Welcome 2023 – Year of the Phoenix rising and return to inner tranquillity – Year of the Water Rabbit

A still mind, they say, reflects the universe so as the new year gets into stride, try a reflections walk to reconnect you, unwind the year that was and prepare you for the year that will be.

A reflections walk consists of seven writing prompts that have been chosen to trigger positivity in parts of your mind. These memories and insights will help foster the core emotions of compassion, awe, gratitude and creativity that often make happiness grow. By combining personal reflections with a nature walk can help us recharge our inner reservoir, helping to assimilate mindfulness and deepen your experience.

All you need is a pen and a notebook to collect your thoughts. Give yourself up to five minutes for each writing activity if you can.

So, thinking about your memories from the last 12 months … find a peaceful nature space near you and go for a gentle walk. The aim is to be silent, go slow, breathe. Open your senses to absorb the calm of nature around and carry it within you. Then find a place to sit and write down:

• One thing you are grateful for.
• One moment of awe.
• One act of kindness you received.
• One act of kindness you gave.
• One person who inspired you.
• One lesson you learnt.
• One thing you wish to create.

Doing the reflection walk on your own is wonderful, but sharing it with others creates a shared experience that not only grows our collective learning, but also forms a special bond based on a deeper understanding of each other. Another interesting idea is to email this to friends who may be in different cities and schedule a WhatsApp / Zoom session to share insights from their reflection walks.

Enjoy!