Happy New Year!!

With the end of 2023, I am looking back at the word I chose for last year.

I refreshed my new sewing space in J’s old bedroom. (It’s currently a bit of a disaster but that happens.)

We refreshed our deck and front steps…two projects that have needed to be done for several years.

I refreshed my commitment to a more healthy lifestyle; walking more, mindful not mindless eating, stretching and taking my vitamins. This became especially important to me once I got my cancer diagnosis.

All in all I think I did pretty well with refreshing things in my life.

2024 Word of the Year

I have thought about using this word a few times over the years but this year it really spoke to me. I actually learned how brave I could be last year when I heard Lymphoma and radiation treatment. My health is looking good but I will bravely face whatever life may throw at me next.

While talking with my BFF this morning she brought up how sometimes in life you have to endure hard things to grow. It’s funny that she had said this at that very moment. One of the definitions of BRAVE is to endure or face unpleasant things without fear.

More than a dozen years ago, I was brave enough to start a blog, putting myself out there artistically. Brave enough to send in my art to publications for review. Brave enough to write articles for magazines. I feel like I have forgotten how to be brave creatively. This is yet another reason for choosing brave.

I’m also going to be brave and accept the challenge to “walk the year” meaning I am going to walk 2024 miles this year. I didn’t do the official sign-up since I don’t think I need to pay a fee to get an app and t-shirt. I have my Fitbit to keep track.

This is where I am at at the start of my challenge. To meet my challenge I need to hit 12365.36 miles by the end of 2024.

Do you have a word of the year? A motto? Even a resolution? I’d love to hear about it.

Another year is in the books as they say…but really who are “they”?

Yesterday I started thinking about my Word of the Year…realizing I hadn’t picked a new one or reflected on my WOTY for 2022.

So lets look back at 2022 first… My word was treasure.

I took time to treasure time with family and friends. Treasure memories of those no longer with us. While doing this I realized that some of the things I had that I treasured were more about the memory associated with it than the object itself. This has been quite freeing. Not that I have become a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination. I’m an artist and maker…we collect stuff.

And now for my word to help guide me in 2023…

I am all about refreshing things in my life this year. Refreshing spaces, personal goals, attitude, and mindset just to name a few.

I honestly almost used renew again for my WOTY but that was my word for 2017. However refresh is a similar word. Reset was also on my mind. It is really hard to pick one word. I like to think of it having a broad meaning yet being something I can measure.

As the year goes by I will touch on ways refresh is guiding my choices.

I thought long and hard about my word for 2022. I had a handful of contenders. Nothing really seemed to be right until I read the word Treasure.

---

If the past couple years has taught me anything, its to treasure all things in life.

Time is a gift, a treasure. We don’t always realize it until the time is done. Time with friends and family. Time with a beloved pet. Time spent laughing. Time spent alone. All treasures.

Sometimes it’s the little things that we didn’t realize that should have been treasured. Full store shelves, for example. Being able to visit with friends and family. Travel.

I have had my eyes opened wide. I see the treasure in the little things. The treasure of moments, of laughter and even tears. We don’t cry for no reason. We shed those tears because we loved. Because we were joyful. All of it is to be treasured.

The gift of creative time and inspiration is also something to be treasured.

The beauty of nature and the bounty she provides also is a treasure.

Treasure in the old things and ways but also in the new.

My aim is to see the treasure all around me and acknowledge as such…

It’s that time once again to reflect on the year. How did I do with my Word of the year?

One thing is for certain…strength played a huge part in 2021.

Somehow I mustered the strength to return to the classroom while most every fiber of my being was telling me not to.

I had strength in my resolve to get vaccinated as soon as I was eligible.

I used my physical strength to grow more food in our garden and amend the soil so I am ready to plant again in the spring. My physical strength also got me out walking and participating with coworkers on weekly step challenges.

I had strength to let my baby girl go off to college. The strength to let go.

I was really hoping I could somehow find a way that strength played a role in my art but I’m drawing a blank.

 

Each year I select a word to be my guide throughout the year. Some years I do better than others to keep my word in the forefront.

This year I chose Mindful.

Being mindful has a place in all aspects of life.

Mindful of the products I bring into our home.

Mindful of the words I choose to use.

Mindful of the impact I have on others and others have on me.

Taking time to be mindful of how much I consume, meaning both internally and externally. It all has an impact.

Mindful of the legacy I leave.

Give mindful thought before making commitments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The end of the year…the decade…it should give us all pause. Time to think back on the past decade…the good, the bad and the ugly. Of course, things are already set but think of what could we do better, do more of, do less of? What has changed…10 years is a long time especially when you have kids. I came into this decade with kids in the single digits…now I have an adult, nearly 20, and another, close to adulthood.

Last year I picked the word Trust for my Word of the Year. One word to guide, to remember as the moments tick by.

This is so difficult to measure. It’s very personal.

One thing that I know I learned this year was to Trust that things will work out in the end.  Sometimes things are out of your control and worry is just worshipping the problem so that’s where Trust comes in.

Have a Happy New Year!