This week I went through the annual process of “closing out” my office files for the year. The practical perspective is rather tedious, but it brings reflection that is so worthy of my time. It is a reminder of the amazing people I met this year, the great conversations shared and the inspiration of watching lives change. It offers a sense of closure and appreciation of the journey of 2015.
And so it is with our personal lives as well. We might not have physical files to “close out” (except for taxes maybe), but we certainly carry files in our head. The Ego keeps LOTS OF FILES.
Files that itemize who did what, said what and meant what toward us. Files that log our successes but mostly our failures. Files that track what was fair or unfair. Files that fuel our anxieties and fears. Files that keep us feeling powerless and depressed. Files that remind us what we should have done.
I don’t know about you, but those are the files I REALLY want to close out for the year. I want to start 2016 free from the Ego’s record keeping of the past. I want to experience the Grace of a new beginning.
For my own practice, I spent some time writing down all of the things I am grateful for from 2015. Many good experiences and some good outcomes from not-so-good experiences. This helped me have a balanced picture of the year.
Then I cleaned out my mental files by listing all of the things I want to release: experiences, patterns, obstacles, fears, regrets. Everything that I don’t want to carry forward into 2016. This helped me let it all go.
Lastly, I wrote down the things I want to embrace in the New Year: intentions, desires, beliefs, practices, emotions. This helped me create positive anticipation for the future.
Cleaning out your mental filing cabinet may feel a little tedious but is so worth the effort. Like cleaning out a cluttered closet, you will feel lighter and freer, with open space for something new.
Happy Cleaning!
Pam