Shedding the Old, Reflecting for the New

Lent. Ramadan. Lunar New Year. New Moon.
Each of these holds different meaning for each of us.

Each carries its own symbols - the cross, lanterns, the mosque - but the traditions can resonate so much more.

Lent and Ramadan invite us into fasting, reflection, and letting go.
The Lunar New Year and the New Moon encourage shedding the old and beginning again.
Across cultures and traditions, lunar cycles have long guided our rituals and our inner work. So even as we move into a new year and a new moon, this is also a time to pause and ask: what needs to be released? What no longer serves us, and what might letting go make space for?

As you look ahead to the coming month, what could you release to allow more room for reflection?
And what might be tempting you to avoid the very things you know you want, perhaps even need, to do?

Lessons to Live

Growing up in Ireland, Lent was very tangible. It meant giving up sweets, donating coins to the Trócaire box to support those in need, praying daily, and abstaining from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. It was a collective rhythm, a shared season of sacrifice and intention.

Over the past year, I’ve found myself returning to that spirit of reflection in a very personal way.

I’ve been giving sustained attention to my health. Living with chronic migraine for over three decades, chronic back pain for nearly ten years since my fall, and more recently, environmental allergies (grass pollen, of all things… which is particularly ironic when you’re surrounded by the green, green grass of home).

Exercise and a better diet are key supports for me. Yet, if I’m honest, they are also the very things I’ve been most skilled at avoiding.

Now that I better understand what’s contributing to my dis-ease, it feels strangely more uncomfortable not to act. Letting go of habits that don’t support me, and consciously choosing practices that bring ease and health, feels like the real work.

I am heading away this weekend to a quiet cottage to allow myself space to reflect and give attention to what comes next for me personally and professionally. I'm so looking forward to the silence, the space, and the opportuity to reflect.

Lent and Ramadan teach us about sacrifice in service of something greater. And yet, so often, it’s the good we avoid. Because we fear the sacrifice will be too much.

Still, I know that letting go of certain habits will ultimately bring greater ease. I’ve been referred to a neurologist and a dietician, progress is being made, and there’s still a way to go. Exercise and an intentional detox are key. And with Lent here, the perfect time to begin is now.

And since I’ve told you… well, now I really have to do it 😊

So I’ll Ask You…

If letting go of one thing could bring you closer to the life you want to be living, what would it be?

What has been stopping you so far?

Naming the emotion, the hesitation, and the action you’re willing to take can be a powerful act of ownership. The first steps won’t be easy, and they definitely won’t be perfect. But every step forward reinforces a quiet, steady message to yourself: I am capable of starting.

No matter how many times you pause, stumble, or want to stop, taking one more step in letting go brings you closer to who you want to be.

And So, the Challenge Is Set

At the moment, I’m working with 10 groups to guide them through putting succession plans in place. I’ll admit it’s a role I love. I get to assign homework, and the sense of (gentle!) power is immense!

So, for this season, I’d like to invite you to choose one challenge for 30 days.

One habit to release.
One small daily action.
Just a few minutes each day, intentionally chosen for you.

Do you remember the Living Legacy newsletter from two weeks ago? It focused on accountability. So I’ll ask again: how will you stay accountable? Who could support you on this journey?

I’d genuinely love to hear how you get on. You’re very welcome to email me at [email protected], even if it’s just to share the one challenge you’re setting for yourself. And if you’d like something more structured, you can book a taster accountability session—details are available at www.livinglegacy.ie/store.

Why Accountability Matters

In 2016, I set myself a 100-Day Challenge to give up smoking. What made it work wasn’t just the goal, it was the accountability. I told people what I was doing, and I blogged about it every day.

Interestingly, breaking the habit wasn’t as hard as the discipline of checking in daily. But by the end of those 100 days, I felt an incredible sense of achievement, and I had gathered a community of supporters along the way. Many of them are still important in my life today.

Accountability created momentum. Because I showed up, others showed up too - checking in, sharing their own challenges, and cheering each other on.

So perhaps a 30-day challenge doesn’t sound so big after all?

Why not join me, and let’s give this a go, together.

If you’d like online prompts, you can follow the 100 Day Journey I shared on the Living Legacy Instagram account last year: www.instagram.com/livinglegacy.ie

One More Invitation

This season can also be a powerful time for practical reflection.

Choose one thing you want to complete toward your advance planning. I’ll be launching an assessment tool next month, but in the meantime, you can download the FREE Living Legacy Advance Planning checklist and guide

Thirty days. Forty days.
How much closer to the better version of you could you be?

There’s only one way to find out.

Start.

I look forward to supporting your journey.

With love,
Jen

Jennifer McConnell (Founder, Living Legacy)

Photographs thanks to Johanna King - www.insideoutportraits.com