How to end this year on a Fabulously Positive note

I personally love sweet and happy endings. Be it for a good movie, a good book or even a good meal. These sweet ending usually are like the cherry on the cake…oopps..I’m getting all sweet toothed now :)

The end of a delicious feast is often marked by an after dinner sweet dessert. Dessert time not only provides perfect closure to a memorable meal, but also assists digestion, aids assimilation, and creates space for good conversation.

As this year comes to an end, what will you be thinking about? What will you be reflecting on? Will you be thinking about what you ‘did’ and relishing the dessert or what you ‘didnt’ accomplish and ending the year on a sour note?

End of the year reflection is like the “dessert” of the year.

It is a perfect opportunity to assess significant accomplishments, provide closure to the previous year, and to prepare the ground for a new year ahead. It’s also an important time to tie up loose ends, let go of things that no longer work, and sweep out old energies. This year, instead of just letting the final days of the year slip on by, treat yourself to “dessert” to digest what you have learned, and feel the satisfaction of accomplishment and closure.

Here are five ways to end this year on a Positive note:

1. Clean Up 
Take these last few days of the year to bring harmony and balance in your living and working environment. Walk around your personal spaces and sense what’s working and what’s not. Open the drawers, step in the garage, look into all the nooks, crannies, and dark spaces. Intuitively, you know what’s calling to you. Follow that urge and straighten the  cabinets, organize the garage, or vacuum the hair from the under the bed. Cleaning up can be a great way to remove old energies and allow new positive flow. Take the next few days to put in order, sort out, clean, or rearrange your space. Then breathe, relax, and revel in the new harmony!

2. Let Go!
The end of the year is a great time to let go of anything you no longer need or want. What may have felt near and dear to you last year may no longer hold the same feeling now. Go through your “stuff” and throw out, give away, or donate clothes, furniture, kitchen gadgets, knick-knacks, or anything else that no longer fits your personality. Just because Aunt “B” once gave you that ceramic dog figurine for Christmas or Eid or your birthday in 1987, doesn’t mean that you have to keep it around forever and ever. Let go of what no longer feels energizing or uplifting.

3. Manage Out of Control Email
Feeling buried in your inbox? It’s not uncommon to start the day by opening email, checking the 40-plus new messages, and feeling the burden of the ones that haven’t been yet answered from earlier in the week (month or year!). In addition there’s the weightiness of hundreds of emails saved in various folders. Take the next few days and get a handle on your overflowing email. Answer any pertinent pending emails, delete everything you don’t have to read, and unsubscribe from newsletters that may no longer provide value to your day. Take back control by deciding how much time and energy you’re willing to give to email.

4. Take Long Walks
Over the next several days give yourself some quality alone time by taking long walks. During those outings practice conscious deep breathing. Breathing helps dislodge old stuck energies and emotions. In addition, breathing relieves stress. As you begin to relax, be nourished by nature. Feel the wind on your checks, listen to the birds signing, and breathe in the scents of the season. Breathing, relaxation, nature, and quality alone time provide an opportune time to daydream about fun times, revel in giving your best to creative endeavors, and being open to the beauty in life. When you feel good, you invite yourself to participate in more experiences that feel good.

5. Love and Introspection
The end of the year is the perfect time for self-love and self-evaluation. As you look back on the dreams, goals, objectives, and projects you had planned for the past year, take stock of where you actually are. Did you allow your life to develop in meaningful ways over the past year? Avoid the temptation of self-flagellation for goals that weren’t met, and use the opportunity of reflection to assess what’s still important. Be supportive of yourself as you recognize what you achieved, what you learned about yourself, and the strengths that developed over the past months. Love yourself for who you are right now and love yourself for knowing who you want to become more of.

As the year winds down, stop and give yourself a good closure.

Let yourself know that you have come to the end, summarize your achievements, and reinforce your commitment to a central idea. Follow the tips above and know that there’s no reason why this year can’t have a perfectly fabulous ending! You create an ending YOU want by your choices.

What are YOUR thoughts on this topic?
How do you usually handle the end of the year? Do you have any positive tips to share here, so we can all practice immense positivity while this year comes to a close? Share your thoughts, questions and comments in the comments section below. I look forward to Your positive input here always! 

In the next article a Positive Provocations 2011 Review and what awesome positive additions and gifts YOU can look forward to in 2012 PLUS an End of Year contest!! Woohoo :) psst…lots and lots of NEW !

Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer


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45 thoughts on “How to end this year on a Fabulously Positive note”

  1. Dear Zeenat,
    Thank you so much for this timely reminder. Diespite the fact my mother passed away yesterday, I am determined to end this year on a positive note. I will be acting on your advice.
    Love always,
    TiTi

    • Hi TiTi,
      I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. But you know she is in a better place and much at peace now. I’ll pray for her and for you. May your determination to end this year on a positive note continue on and on.
      I’m always excited to see your comment here. Thank you for sharing your energy and your experience with us all.
      Sending you lots of love and healing~

  2. Hi Zeenat,

    I could certainly put some energy into all the items on this list, but the first three appeal to me in particular. But as to the others, I’m already pouring through my journal pulling out the life lessons for the year and looking at how I will move forward. And self-love is an important focus for me too. Thanks for these upbeat ways to move forward. Lots of love, Sandra

    • Hi Sandra,
      I love that you are doing your own version of introspection by journaling. Its a powerful reflective tool.
      I know you have what it takes to end this year with a positive blast :)
      I’m glad you liked this article dear one. The end of the year is bringing a lot of ‘stuff’ in perspective on my end too.
      Sending you lots of love~

    • Hi Janaki,
      So glad you liked these tips for a fabulously positive year end. May you have a super duper year end.
      Thank you for your lovely comment here.
      Much Love~

  4. 4. Take Long Walks

    “A mysterious breathing of wind moved in the trees, and the stream sang cheerily at every ripple. There is no place so impressively solitary as a dense forest with a stream passing over a rocky bed at a moderate inclination.”

    “But let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains, and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and that the grave has no victory, for it never fights. All is divine harmony.”

    Both quotes are from John Muir while contemplating the beauty of the Bonaventure graveyard during his 1000-Mile Walk in the late 1860′s.

    Thank you Zeenat for your *glorious* (a much used word by Muir) giving self.

    Much love,
    Rand

  6. Hi Zeenat .. so wonderfully expressed – clear the decks and be prepared for 2012 .. and the other points – long walks .. meditative breathing .. you offer so much ..

    With fondness to you and your family .. Hilary

    • Hi Hilary,
      How awesome is it to see you here after so long. 2012 is gonna be awesome for everyone!
      Sending you lots of love and seasons greetings dear one.
      Love always~

  7. Hi Zeenat, Like you I believe in a thorough clear out at year end, and was going to start exactly that this morning, only it’s cold and I am feeling a little lazy, so I crawled back under the duvet with the laptop to procrastinate and read some blogs… and the first to come up is yours, telling me to get back to work!! This is perfect gentle reminder, thank you!

    • Hi Cynthia,
      So glad I could provide you with the necessary warm nudge to begin the clearing today :)
      I do wish it got that cold in Mumbai…but alas we have to make do with ‘slight’ cold….which compared to the summers here is a blessing of gigantic proportions :)
      I hope you have a beautiful year end clearing out time.
      Thank you for your wonderful comment here.
      Sending you love and Seasons greetings~

  8. Beautiful Zeenat! Finally, someone who believes in “dessert!” Amen, sister.

    I like the idea of taking more walks outside. In winter, I spend lots of time inside (more than usual). That one stopped me: get outside, celebrate my body and mother nature, and WALK! I just might do that today. (Hold me to it!)

    I also like the idea of cleaning out that which no longer works, is needed/used, or could just stand to be flowed onto someone else. I’ve done this with electronic connections most recently. Holding onto people who weren’t mindfully part of my everyday life… well, it felt heavy to keep the connections, knowing the lines of communication had long since been abandoned. So I cleaned out some connections and my heart felt lighter as a result.

    I like heading into 2012 with only those things and people I most need or want. The excess can fall away (and there’s HUGE symbolism there in other ways; wow!).

    Loving you, Beautiful Zeenat, and thankful for all you do!

    • My darling Joyful Angel,
      I can stop eating food…really…but ah I just cant leave my dessert!! So fun that we can one day have an only dessert day together ;) When are you coming to India sweetie??
      And after our only dessert day, we will go on a juice fast for the whole week…just to make up…;)
      I love how you have let ‘those’ connections fall away….it can be typically empowering.wowza!
      I am yet to be brave enough to do that…but yes I have my boundaries and can lovingly state them ever so often ;) I dont know no other way than love na…
      I wish you a happy and joyous end of the year….may you walk in nature and bathe in its glory.
      With lots of love and seasons greetings~

  9. About walking and talking about my expriences …

    Before go to walk I like to give a little puff in a marijuana and go walking carryirng a pocket voice recorder . I record a lot of thoughts. When back home ,I go to hear all . About half can be erased because they were “trippy thoughts” but the other half are usefull or inspirational.

    • Hi Ribron,
      Life can be pretty trippy fun even without the puffs :)
      - love the idea of recording your thoughts and then taking inspiration from there.
      Thank you for sharing your beautiful idea here.
      Much love.

