The new year always brings this wave of special, sparkly energy for me that is at once exciting and fresh and also grounded and soothing. In so many ways it's the break of a new day in our concept of the years of our lives, and yet it's also still pretty much the middle of winter (here in the Northern hemisphere), and all of nature is still resting and regenerating before its rebirth in a few months when spring arrives.
In the spirit of a fresh new year that is also a time of peaceful and reflective planning (I really like this pairing, personally), here are five actions I like to take at the beginning of the new year to nourish my creativity and overall wellbeing:
1. JOURNALING TO REFLECT & RESET
Sometime in the first month of the year, I like to sit down and have a specific journaling session in which I open to a new spread of two pages and write "Last Year's Lessons & Highlights" on the page on the left and "This Year's Aspirations & Goals" on the right. I begin with reflecting on the year that has just passed, and I write a few notes for each month of that year, January - December, to record and celebrate any milestones, accomplishments, and also important learning moments that have contributed to my growth and wisdom as a business owner, artist, teacher, and human being. Then I turn to the opposite page and jot down any specific goals I want to pursue as well as aspirations I have. I like these words better than "resolutions" because I am a poet and word person and because "resolution" sounds like a correction, whereas I like the energy of "aspiration" as a heading and uplifting intention much better. I'm always pleased and feeling centered after this little writing exercise, and I hope it gives you some delight and enjoyable food for thought too as you set your intentions and continue on the journey of living a creative and meaningful life.
2. PUT THE MOON PHASES FOR THE YEAR INTO YOUR CALENDAR
The full and new moons each month have a huge impact on our bodies. All cycles of nature, from weather to seasons to the different temperatures and quality of light in the hours of the day influence how or bodies, living in the environment of our planet, feel. When the moon is full, we have a high level of lunar light shining down, reflected from the sun, and increasing the energy of our environment. When the moon is new, there is much much less of that reflected lunar light shining down onto us, which brings a more restful, lower-energy, peaceful time.
The full moon, with its full and heightened energy is a good time to go for it, put yourself out there, and also, since the energy is high and full, to let things go to make room for change, insights, and further growth. The new moon, with its darkness and lower energy, is a good time to be more inward, to do less, and, because there is space and emptiness energetically in a new moon, to call in new intentions and manifestations. Women's cycles often sync up to the moon phases, and that can be helpful to know and track too, as our energy levels and moods shift with these natural cycles too. Knowing the moons all year adds a bit more awareness and opportunity for harmony in our creativity and overall wellbeing, and I am all about that, as harmony supports our health and vitality.
Here's a link to the Griffith Observatory's moon phases page, where you can find the moon phase charts for each year. This is where I find the new and full moon dates for each month, which I then enter into my calendar.
3. PRACTICE "DO IT, DONATE IT, OR DELETE IT"
"Do it, Donate it, or Delete it" is a fun little mantra I made up a few years ago that I love to bring out each new year. It's an energized little saying that invites you to easily evaluate and take action on any open tabs, task lists, piles, projects, or lingering things from the past year. The goal is always to free up space, energetically and physically, because lingering to-dos or ideas can start to get heavy and weigh down your creativity with the drag they create. If it's something in your physical space, it very visibly clogs up your flow, so it's great to decide, cleanly and curtly, what to do with it.
I like the three options because it gives you a finite amount of choices and also not just one — you might not want to just close the tab or trash the project, if it's worth doing. So then you'll choose to do it. If it's not worth doing, honestly, for the amount of time and energy it requires, or because it's lost your interest, then donate it or pass it along or give it away. Someone else will love and appreciate this opportunity or resource. If it's not something you want to do, and it's not worth donating or giving away to someone else or unable to somehow be recycled, then just delete it or toss it into the trash. We have to let things go in order to have space to breathe and grow and cultivate that harmony physically and energetically that nourishes our creativity and makes life light and nimble and enjoyable.
