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Hi! I'm Denisse Marie

3 steps to acknowledge, forgive, release and plan for 2023

Published about 1 year ago • 4 min read

Hi, Reader,

We're so close to saying goodbye to another year. Can you believe it??

You may be already in the process of reflecting, planning, and setting new goals. And by now, you may have received AT LEAST one email about planning for the new year. And this is because it's only natural to look ahead, plan and create resolutions.

I myself have a tradition, or ritual, of reflecting on my year and setting goals for what I want to accomplish in the new year. I also have a tradition with my daughters that every New Year's Eve, we write a letter to our future self with what we want to accomplish, and we put it away until the next New Years' Eve. Then on New Year's Eve after midnight, we open our letters.

This year, it will be a little different. I am in Brazil, and my oldest daughter stayed in Florida while I travel for 6 months (I miss her SOOO much!), so we can't create and open our letters the way we have in the past (last year's letters are in storage... OOPS!). I also decided to change my personal tradition a bit.

This year, I wanted to include self-compassion in my ritual. I wanted to acknowledge, celebrate, forgive, and release BEFORE I started looking ahead to the new year. And I'd like to share the process with you with the intention that it supports you in not only acknowledging and celebrating your accomplishments but also forgive yourself and release whatever you didn't get to accomplish. This way, you don't carry the weight of unforgiveness or self-critiscm with you into the new year.


So, here's what I did.

  1. Make a list of 30 - 50 things you accomplished this year. Now, this is easier said than done (I know!!). Usually, when I start these lists, I get to around #3, and then I'm stuck. So let this be a process. Don't rush. If it takes a few days, that's OK. Keep asking yourself, "what else?" And what I found helpful is talking to my kids about things they remember from the year, and I also scrolled through my Instagram feed. We tend to share happy moments and accomplishments on social media, so it's a good place to remind yourself of what you accomplished this year. Write it ALL down, from little to big accomplishments. Even those things you didn't set out to accomplish but you did. Then, spend time with each achievement. Allow yourself to FEEL the feelings that come up. Tell yourself, "Good job!" "You did it." "I am proud of you."
  2. Forgive yourself and let go of disappointments. Sometimes we realize that we're not where we want to be, whether personally or professionally, at this point in our lives. And instead of burying it away, we must acknowledge those feelings of disappointment too. This way, we can forgive ourselves and release them so that energy is not weighing us down (even if we don't notice it). A great practice for this is Ho'oponopono. The indigenous people of Hawaii used this practice for reconciliation and forgiveness, most commonly when they wanted forgiveness from their Gods or to settle disputes between families. And it's a practice we can use for self-forgiveness. Like the first step, take the time to create a list of things you didn't get to accomplish this year, things that you may be disappointed about or feel you didn't do well. Pause, reflect, and write everything that comes to mind (even if it takes more than a day). Once you have them all written down, go through each and practice Ho'oponopono. It's a simple mental affirmation of I forgive you, I am sorry, and I love you. I find it's helpful to look in the mirror and repeat the words for each item. I forgive you, Denisse for _____. I am sorry. I love you, Denisse. And if you find a lot of emotions or energy come up around this, give it a few days and go through the practice again to see how you feel. Allow the space needed to feel and let go.
  3. Setting intentions for the new year. The last step is to create your goals or intentions for the new year. This could be one intention or many around your business, personal life, relationships, money... you name it. In the past, I've set intentions with one-word themes for the year; other times, I've created a list of all my goals. Whatever works best for you! What's important is that you take the time to write them down. And if you want to take it to the next level, visualize yourself accomplishing these goals.

I hope this process is helpful for you and if you're open to it, feel free to share your reflections, intentions, or anything else that comes up for you in this process. I'd love to know how it goes.

Thank you for being part of this growing community. I am grateful for you. Sending you love, hugs, peace, and joy for the new year.

#ICYMI

While we're on the topic of goal setting for the new year, have you considered your marketing goals? Are you looking to improve your marketing efforts and grow your business in 2023? Check out my latest post on Instagram where I share five ways you can improve your marketing right now.

View it here.

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Lots of love and Happy New Year. ❤️

xoxo,

Denisse Marie

P.S. Know someone that would find this email helpful? Share the love and forward it to a friend, family member or colleague. ❤️

Hi! I'm Denisse Marie

I help women leverage marketing and business systems to bridge the gap from where they are to where they want to be. Join my growing community of ambitious women entrepreneurs who are getting leverage in their businesses with marketing tactics, business efficiency tips, and self-compassion practices along the way.

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