    • Hi George,
      So amazing seeing your smiley face here!
      And that email stuff oh it can be a daunting task if we don’t take care of it at regular intervals.
      May you have a beautiful end of the year and an even more super new year.
      Much love~

  12. Hi Zeenat,
    I read through your list and smiled. I am working well on 3,4,and 5 :) It is the Clearing out and letting go that I know I need to do and right now do not have the energy, you have inspired me to now make a list of what I do need to let go of- the physical stuff is what I do need to focus on, maybe 15 mins a day will get it started
    love and hugs
    Suzie

    • Darling Suzie,
      15 minutes a day after what you have been through is HUGE! So start slow…and when your physical body is up for it, take action and clear your clutter. NEW year awesomeness awaits us all…and you especially.
      Seasons greetings and lots of healing love to you and Des~

    • Hi Navneet!!
      It is sweetness personified…. ;) Glad you liked all the sweet here :)
      Thank you for your sweet comment here.
      Seasons Greeting and love to you~

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  15. Great post, thank you for sharing! I have jotted down some of your tips and will use them once I start my self-reflection of this year. There is a lot for me to reflect on and having some outside ideas on how to do this will help. :)

    • Hi Brittany,
      I’m so glad to the ideas here have nudged you and provided you with positive ammunition to reflect on.
      May you have a fabulous year end and an even better new year.
      Thank you for your gorgeous comment here.
      Much Love~

  16. Great tips for finishing well, something I like to do at the end of the year. I’ve already done a lot of cleaning out. I’m not that sentimental about stuff, although I can be sentimental about other things, so letting go of stuff is not that hard. Ironically, something I gave away is now something I need, and now I have to go get a new one! Ha! That doesn’t happen very often and it is absolutely worth it to get rid of the clutter.

    I will be up at my cabin in the mountains for the last days of the year, so walks in nature are definitely on the agenda!

    Thanks for some great tips for ending the year well.

    • Hi Galen,
      You know I’m not too sentimental about ‘stuff’ too! Hence I find it easier to give things up or away…It could also be cause I dont feel these material possession are all that we need to be happy :)
      And sweetie NEW is always awesome…so indulge but dont splurge. We dont want to create clutter for the next year ;)
      That cabin of yours sounds like a dream…have a great time immersed in nature and do pray for me and my family.
      Thank you so much for your lovely comment here.
      Sending you lots of love and seasons greetings~

  17. Hi Zeenat,

    So nice to have found another self development blogger. Tracked your site down from Steven Aitchison’s site where you are one of the Top 50 Personal Development Bloggers. Congrats and welcome done.

    Reading and exploring your blog, I can see now why you were one of the winners.

    I like this post calling us to close our year properly. Personally for me, I like to ask myself this question as the year comes to a close: Did I improve as a person this year? How?

    I guess that’s a good start for any reflection.

    • Hi Jimmy,
      So awesome to see a new smiley face here! Welcome!
      I’m super happy that you came over from Steven’s site and thank you for your wishes. I am beyond the moon to be part of that amazing list of bloggers.
      Your first visit seems to have impressed you and provoked you positively… :) My work here is done ;)
      I like the question you are asking yourself…its a potent and powerful question. The answer to which will definitely bring major positive changes in us.
      You have an amazing end of the year and new year.
      Sending you love and seasons greetings~
      p.s.thank you for your amazing comment here!

  18. I loved all 5 tips, and I’m currently enjoying life to the fullest away from the computer.

    In your function as a mother to the world, you inspire all who read your work to try again, to take another step forward. I can hear your voice encouraging “Like this…like this.”

    Happy return of the cycle from darkness into new light!

    • Hi Mikey,
      I’m super happy that you liked all the 5 tips here!
      “mother to the world’….ahhhh….dont give me such a huge responsibility dear one….I am not sure If I can live upto it :) But encouraging and motivating is part of my nature…and if it helps other fly..then I happily provide my services. Gathering good karma :)
      Thank you always for your loving words and support.
      Much Love~

  19. Hi Zeenat,

    I’m like you, love a happy ending. I don’t like movies where the bad guy wins. I was always that kid who saved the best bite for the end. I even ate pizza from the crust backwards so the last bite would be the cheesiest.

    So the idea of closing out the year with some of these awesome ideas is very appealing to me. You have laid a huge task at my doorstep, though. My emails are in desperate need of management. Hmmm. But I do know I’ll enter 2012 with a lighter burden if I do!

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    • Hi Ken,
      I love that you are here! Come on…you are a celebrity mr. with winning the top blogger!! Bow sir ;)
      And emails …oh my they are my weekly task :) I dont let them pile up now. But there was a time when there were nearly 5000+ unread emails I needed to get to….it took me 3 whole days…but in the end it was well worth the trouble. Clutter free inbox leads to clutter free online living eh… :)
      I’m so happy to see you here.
      Thank you for your amazing comment here.
      Much Love~

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  21. Nice post Zeenat. I’ve noticed that I’ve not done much reflecting on this year. I’ve been much more present moment focused and have been thinking more of getting on in the new year. I know many many hours of meditating this year has helped change my consciousness in this sense.

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  24. The email thing is definitely for me. I have so many new emails daily and so many accounts, it’s so much. I’m going to add some structure to relieve the stress related to it so that I can complete the task, end the year on a good note and start the new year fresh.

  25. Hi Zeenat

    Thank you so much for your awe inspiring blog and especially for being so caring that you take the time to reply each comment.

    thank you and happy new year.. :)

    Yash

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