughters.