Letting the Year Go

How to close the year with honesty and generosity — even for yourself

Most of us never really close a year. We just run out of December and start again in January — dragging the old year, unfinished and unexamined, along behind us.

That’s a pity. Not because the year was bad, but because we never stopped to set it down.

An unclosed year is surprisingly heavy. All of it comes with us and quietly taxes the year ahead.

Closing a year well takes two things. First, honesty — meeting the year as it really was, the good and the hard, rather than the tidy version. And then generosity: extending a little grace to the year, to the people in it, and — this is the one we forget — to ourselves.

In Ian’s words: “You can’t change the year that was. But you can choose how you lay it down.”

This session is a chance to do exactly that — to set it down and get ready to cross into the next one a little lighter than when you arrived.

Free live session · Friday 4th December · 1pm UK · 50 minutes via Zoom

Letting the Year Go is part of Ian McDermott’s monthly Springboard series: 50 minutes of clear thinking, drawn from 35+ years of working with people navigating change. Not a sales pitch. Not a teaser. Practical insight you can use the same day.
No fluffNew thinking Initiate real momentum

What we'll explore

  • Why an unclosed year follows you — the quiet cost of crossing into January without ever setting the old year down
  • An honest look back — how to see the year as it really was, the good and the hard, without flinching or flattering
  • The generosity we forget — why we extend grace to almost everyone before ourselves, and what changes when we include ourselves
  • Closing the year — a chance to name what you're proud of, forgive what needs forgiving, and set down what you don't need to carry
  • Keep the best, let go of the rest — how to decide what crosses into the new year with you, and what doesn't
  • Crossing lighter — why you don't need a clean slate or a list of resolutions, just to arrive unburdened.

It’s easy to carry a year into the next one without ever deciding to. The last month asks for one more push, January arrives before anything has been put down, and the old year simply comes along for the ride.

This session is about the alternative: meeting the year honestly, being generous with it and with yourself, and choosing what crosses into the new year with you.

You can't change the year that was. But you can choose how you lay it down.

Ian McDermott

Founder of ITS · Trainer & Coach

Ian McDermott

Ian McDermott has dedicated his life to giving people the tools to deal with the challenges they face and the skills to create their own solutions. He is renowned for making learning simple and enjoyable, for rekindling people’s curiosity and confidence, and for a teaching style that helps people feel more at ease in themselves and the roles they find themselves in.

Ian is the founder of International Teaching Seminars (ITS) and a leadership, innovation and collaboration consultant. He has trained a generation of NLP Practitioners, NLP Master Practitioners and Coaches working all over the world. His 15 books have been translated into more than 20 languages.

What others say

I am learning to create space between stimulus and response instead of reacting automatically.

Sally

The programme taught me to stop trying to have all the answers and give space for them to come to me.

Michelle

I feel lighter, more assured and more able to trust myself.

Bethan

I realised I can create a future that feels exciting rather than overwhelming.

Ashley

New to ITS?

You’re very welcome, whether you’ve trained with us before or this is your first time. There’s no prep, no prior experience required, and no pressure to speak. Come as you are, listen, and take what’s useful into your own work.

The basics

Friday 4th December 2026, 1pm UK
50 minutes
Live online via Zoom
Free
Anyone who wants to close the year with honesty and generosity, and cross into the next one a little lighter

FAQ

Will there be a Q&A?

Yes, ask as we go along. Bring your questions, or chip in as they arise.

Yes, this is part of our monthly Springboard series, so keep an eye out for the next one.

You’re very welcome whether it’s your first or your fifteenth. No prep, no prior experience needed. Just turn up, listen, and take what’s useful.

Please do. Anyone curious is welcome. Just forward or share this link.

50 minutes to lay the year down and cross into the next one lighter.

Save your seat for Letting the Year Go

You’ll receive a confirmation email with your Zoom link and the option to add the session to your calendar. We won’t share your details.