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If you’re anything like us, you likely have an aversion to New Year’s resolutions. The pressure! The rigidity! The goal setting! It’s all a bit much for the dead of winter. (Hibernation sounds much, much nicer.)
Fortunately, there’s an alternative that may bring about a quiet yet even more profound personal revolution in 2025: try rituals instead.
“Rituals are built around intentionality, mindfulness, and an open heart,” says yoga and meditation instructor Rachel Levine. “They require us to actually check in with ourselves, see how we are feeling and what we need, right now.” Resolutions, on the other hand, are (surprise) resolute. “They ask us to force ourselves toward a specific end goal, no matter what, even if it doesn’t feel aligned anymore,” she says.
Rather than beating yourself up for failing to follow through on a resolution, incorporating simple, meaningful rituals into your lifestyle allows for imperfection—so long as you’re showing up as you.
The best part of this thoughtful switch? Chances are the right rituals will support your goals more than rote resolutions ever could. “By living with intention and listening to our intuition, we’re guided toward a more authentic life, which naturally leads to achieving our true goals and desires faster,” says Levine.
So go ahead: make mistakes, change your mind, and let your year (and your life) be messy and unpredictable and real. That’s when the best things happen.
3 Rituals to Welcome 2025
These intentional practices from Levine can help you walk through 2025 in a way that feels true to you, regardless of your internal or external circumstances.
1. Start a Journaling Practice
Incorporating self-inquiry and mental release into your daily life is a ritual worth committing to. Start the year by creating a series of journaling prompts to use daily, weekly, or monthly to help you experience more of the emotions and thoughts that feel like, well, you. Some examples from Levine include:
- How do I want to feel this day/week/month?
- What’s one thing that supports this feeling I can commit to this day/week/mont?
- Who do I want to be this day/week/month? How do I want to show up for myself and others?
- How can I support myself this day/week/month?
“From these reflections, write a promise to yourself about how you want to show up,” says Levine. “Keep it as short or detailed as you like, but let it seep into your body.” Revisit your promise from time to time as a reminder amid life’s chaos.
2. Prioritize Self Check-Ins
If you tend to find yourself in undesirable situations with some frequency (and aren’t quite sure why), this ritual is for you.
Try pausing to check in with yourself before saying yes to a commitment. Ask yourself whether you’re enthused about the event, what your intuition is telling you about taking part, and what your underlying intention is behind agreeing to attend.
The same goes for after the commitment. Take a moment to check in with how the event made you feel and why that might be, whether or not you showed up authentically, what you learned, and if there’s anything you need to support yourself.
“This can be an extensive journal session or a two-minute check in,” says Levine. “Give yourself permission to take the time and space you need.”
3. Step Outside
More meditation is always welcome. This approach is simple. It asks you to simply step outside sans distractions. Leave your phone at home and use your freed-up energy to tune into your senses and savor the scents and sounds around you, whether your stroll takes you around a city block or down a country road.
“Pick up any natural items that call to you to bring back into your space,” suggests Levine. “Notice how your connection to nature and your intuition deepen as you move through the landscape.”
A mindful walk can help remind you that you’re a part of a large, colorful, fascinating world.
