Boxing Day – Unwrapping the Lessons of the Year
📦 Boxing Day – Unwrapping the Lessons of the Year
Happy December 26th!
Today is traditionally Boxing Day, a celebration rooted in giving time and gifts to those less fortunate, and often used as a day to relax and break down the previous day's feasting. Today also shares the calendar with National Candy Cane Day.
This is the perfect day for a vital self-love practice: unpacking the lessons of the past year and finding the clarity to look ahead. Let's commit to wrapping up our 2025 emotional baggage so we can enter the new year with purpose and sweetness.
1. Boxing Up the Baggage: The Purpose of Release
The tradition of Boxing Day suggests packing up. For your life, this means intentionally reviewing the past year and deciding what emotional "baggage" to keep (the wisdom) and what to throw away (the guilt, regret, and limiting beliefs).
Your Purpose for the new year is directly tied to the weight you refuse to carry from the last.
🔑 The Action: The Keep/Toss Audit
Identify one major disappointment or failure from 2025.
Self-Love Tip (Purpose): Instead of dwelling on the event, ask two questions:
Toss: What guilt or self-criticism am I ready to discard?
Keep: What specific wisdom or lesson can I keep from this experience?
Commitment: Toss the blame; keep the lesson. This process clears your mental space and anchors your Purpose in learning and forward movement.
2. The Candy Cane Principle: Finding the Sweetness
National Candy Cane Day reminds us that even after the richness of Christmas, there is simple, enduring sweetness to be found. The flavor is distinct, recognizable, and comforting.
Your Pleasure needs to be simple and reliable amidst the post-holiday chaos.
🔑 The Action: The Simplicity Savor
Choose one act of simple, immediate comfort and savor it without complication.
Self-Love Tip (Pleasure): This could be a peppermint tea, a quiet read, or a moment of stillness amidst the wrapping paper. Allow yourself to feel the simple, clean comfort of the moment.
The Goal: Don't let the cleanup and the rush of "next year's goals" overshadow the need for rest. Self-love is the ability to find and grant yourself simple, reliable Pleasure.
3. Sharing the Bounty: Fueling Your Passion
The original spirit of Boxing Day was about sharing the leftovers and gifts with those who work hard and need support.
Your Passion thrives when you are generous with your time, attention, and energy.
🔑 The Action: The Post-Holiday Thank You
Reach out to one person today who supported you significantly in 2025 but hasn't heard your appreciation lately.
Self-Love Tip (Passion): This isn't just about holiday greetings; it's a specific expression of gratitude for their emotional labor, wisdom, or support. "Thank you for listening when I was struggling with [specific issue] in June."
The Result: Generosity of spirit is a powerful self-love booster. It reinforces your connections and reminds you that your Passion is best executed in a network of mutual support.
This December 26th, take the time to intentionally pack away the past year's burdens, savor the simple, sweet comforts, and share your gratitude with those who supported your journey.
What is the one lesson from 2025 that you will intentionally "keep" and carry forward with you?
