New year. Change. They go together, neatly tied in a bow of possibility called resolutions. Love them, hate them, but we all think about them. What can we do differently after a year of seismic disruption to make New Year’s changes that matter? 

Let’s look at change from a different perspective, and this year let’s make those resolutions happen by identifying ways to transition for significant improvement in your life.

New year’s changes come from transitions

Even if we do not believe we are ready for drastic new year’s change, it is important to identify ways to transition for significant change in your life. 

One of the best examples I can remember is when my children began preschool. During the first week, I didn’t leave them at the front door and pick them up at the end of the day. The first day consisted of me waiting outside the preschool for a couple of hours after dropping them off in the event they needed me and then taking them home. The second day was a little bit longer, and each consecutive day was longer than that, until my children had enough confidence in the fact that this was now a new routine in their daily lives. 

Developing new daily constructs, as well as personal relationships to support the intention, seems to fall off our radars when we dive into new routines and expect them to stick right away. The same applies for our body and mind needing space for transitions. If you believe there are stages to acquiring new habits, then you know that, at the end of everything, there is some kind of immediate benefit or reward. Some goals take longer than others, and it is essential to break goals down into smaller steps so that each in their own right signals being on a clear path toward the goal.

Start each day off right

Breakfast is the first meal of the day, and its name (“break fast”) signals the end of the fasting period of the prior night. While most experts believe it is the most important meal of the day in terms of its effect on health, there is still more to learn about

breakfast and its role on holistic health. Many cultures have different beliefs about breakfast that caused me to rethink mine. For example, in India, there are more than twenty-five types of breakfasts that include hundreds of different types of foods, instead

of the few standard breakfasts we often eat in the United States.

It raises the question “Why do we accept the notions surrounding breakfast that have been handed down to us, and not think more about our holistic needs that may shift from day to day?”

Let’s think about New Year’s changes this way too and use the following rituals to explore both how and what we eat, in general (i.e., not just at breakfast), can serve our holistic needs and improve our overall well-being.

“I want to wake up and feel energized for the day.” 

Using these simple ancient ritual steps will help you get your day going on a positive note. In turn, it will help you feel good about yourself and when you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to stick to your goals and New Year’s changes.

• Wake up each day with and intentionally acknowledge the new day by saying aloud, “Today is a fresh start.” 
• Prepare a beverage of your choosing and make a toast to the sun for bringing light to a new day. 
• Mix it up on the weekend by making a tea blend prepared in a French press. 
• Add loose-leaf black tea, fresh ginger, lemon, rosemary, and sage to the French press. 
• Feel free to also mix any combination of tea (green, black, herbal), citrus, herb, and essence. 
• Take time to enjoy the flavor of what you’ve brewed.

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” —Fred Rogers

A fresh start awaits you every morning. While breakfast may be touted as the most important meal of the day, acknowledging the transition with the mind-set of a new beginning is equally important. Creating structure for waking up and practicing new rituals to greet the day has noticeably increased my energy capacity and overall ability to manage what comes my way without emotional drama. Yes, I have moments when I deviate from this new routine, and they are generally followed by my own sense of strain as I try to handle all that needs my time and attention.

I encourage you to own the mornings and celebrate each one as a fresh start to a new beginning—you’ll be amazed at how good you feel and what you can accomplish.

I wish you the best of luck and the happiest of New Years, even if this year means BIG new year’s changes to ensure 2020 is left in the rear view mirror!