New year’s rituals stem from family traditions that naturally evolve over time. In a busy society where everyone is bombarded with all sorts of activities, techinology and distractions, traditions offer a sense of belonging and identity to every member of the family. They help us bond and connect, and new year’s rituals can be updated and altered as families grow and change.
Family traditions are so very important because they:
- Strengthen family bonds
- Provide comfort and security
- Help navigate change
- Teach values
- Pass on cultural or religious heritage
- Teach practical skills
- Solve problems
- Help keep the memory of departed family members
- Help heal from loss or trauma
- Generate wonderful memories
Here are 3 super fun ways to create new year’s rituals with your children:
1. Create vision boards.
A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life. Get all of your old magazines and pull our glitter, stickers, glue, markers, and fun art supplies. You can make a collage of the things you want to make happen in the New Year. For example, you could have a picture of a big bright smile and a happy person and this could encourage you to take care of your health. It’s one of the most wonderful new year’s rituals you can incorporate into your traditions.
2. Play Outside.
You can make more out of your time together by playing outside. Nature is a great way to connect, enjoy the new season and welcome in the New Year. Playing in nature helps connect us to our earth and make us feel more empowered. If you have a favorite activity you can play together with your family, try it outside. Or perhaps there’s a special place you and your family visit every year. If so, make it one of your new year’s rituals, and do something unique, such as a family story you write together. Or perhaps one of your new year’s rituals is a scavenger hunt always culminating at said special location.
3. Set intentions.
Connecting with your children is important and it can happen naturally when you create intentions together. Create a few power words or ideas that help ground you and say them aloud to one another. Each person can choose a word or create a mantra for themselves. This is the sort of new year’s rituals that offers a lasting impression to children that will carry with them throughout their lives. Setting intentions and can help improve your health as well. It helps establish consistency and balance.
- Thanks The Chic Site for your awesome vision board image!
She is best-selling author of three books about happiness, including Find Your Happy and Adventures for Your Soul. She appears regularly as a happiness expert on AM Northwest and Huff Post Live, and was named among the “Top 100 Women to Watch in Wellness” by the Mind Body Green. Shannon's the founder of Playwiththeworld.com, an award-winning self-help and personal development website. She's an author, international life coach, teacher, travel writer and inspirational speaker who left her job in advertising several years ago to follow her heart and become a writer.
Her work has been recognized in media outlets across the globe such as HuffPost Live, Health Magazine, Australian Vogue, Women’s Health, Spirituality & Health and Entrepreneur magazine. Everything Shannon does is to help you connect to your true self and unapologetically live your authentic purpose.
Connect on Facebook @ShannonKaiserWrites
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