4. SET UP A DAILY ROUTINE THAT YOU LOVE
In my studies of Ayurveda, a holistic science of health and wellbeing, I have learned and now often share that one of the most accessible and most effective ways to improve your health, support all of your body's incredible systems, and feel better is to have a daily routine. The body loves routine and thrives on it. This doesn't mean you need to be strictly regimented, but having an optimal and regular time when you get up in the morning, cleanse and wash, connect spiritually or mindfully, find healthy movement, take your meals, work, wind down, and go to sleep does wonders for your health and physical wellbeing. Similarly, having a general routine for your activities each day is supportive for your mind and emotional wellbeing too.
For me this looks like waking up after 8 hours of sleep around 6/6:30am, washing my face, brushing my teeth, and either doing a yoga practice or going for a run or walk. I then take a shower, have breakfast around 8:30am, and go into the studio to work around 9/9:30am. I start with a daily journaling session, followed by my big-picture and creative projects. I break for lunch around 12:30pm, then return to work to do planning and email types of work in the afternoon, or study (i.e. Ayurveda, a course I'm taking, or something I'm reading), and then wrap to make dinner around 6/6:30pm. I try to reserve the evenings for hang time with Carr, playing music, reading, seeing friends, or maybe watching a show. We go to bed around 10/10:30pm, and that's the routine outline for the day.
Of course sometimes there are projects or bookings or travels or demands that get in the way of this ideal routine, and while I personally am a rather Type A person who wants to do things 100%, I've learned in my own healing work and through Ayurveda that it's best to be accepting and gentle and to roll with the waves, rather than resist. It's less stressful and easier on the body and mind to do that too. So when things interrupt my routine, I practice acceptance, simplify, do my best, and return to my routine when I can.
Remember, more than anything a routine is meant to be supportive for you, so make it simple and supportive to your values and what will work well to bring more harmony and ease to your life and work. In other words, you don't have to do "all the things" or feel badly if you don't have time or space to do "all the things" you think you "should" do. Just release that right now. Instead, set up a supportive routine of when you go to bed, get up, and take meals, and then see what else you can harmoniously layer or mix into that. Note: Let yourself adjust your routine with the seasons! We have a lot more energy and drive in the summer months than we do during the winter ones, for example.
5. EXPLORE A SMALL, FUN, NEW CREATIVE PROJECT JUST TO NURTURE YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT
As creatives, we need outlets for our creative energy. We also need to feel free of pressure to explore things that interest us. This can be a very small and brief project or exercise, and it is meant to be something that allows you to create with no expectations, just for fun, and without any normal pressures of thinking you need to "create content" for your business or build your portfolio or start a side hustle. This is purely creativity for creative nourishment.
This year, I decided to "Do it" (after a "Do it, Donate it, or Delete it" evaluation) on a little poetry project I thought up, hilariously, TEN years ago. I was in Vermont working for a company that provides student summer abroad programs, when I came across an art gallery exhibition of a painter named Emily Mason. The paintings were so bright and vivid and full of energy and emotion that I bought two brochures containing thumbnails of the paintings, thinking I would like to write little poems in response to each of them. (As you probably know, this is also what I started doing years ago with my floral arrangements — writing poetry to respond to and interact with the physical and visual experience of the arranged flowers.)
Long story short, I found those brochures of Emily Mason's paintings while cleaning out a drawer, and I thought: I could "delete" this, as in toss it in the recycling, or... I could do it simply, quickly, and just for fun. So, each day, for about 5-10 minutes before I get started with work, I just choose one of those paintings to view and then explore writing a little poem in response to it in a small notebook. That's it. It's purely a creative exercise for me as a creative who loves color and image and sounds and words.
I'll keep you posted if anything fun comes of it, but for now it's just a playful little exercise that allows me to be creative just for the nourishment that creating freely provides. I am excited to know what little creative projects you get into too!
BONUS: CONSULT THE FLOWERS
As a bonus, I also recommend an annual "Consult the Flowers" with the Tarot of Flowers cards, using the "Floral Oracle Spread" included in the guide booklet. This spread allows you to explore your theme of the year and guidance for each of the months ahead through the vivid and metaphoric wisdom of flowers. Shop Tarot of Flowers here.
With love and brightest vibes for your peaceful and intentional start to the new year,
XX
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Image Credits: Cover image and third body image captured by Vanessa Rose. Sixth image captured by Ariel Min.