Beginning Anew with Myself: A Mindfulness Practice for Self-Healing and Growth
Beginning Anew with Myself is a therapeutic mindfulness practice I commit to every year—either on the last day of the year or the first day of the new year—to recognize and celebrate my achievements, cultivate self-compassion, and foster emotional healing and inner peace. I also facilitate this practice with clients I have worked closely with throughout the year, helping them start the new year with clarity, gratitude, and renewed intention.
Beginning Anew is a powerful mindfulness practice originally taught by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, founder of Plum Village, to nurture healthy relationships and heal difficult ones. Plum Village is an internationally recognized mindfulness center where renowned scholar Jon Kabat-Zinn first learned mindfulness and later developed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Although this practice is designed to reconcile relationships with loved ones, I have adapted it as a way to reconnect and reconcile with my inner self—especially at the close of one year and the beginning of the next. This approach helps cultivate self-compassion, emotional healing, and clarity for the year ahead.
The Four Steps of Beginning Anew with Oneself
Watering the Flowers (Appreciation): Express gratitude and acknowledge your positive qualities, actions, improvements, and achievements—even during challenging times of the year.
Expressing Regrets: Apologize sincerely for mistakes or actions that caused you pain. Take responsibility without self-criticism.
Expressing Suffering: Acknowledge your own hurt and difficulties without blame. Offer yourself understanding and compassion.
Asking for Support: Clearly identify what you need from yourself or others to support healing and growth—such as mindful listening, emotional validation, or establishing healthier boundaries as you enter the new year.
I discovered that practicing Beginning Anew with Myself is profoundly therapeutic and deeply transformative for emotional healing, self-compassion, and mental well-being. The first time I tried it was 12 years ago, and it transformed how I relate to myself. I appreciated my resilience and compassion in overcoming many challenges and supporting others with unwavering diligence and kindness. However, I realized that in doing so, I often neglected my own mental and physical health. I pushed myself relentlessly, believing I needed to prove my worth through hard work. During this practice, I expressed apologies to myself for ignoring my body’s need for rest and continuing to push forward. I acknowledged that this pattern stemmed from childhood experiences of not being heard, seen, or respected by my father because I was a girl growing up in a culture that valued boys more highly. Through this reflection, I reminded myself that I have already achieved enough—I do not need to overwork or punish myself to feel worthy. From that moment onward, I made a commitment to care for myself with compassion—a journey I am still learning and embracing today.
This insight is deeply relevant for many women I work with across cultures who share similar struggles. Practicing self-compassion and mindfulness can help break these cycles and promote emotional healing, inner peace, and self-worth.
If you’d like to explore your own story, understand your suffering, and learn how your upbringing shapes who you are today, I invite you to book a session with me.
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📧 Email: trista@lifejourneycounselling.com
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Wishing you a joyful, healthy, and peaceful New Year! May 2026 bring you mental and physical well-being.
- Trista Lam
Source: https://plumvillage.org/articles/begin-anew
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