Hi Friends!! I can’t believe today is the very last day of 2017! This has by far been the most rewarding year of my life, and I can honestly say I have NEVER been happier than I am right now. Before I get into this post I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me over the past 12 months, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, follow me on Instagram, engage with me, write to me, connect with me..this little tribe of like-minded people I have created here on Namastshay means everything to me, and it wouldn’t be the same without you in it! After taking a poll on my Instagram, y’all asked for more personal blog posts, Instagram posts, and stories from me.. so here is my first attempt at a more personal blog post 🙂 I used to write like this all the time, but for whatever reason I stopped.. I think maybe I had a few things I needed to work out on my own, and it just felt easier writing about things that were not necessarily about me personally for a little while… writing in a vulnerable open way like this can be very therapeutic, if the timing is right. Today felt like the right time to start again and I felt inspired to share a little personal ritual I have been doing every New Years for the past few years; my mindful NYE ritual. These little rituals can be done on New Years eve, New Years day, or ANYTIME of the year really because the truth is an opportunity lives in every single moment we are given on this earth for us to make a new choice. Fresh starts or positive changes don’t have to just be saved for the end of the year 🙂 You can change direction any time you choose to. But, since it is NYE, we will chat about this little ritual as it pertains to ending the year in a mindful way.

For as long as I can remember, New Years Eve has always been about parties and alcohol; getting all dolled up, staying out late, champagne toasts and raging.. when I think of New Years eve, I think of a party. And while there is nothing wrong with that, I just don’t find that to be fulfilling for me personally. Even though I worked in nightclubs doing bottle service for nearly 5 years, going out has never been on my list of top 5 favorite things to do (ironic, huh?) Yes, there were aspects of it I liked: music, dancing, connecting with “friends” and having ” fun”…. but the reality of it is I can get those same things doing other activities that are much healthier for my body/mind/spirit and exponentially more fulfilling for my soul.

Working in a nightclub definitely changed my view of alcohol, along with having my fair share of alcohol filled New Year’s eve parties. To be clear, I don’t consider myself sober necessarily, but the truth is I rarely drink anymore (and when I do it’s usually a black label kombucha but even those are few and far between) because I want to be present for my life and I want to feel good… plus #health 😉  It wasn’t until I started to make the shift away from toxic behaviors and people in my life that made me want to escape (through alcohol or other soul sucking behaviors) and started to live a more passion filled life, that the craving to be as present as possible in my life began. Through small changes and actions each day, I started to create a day to day life that is far better than any escape that had previously brought me relief…which is why I started drinking a substantial amount less in general (sometimes not at all for months at a time) and more specifically, I adopted a mindful NYE ritual, even when I had to work those late nights in nightlife.

Why a mindful NYE ritual? Well, because there is no better feeling than waking up on the 1st day of a new year rested, balanced, clear minded and ready to make my dreams and desires my waking reality! It is the best feeling EVER!! I feel like I am setting the tone for the rest of the year, and setting intentions through my actions for the year ahead!

Feel free to try out one or all of my little mindful NYE rituals; there is no right or wrong way to ring in the new year. At the end of the day you have to do what feels best for you.. no judgement! And maybe one day I’ll decide I want to do something different on NYE, and that’s ok too. But for the past 3 years this is how I do NYE and I wanted to share my current mindful NYE practices with you 🙂

My Mindful NYE Ritual

• I commit to a dry NYE: that means no alcohol.. even if I am at a party, or working an event. If you’re the type that can limit your intake to make sure you’re not hungover on day 1 of the new year then that’s cool too! The point is to wake up on the first of the year feeling alert, clear minded and grounded… not hungover, sick and immobile… which alcohol has a tendency to do.
• Reflect on the past 12 months:
  1. What was the best thing that happened this year?
  2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened? 
  3. What was the biggest lesson you learned this year?
  4. What worked? What didn’t? I try not to think too much about the past on a regular basis, but I do find it extremely helpful to check in every now and then to see what is working, what changes I’d like to make, and if everything I am engaging in on a daily basis is supporting where I want to go in life. I like to set aside some quiet time to journal and reflect. The point of this is not to get yourself in a funk or throw your mind into reverse – the point is to recognize and celebrate your victories, identify what worked and what didn’t, and what you would like to take with you into the new year.
• Set Intentions/Goals for the Year: What are some things you’d like to accomplish over the next 12 months? Where do you want to be this time next year? Doing this allows you to better prioritize your time, and make clear choices on a day to day/month to month basis that will lead you closer to living the life you dream of!
• Hike/Get Outside: I love hiking on New Years eve as well as on New Years day; it just feels so good to get outside. Being out in nature breathing in the fresh air really helps me clear my mind and get some perspective on things. If you don’t live near an accessible place to hike you could even just take a walk around your neighborhood or find a quiet park to sit at.
• Yoga: Moving my body with my breath in a mindful way helps me move stagnant energy in my body and allows me to get grounded. If yoga isn’t your thing just get some sort of physical activity in that makes you feel GOOD! 
• Vision Board: I absolutely love vision-boarding, it’s so so fun, and creative! I love making mine colorful and beautiful so I can hang it up where I can see it every day. Creating a vision board is a great visual reminder of what your purpose is, and a great reminder of all the awesome things you are working towards so that you can make choices each day that support those goals!

• Gratitude Meditation: Taking time to tune in and count my blessings allows me to cultivate more goodness in my life. We can get so focused on the hustle, thinking that is the only way to generate abundance but I have realized that by slowing down, focusing on my breath and showing gratitude for what already is I become a magnet for even more opportunities. An attitude of gratitude breeds abundance! My gratitude meditation is quite simple: every time I inhale I silently say “ I am grateful for or thank you for” and on the exhale I say one thing I am grateful for! I do this for about 5-10 minutes, but feel free to meditate longer if it feels right!
• Cleanse my space with sage or Palo Santo
• Diffuse cleansing and feel good essential oil blends: doing this helps me to shift stale energy and start the new year feeling positive, energize and free. I like using Saje Wellness essential oils, particularly their Gratitude or Yoga blend for this mindful NYE ritual. If you don’t have a diffuser you can always light a candle that you enjoy the smell of, or just enjoy the cleansing smell of sage or Palo Santo!

 

I hope this blog post inspired you to bring a little more mindfulness into however you decide to celebrate the end of 2017. Wishing you a safe, mindful and lovely NYE!! LOVE YOU ALL!! xo

See ya next year! 😉