The week between Christmas and New Year's offers a rare pause in the busyness of life, providing a chance to slow down and turn inward. It’s a time to reflect on the past year, assess where you are, and consider where you’re headed, making it an ideal moment for introspection and planning.
Creating 'sweet alone time' (SAT) allows individuals to disconnect from external influences and focus on their own feelings and desires. It helps in recharging, gaining clarity, and fostering self-awareness, which is essential for personal growth and reflection.
A drawing exercise encourages creativity and self-expression, helping individuals process their experiences. By dividing a paper into sections and listing accomplishments, sensory experiences, overheard conversations, and drawing a significant moment, it fosters presence and reflection on the year’s events.
Lama Rod Owens suggests an informal meditation practice involving lighting a candle to symbolize light, joy, and gratitude. He encourages reflecting on gratitude, acknowledging disappointments and grief, and letting go of past experiences by visualizing them as clouds or waves. This practice creates space for future intentions.
Lama Rod Owens recommends suspending doubts and limitations while dreaming about the future. He advises envisioning an ultimate, complete, golden scenario and being specific about desires. Creating a vision board with images representing goals and aspirations helps call in the energy needed to manifest those dreams.
The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is a good time to check in with yourself and take stock of the year. Reporter Kyle Norris talks with Buddhist Lama Rod Owens about how to get reflective during this time. Plus, a creative exercise to help you look back from cartoonist Nicole J. Georges.Sign up for Life Kit's Guide to Dry January, our special newsletter series: http://npr.org/dryjanuaryLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)