Making Meditation Part of My Life on New Year’s Day 2025

My 2024 has been a whirlwind – economically and health-wise. Between juggling my business and grappling with stubborn health niggles (thanks stress and depression!), I’ve been in a constant state of doing with barely a moment to just be. It’s no wonder the idea of meditation has been tugging at me.

So, I’ve made a decision:
My first act of 2025 will be to sit still, unplug, and try meditation for the very first time.

Why New Year’s Day?

Because it feels like the perfect moment to reset. After the chaos of 2024, I need a ritual that doesn’t cost a cent, demand anything of me, or add to my to-do list.

I’ve read that regular meditation can light up the happiness centers of the brain while quieting the self-absorbed parts, leaving you in a state of “bliss brain”. It might just be the exact mindset I need to tackle 2025 with a little more clarity – and a lot more calm.

No grand resolutions, no complicated routines – just 20 minutes of calm on New Year’s Day.

Why Meditation?

This year, the relentless pace has taken its toll. The physical side effects – tension, fatigue, and those mysterious aches that appear uninvited – have forced me to take stock. Economically, 2024 has been no picnic either, with unpaid invoices stretching my business like a tightrope.

Meditation promises something I desperately need: clarity and calm. Research backs its benefits for reducing stress, improving focus, and even lowering blood pressure. It can also trigger those “feel-good” chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.

Here’s how I’ll ease into 2025:

1. Turning Everything Off:
   I’ll unplug my phone, laptop, and any other distractions. This will be my gift to myself – 20 undisturbed minutes.
2. Setting the Intention:
   I’ll start with a clear intention: This is my time to let go of stress and reconnect with peace. A phrase like, I release all blocks to inner calm will help set the tone.
3. Relaxation:
   Closing my eyes, I’ll release tension in my body – starting with my hands, resting my tongue, and letting go of the day.
4. Feeling the Space Inside:
   I’ll focus on the space within me, noticing my hands, feet, arms, and torso. I’ll even imagine a big empty space behind my eyes and between my eyebrows. Any drifting thoughts? I’ll let them pass, like clouds across a sky.
5. Breathing Slowly:
   Counting six seconds in and six seconds out, I’ll focus entirely on my breath. This simple rhythm will help keep me grounded.
6. Heart-Centered Breathing:
   I’ll bring my attention to my chest, imagining my breath flowing in and out through my heart as I maintain those six-second cycles.
7. Sharing Love:
   With each exhale, I’ll visualise sending love outward – to my family, to Kangaroo Island, and everyone who supported me in 2024. Then I’ll bring that love back inward, sending it to areas in my body that feel tense or tired.

A Fresh Start

I can’t help but feel this might be more than just a one-off experiment. If it can bring even a fraction of the peace it promises, what else might I be capable of?

If it works, I can already imagine extending this idea into other areas of my life. If 2024 has taught me anything, it’s that running on fumes doesn’t serve me, my family, or my business.

This meditation session on New Year’s Day won’t just be about finding peace in the moment – it might just be the spark for a chain reaction of positive changes. By giving myself permission to pause, I’ll open the door to new ways of living, working, and thriving in the year ahead.

Here’s to making 2025 a year of balance, growth, and, most importantly, a little more ease.