Close the year gently with simple wellness rituals like forest time, journaling, intention‑setting, that nourish your soul and leave you ready for the next chapter.
As the year draws to a close, you don’t have to sprint into big resolutions or dramatic overhauls. Instead, you can choose mini year‑end rituals that gently nourish your soul, restore your energy and reconnect you with nature, self, and community. Whether you’re in the heart of Asheville, NC, visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains or simply craving a meaningful pause right in your own backyard, these rituals invite presence and peace over perfection.
1. Pause in the Forest (or a Quiet Corner of Nature)
Take a slow hike, find a bench beside the trail, or simply sit under a tree. Allow yourself to just be.
- Notice your breath.
- Let your shoulders soften.
- Observe the trees, sky and moss beneath your feet.
- Use all your senses to really arrive where you are. What can you taste in the air? What does the earth beneath you feel like? What do you hear?
Rituals that connect us with nature help us reflect and release.
Tip: Set aside small moments this week to leave your phone on silent or in your car and let the forest hold space for you. Even if this is just for a minute, it is powerful!
If you are hoping to experience Forest Bathing with a guide, our next public event is on December 6th and you will learn how to do just this, pause in the forest and just be.
2. Celebrate What You’re Proud Of
Write a “victories list”. Not just big achievements. also the quiet ones. Use your journal and prompt yourself: What am I proud of? What have I accomplished in the last year?
It is easy to notice what resolutions we didn’t keep or what goals we didn’t get to, but over those 365 days, you accomplished amazing, beautiful things. Instead of thinking about what you did.
Tip: Use a cozy spot, maybe a comfy chair with a warm drink and write your list while natural light streams through a window.
3. Follow the Sparkle
Here in Asheville, winter brings a mix of cozy traditions and fresh new fun. Some of these are brand-new this year, while others return every season:
✨ The Trolls are new at The Arboretum
✨ Holiday décor lights up The Biltmore
✨ A brand-new Ice Skating Rink is open at Asheville Yards
✨ Winter Lights glow again at The Arboretum
✨ The sweet Gingerbread House Competition returns to The Grove Arcade
Not in Asheville? What’s sparkling in your community this season? Are there local traditions, lights, or small joys calling to you?
4. Release & Reset with a Nature Ceremony
Create a little release ritual: bring three stones or leaves, and for each one say:
- “What I release this year…”
- “What I’m grateful for…”
- “What I will step into next…”
Then place them gently in the earth, a stream or beneath a tree. This physical act anchors your intention. Rituals like this show up again and again in wellness writing about year‑end closure and are must softer and personal than setting that tricky, sneaky resolution.
Tip: Do it at dusk or sunrise for extra softness. No fancy tools needed, just sincerity.
5. Choose Your Word of the Year (or Season)
Instead of making a long list of resolutions, pick a single guiding word: flow, grounded, light, expansion, rest. Find a word that really sets your intention for the year. A word of the year can be your guiding light.
Reflect: How do you want to feel? How do you want to show up? This mindset is supported by wellness experts who suggest rituals over resolutions.
Tip: Write your word on a piece of paper and place it somewhere visible, your mirror, your journal, your car’s visor and even as a screensaver on your phone or a password you have to type often.
6. Add Something New to Your Life
Ditch the extreme “juice cleanse” or overnight overhaul. Forget about resetting or intentions that always get away from you. Instead, think about one small little thing that if you added in to your life, you’d be so excited.
Think:
- A weekly slow nature walk.
- 15‑minute breathwork session in the hammock or under the trees.
- Implement a digital‑sunset: turn off your phone 30 minutes earlier each evening this week and just watch the sky.
- Trying something new once a month. Check out our calendar for ideas!
Tip: Mark it in your calendar so it’s more than just “some day”.
7. Share & Gather
Invite a friend or small group to join you for one of these rituals. Shared space amplifies presence and joy. In Asheville especially, the mountain trails and forest settings make a lovely backdrop to get outside with friends, to share deep breaths and to try something new together.
As you close out your year, remember: you don’t have to do it all, but you do deserve to feel it all. Choose one ritual, commit to it, and give yourself the gift of ease, presence and renewal.
Here in Asheville, amid the trees, the mountains and the open skies, we have the perfect backdrop for these soothing rituals.
Your next step: Pick one of the rituals above. Date it. Show up for yourself. You’ll thank yourself later. Want help choosing a trail, scheduling a guided nature ritual, or making a private mini retreat for a group? We are here and happy to help.
With gentle intention & deep breaths,
Your Asheville Wellness Guides 🌿
