It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are already done and we’re gearing up for New Year’s Eve already. Every year, it seems like the holidays hustle us through the end of one year and straight through to the next. With every event, gift, and holiday gathering with friends and family, we’re making memories and pushing forward into the new year without slowing down to realize it. While we are eternal optimists and always looking forward to what the future brings, at KIM+ONO, we also know that taking everything one step at a time and deepening our presence in every moment is just as important as a sense of optimism for the future.
So in this week’s journal, we want to explore how to mindfully, artfully, and intentionally send out 2023 and bring in the new year with grace. From one year to the next, there is so much transformational power. But only if we harness it! When our co-founders, sisters Renee and Tiffany Tam, founded KIM+ONO, they wanted each floral kimono robe to drop the wearer into the present moment, to fortify them with love and self care they deserve, and to wrap them in the luxury that relaxes their shoulders and deepens their senses. Of course that is no small task, but hopefully the following ways to transform one year to the next, coupled with your beautiful silky floral robe will give you an idea of how to really make the most out of this transitional time of year. So first, let’s begin a mindful New Year by sending out this past year and make way for something new.
So often we do so much growing, and yet we forget to acknowledge it! A wonderful way to truly mark the moment is to acknowledge and feel deep, inner gratitude for all the ways you’ve grown and learned this year. Perhaps it was a challenging year raising children, or your family went through the ups and downs of aging. Maybe you were challenged at work, or feeling a sense of purpose. And yet, maybe through all of the ebbs and flows of life, you stayed grounded and kept up your self care routine. You draped yourself in your favorite plus size kimono robe, took out your journal, and made a list of gratitude every month. Or perhaps you sent yourself a well-timed gift from “future you” to remind yourself that you’re doing your best and you deserve to feel good, too. Maybe you grew by dealing with challenges in a new way, calming your temper, or even just starting a new night time routine with your favorite floral kimono robe and skincare method. However you grew and learned and changed last year, it’s so important to acknowledge it and see how you are getting better all the time.
Another beautiful way to transform from 2023 to 2024 is to let go of what you no longer need. It’s wonderful to let things go. While sometimes it can feel sad to move on from an idea, experience, identity, or relationship that used to serve you, there is nothing healthier and more conscious than thoughtfully and intentionally letting go of what no longer works. We suggest a practice for letting go. You can slip into your silky floral robe, reconnect to your senses, and take a deep breath. Meditate for a few minutes, concentrating on how your skin feels within your silky floral robe or the feeling of the floor beneath your feet, or even just the sound of your breath. Then once you feel centered and grounded, make a list of things you can move away from, let go, or otherwise release. Once you’ve made your list, burn the paper (safely of course!), and rest in knowing that you are energetically ready to move on.
And now is the time to move into the future! As 2024 descends upon us, beware of the need to be productive and hustle right away. While there will be a lot of blog posts, advice columns, TikToks, and Instagram posts encouraging you to hustle and get things done right out of the 2024 gate, our advice is counterintuitive. We believe that after a big holiday, and the surge toward the end of the year, it’s time to shift into hibernation mode. You deserve to rest. There is nothing more fortifying to your year, than starting with a full tank. And just like when you miss out on a night of sleep, sometimes you just can’t function without a full tank from rest. Choose moments when you can rest in your maxi kimono robe alone, when you can call a friend instead of going out, or when you can simply read a book instead of ingesting social media posts. All of these things are forms of rest.
One of the nicest things you can do for yourself is to allow yourself to change your mind. Why? When you do this, you are working with a growth mindset instead of a fixed one. As you learn new information (out in the world, or perhaps just about yourself), you can make new choices. As Maya Angelou once said, “When you know better, you do better.” So allow yourself to change, to learn something new, and to know better and better as the year goes on. You can practice a ritual for this idea as well to really make it tangible in your life. Perhaps you light a candle, wear your maxi kimono robe, and make another list of ways you’ve changed your mind. For example, maybe you used to hold onto grudges and now you’re more likely to release those grudges. Maybe you used to believe in fast fashion and now you’d rather opt for a handcrafted floral kimono robe (we don’t blame you!). Or perhaps you became a vegetarian, started practicing a religion, or took up meditation when you swore that would never be you. Allowing yourself to change your mind is a practice that will bring so much depth and richness to 2024. Make a list of all the ways you’ve changed your mind in the last year and then plant it in the ground. If you don’t have access to a garden or yard, you can simply plant it at the bottom of a flower pot on your windowsill. Allow it to metaphorically nourish what is about to bloom.
We hope your transition from one year to the next is as beautiful as you are, and as fulfilling as you deserve. Happy New Year!
