Your 2023 Closing Ceremony

Here's how I ceremoniously close out each year.

In the fall of 2016, I went through a crushing breakup. I was heartbroken, depressed, and the exact opposite of excited about life.

As the New Year approached, after months of lying on my couch alternating between staring at the ceiling and crying, I had a thought: I needed to create a plan for 2017 that was so BIG, bold, & thrilling it would make me excited about life again.

I knew I had to do more than just step outside my comfort zone; I had to full-on leap into a new reality, one that felt, well, worth living.

I was talking with my cousin about this and she said, "Oh, have you heard of Leonie Dawson's Shining Year Workbooks?" [I had not.] "I think you would love it. It feels perfect for what you're trying to create.

So, I ordered a copy and was INSTANTLY in love. It was beautifully illustrated, inspiring, and, most excitedly for me, set me up to make a list of 100 things to do the following year that would bring joy.

Everything from reading that book so many people had been suggesting to finally getting that print that had been collecting dust framed and hung on the wall to going to India (*gulp* talk about massively out of my comfort zone). I was completely sold!

But before I could start planning 2017, the workbook pushed me to ceremoniously close out 2016 and make peace with all that had happened.

It was this act of pausing to reflect on the prior year before moving on to the next that was different from any other New Year's resolution/intention setting/mantra adoption I had done before. And it's something I have done every year since.

Of course, my process continues to evolve, but every December I sit down and take stock of the year. I note my accomplishments, refresh myself on the lessons I learned, and otherwise acknowledge my growths & gratitudes.

I've adopted many of the prompts from Leonie's workbooks, as well as other sources, and set aside a couple hours on a snowy December afternoon to journal on each. Here they are:

Before you fast forward to 2024, I highly encourage you to take the time to do your own year-end reflection.

You might use the questions above in your own journal, or you might download and print this mini workbook I created for you.

Or you might sign up for a Radical Reset before December 19 and get a bonus 2-hour 1:1 session where we will go through your 2023 closing ceremony together, setting you up for massive success on your 13-week journey of prioritizing self-care, setting BIG goals, and crafting a vibrant, wide-awake life.

Because it's one thing to reflect and visualize on your own, but it's something else entirely to have someone else guide you through the process to go even deeper in your reflection, encourage you to strive for more looking forward, and hold you accountable the whole way.

With Fierce Love,

Chazz