Every year at this time I share my New Year ritual. This is an incredibly powerful process that I have done the past seven years and shared with my readers and clients. Over the years, I have heard of numerous miracles and success stories from people who have engaged in this process. In fact just yesterday, I received the following email from Isa Adney who completed her very first book: “Christine, I made the resolution to write this book and make all of this happen after reading your UPdate about your new years tradition. The way you do new years was the way that really helped me make resolutions ACTUALLY COME TRUE! The formula you shared last year was so wonderful and I am so excited to engage in it again this week!”

This ritual does not involve making any kind of resolutions. Why? Well because resolutions are usually promises to do something “more, better, or different.” We vow to exercise more, get a better job, fall in love, or find a different way to handle our stress. But does this really do us any good? Most of us start the New Year with the greatest of intentions, yet by March (or even by the second week in January) we may not find ourselves so resolved. We revert back to old patterns and often begin beating ourselves up for not sticking to our resolutions. Could there be a way to ring in 2012 that serves us better? YES! We can resolve not to make any resolutions and instead engage in a co-creative process of reflection and intention setting.

This New Year’s ritual that I’m sharing with you will support you in letting go of the past and clarifying your focus for the future. I invite you to follow this process and amend it any way that inspires you:

1. On December 31st, carve out at least an hour of uninterrupted time for yourself. Get comfy, quiet, light a candle, perhaps put on some music. Begin by writing in a journal what I call your “Year in Review.” Month by month reminisce about events that happened, people you met, places you visited, lessons you learned, accomplishments, blessings, struggles, funny moments and so on. What is so great about looking at the year in this way is that you are able to notice how you have grown and express gratitude.

2. After you have gone through the year, consider the behavior, beliefs or habits that you’d like to leave behind. We all have our regrets and learning experiences, yet a lot of us tend to cling to them much longer than we need to. On a separate sheet of paper, write down what you would like to leave behind in 2011. For example: being obsessed with an ex, bad eating habits, overuse of a substance, limiting beliefs, repetitive/disruptive thoughts, overuse of Facebook, consistent self-scrutiny, road rage, swearing and so on. When you complete this list, burn it or rip it up into tiny pieces to really get rid of it!

3. If you so choose, share your year in review with someone close to you. See what they recall, reminisce, and share a couple laughs.

4. Make a toast or light a candle to the end of the year. I encourage you to say a prayer of gratitude for 2011 and declare you are letting it go. At midnight on December 31st 2011, toast to releasing anything that no longer serves you.

5. On January first, begin to co-create/manifest 2012. Light a new candle, put on uplifting music, get comfortable . . . set the mood.

6. Find a blank sheet of unlined paper. As a suggestion, write at the top, “This or something better for the highest good of all concerned. And so it is.”

7. Without thinking or analyzing, write down anything and everything that comes to mind that you would like to co-create/manifest in 2012. Be specific, be creative and think big; however, your list should be at least 70 percent possible and believable. Write until your brain is empty – don’t worry about being greedy! The Universe loves to be generous!!! Important: write everything in present tense in the “I am” and use verbs to enthusiastically express what you want. For instance, “I am joyfully and easily securing a new job that is professionally fulfilling and offers me the opportunity to do what I love.”

8. Choose a place to display your list – somewhere that only you can see it, treat it as something sacred. Or you can create a manifestation box and include this list as well as pictures and objects that are symbolic or meaningful to you.

9. Frequently throughout the year, review your list (everyday is ideal). Read what you wrote aloud and feel free to add to it. January 1^st is not the only day of the year in which you can call in what you want! I encourage you to think about the list frequently and believe in the possibility of your manifestation power.

10. Throughout the year, observe with gratitude as things in your life begin to manifest. Celebrate AND do not beat yourself up or get discouraged over what is not happening. Focusing more on what is abundant in our lives ALREADY is the best way to generate more abundance. And remember that sometimes our time-line and the Universe’s time-line may be different.

The night of December 31^st will come and go (and no one will remember what you wore) so instead of just trying to plan an epic evening, set your sights on co-creating an epic year!! Resolve to live your life in line with what you truly want to manifest. Rid yourself of any emotional, mental, physical, or interpersonal clutter so that you can get out of your own way. The thing about the co-creating and manifestation is that it takes action as well as thought and belief, so resolve this year to take steps to truly LIVE your best life.

Happy New Year!

p.s. Don’t forget to download my FREE ebook as a special holiday gift to you here.

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called “Opportunity” and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Edith L. Pierce