Resources for winding down at the end of the year
Here’s an overdue shortie blog post for the end of the year. I had planned on writing this more comprehensively a few weeks ago and ironically enough given the topic here, I was too busy and couldn’t find the time! I have a couple of resources listed below that you may find useful. None of these are ads or kickbacks, just things and people I love :-)
Every year I say it, this time of year is crazy, I am not buying into it I am slowing down and taking stock. I am not ‘there’ yet (is there such a place?) but over the past few years I have incorporated a few tiny changes and each year just add a little more room and space. The whole go go go, spend spend spend is going against our nature at this time of year and we all know it on some level because it feels kinda icky at times. It’s winter, the nights are really long, most of nature is asleep and we decide as humans to go all out and try to meet every single person we know for a drink or dinner before Christmas, it’s mad. I’ve been thinking a lot about natural cycles in the past few years and it just makes sense to slow down in autumn/winter and be more active in spring/summer. It’s the way we are designed. We dove into this theme in Niamh Gallaghers Becoming programme and it was so nice to have a space with a group of women to talk about cycles and seasons as it is just not in our day to day culture anymore. But we need to listen to our bodies, slow down and say no to LOADS of things. You’ll feel weird saying no at first and then better I promise!
The mental load in relationships is usually disproportionately being held by women. We smooth things over, remember the lists and get the stuff done. This is particularly heightened at Christmas when the things to remember, the cards to send, noticing the changes for the santa list, the thank you presents for the teachers more often than not falls onto women and it is exhausting! I don’t have an answer to this societal dilemma yet but Kelly Diels writes a great piece called The Fantasy of Being Holiday Fabulous is a start!
I like to take stock at this time of the year and I usually do a review of the current year. I sit down some evening or couple of evenings and work through either Suzannah Conway’s Unravel your Year Workbook or Clare Mulvany’s Intentional Year (link not ready as I publish this but it is due very soon). They are both fabulous and give you a framework through prompts to ask yourself some questions from the past year. This is really important as we often don’t give ourselves any credit for how far we have come or what we have been through. It’s a lovely way to give yourself a little pat on the back. In both of these workbooks after the review you can move into planning for the next year, not in a to-do list way but more in a how do you want to feel next year?, what are your priorities?, what values are you going to embody next year?. A lovely time to do one of these is in the nice in between space just after Christmas and before the New Year. If these seem a little overwhelming, a simple practice with your notebook or journal asking what were the 3 most significant growth events in the past year and then journal on what your intention is for 2020. It can be as simple as that.
Finding your word for the year is also something I have done the past few years. Suzannah Conway also has a great free resource for this. Another option though I haven't used yet but I do like her on Insta is Rebecca Cavander who has a workshop to guide you through. It took place on the 14th but you can still sign up for the recording and workbook. You may also find doing your intentions for next year your word can pop out at you. Why have a word of the year? It can be a nice touchstone as you move through the next year and can remind us of our intentions and plans.
Business wise I am tidying up loose ends, completing financial spreadsheets, making sure filing is all up to date and just ensuring I have a clean slate for next year. I also like to plan on a quarterly basis so I will be doing a simple plan for January-March 2020. I find that an annual business plan at this stage is too much and monthly comes around too quickly. I have used a template that I was guided through on a group call with Dani Gardner. She has a lovely style and message around ethical and minimal marketing. If you have your own business I’d highly recommend getting on her newsletter list.
Finally I hope to mark the winter solstice this year acknowledging the darkest time of the year by lighting lots of candles making some hot chocolate for the kids and reading a couple of these books. The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer and The Return of the Light by Carolyn McVickar Edwards. These were recommended by Des Haigh who has a lovely secular Advent ebook you can buy which give lovely suggestions around slowing down this time of year. But let’s be real here, my plans may be overshadowed by the little humans plans and who knows it may be an afternoon of Netflix!
So that’s it, had hoped for a more comprehensive list but maybe this is just enough. Consider what appeals to you and leave the rest. It’s not a to do list, just some options for enquiry. See you on the other side in the next decade in 2020!
