Happy New Years Eve Amigos! It’s my favorite week of the year! A time full of reflection and planning for a new beginning. I think we can all relate when I say I’m so excited for a new year, a new chapter, a new start. In this episode I share with you my #1 New Years Eve Tradition!
I don’t know about you but I’m one of those people that has all those “end of the year” rituals I stick to almost every year. I’m the girl that reads her journal front to back to see how much I grew and went through in a year. I love creating mood boards for the year ahead and will most likely not come out of my room for the entire week until Dec 31. And even then, I love to spend the day outside, getting ready for the new year and everything I have aspired to become or do. I take it is a clean slate and a space full of opportunities. And I hope that this practice I’m going to share with you today will help you start 2021 with a positive outlook.
With that said this little NYE practice I’m going to share with you is something my best friend’s mom told us about back in 2014 and and we’ve been doing it ever since. It’s called The Memory Jar. It’s something that has really helped me look for the positives throughout my year. And I look forward to it every single Dec 31st.
All you’re gonna need is a : writing utensil, a full sheet of paper, little pieces or shreds of paper, and a jar.
You’re gonna grab the full sheet of paper and write down all your goals, wishes, dreams for the year ahead. Write it and release it. After you write them down, you’re gonna fold up the piece of paper and place in the jar. Then, place the jar somewhere you will always see it. Put it aside but remember it’s there. As the year goes by, you’re gonna write down any positive experiences that happen to you on the little pieces or shreds of paper. It doesn’t have to be everyday, and it doesn’t have to be a huge explanation of what happened, it can be just a few sentences and in the moments that you feel the happiest or that feel very special. It can take some time to get used to but just try your best to remember to write them down and place them in the jar.
For example, something I wrote in my jar this year was “On Oct 8, 2020 - I started a podcast”.
In 12 months, on NYE the next year (so Dec 31, 2021), you’re going to empty out the jar and read all of the little pieces of paper first. See what you’ve accomplished or experienced that year! Reflect if you need to - chances are you forgot more than half of the those of things by now. It’s a great reminder of all the good that has happened throughout the year.
Then when you’re done reading the little pieces, grab the big sheet of paper that you put in first. Read through it and see what you were able to accomplish from the list of goals.
No worries if you didn’t accomplish all of the ones you wanted or even if you didn’t accomplish any! See how you feel about them now and decide if you want to strive for them the next year or ex them out completely. After all, we really do change so much after one year.
I’ve also realized, after doing this for a few year, how little I care about marking my goals off after I’ve read all the good that the year consisted of. Goals are good to have in order to strive to become better, but I believe they shouldn’t burden you. I think the Memory Jar does a good job of showing you what you are able to do in one year without putting pressure on your old self (the one that initially wrote the big list of goals). By then, the year has passed and now it’s time for a new beginning.
I love this practice so much because we forget SO much of what happens in one year. It reminds us of all the beautiful things we we are a part of.
Some of the things that came out of my jar this year were:
I started a podcast
Was part of Gloria Estefan’s single “Cuando Hay Amor” as a credited songwriter
Fell in love
Let go of some pretty toxic people in my life, which was a huge accomplishment
Even though this year was definitely more on the empty side than previous years it was still really special getting to reflect on all the good that happened this year despite all the bad.
I hope you have the best start to the new year!
I wanted to keep this episode short since I know today is NYE but thought it was worth it to come on here and say hi, and happy NY!!
Thank you so much for all the support this year, this podcast is still standing because of all of you! it truly means the world to me to have you here every week listening to the episodes. I never knew I could have so much fun with podcasting. I’m so excited to see what 2021 has in store for this podcast and our growing community.
If you guys try the Jar Method, let me know. Tag us @thejourneyofpursuit or my personal one @drealopz! I’d love to see your NYE Memory Jars. As always, If you feel that someone can benefit from this show, send it to them! Leave us a rating or review. I’ll see you guys in 2021! Ciao!