farewell 2016 and taking care of yourself

From what I've seen on social media, it seems a lot of us are glad to see 2016 go. I don't need to rehash world news here, but it was an "interesting" year, to say the least.

I like to reflect on my own life and goals at the end of the year, and also look back at the happenings of the year. There were lots of good times, but some heartbreaking news as well. Though, of course, that's not surprising. It's all part of life.

I find it helpful to journal some thoughts and goals for the New Year instead of making resolutions. Ask yourself what you discovered about yourself in 2016...what surprised you...what held you back? Did anything change for you? How did you handle these challenges?

What are you looking forward to in the New Year - and what are you unsure about? How can you bring more calm into your life, heart and head this New Year? What will you make more time for? 

That's just a few of the many questions you can ask yourself and think about. Two women who really inspire me toward personal growth and self-care are Jennifer Louden and Susannah Conway. If you need inspiration and motivation, I highly recommend you taking a look at these two blogs. 

In the meantime, wishing you all a blessed and safe New Year's Eve. Are you staying in or going out? For the first time in years, we are going out to dinner in Chicago with some friends. We'll be back way before midnight though ~ don't want to be on the roads after midnight celebrations, that's for sure! 

Thank you for your continued friendship and support of my little blog. You all are appreciated and treasured.

xoxo

and then it was september

Hello, you guys! I'm finally back from my blog break. Here it is, September 1st already.

How did that happen so quickly? Those painting projects I said I was going to do - painting

furniture and my front door? Nope. Didn't happen. Instead, my month was filled with fun ~

some day trips, my birthday celebration, family and friend get-togethers, yoga classes~ and

lots of obligatory not-so-fun dates with the physical therapist. 

One thing I did take the time to do was to really take stock of my time. I've been sitting

at my desk with journals and my calendar and making goals for myself. One thing I want

 and need to focus on is exercise. My physical therapy is finally over but I need to keep up 
with the shoulder and arm strengthening so that I don't lose it. I checked out a local gym 
last week and wasn't impressed, but tomorrow I am checking out another. If I do join a gym,
 I must be 99.9% committed to going at least twice/week. Otherwise, what is the point in
 joining? I'm also starting back to a regular yoga class next week instead of staying "stuck"
 in the gentle class. The gentle class served its purpose for when I had pain and not much
 range of motion in my shoulder, but it's (thankfully) time to move on. 

 

 Maybe because it's not just the start of a new season, but a new school year too, that

makes me stop and take stock of my life and what direction it's going. I find this time of

year to be more in line with thinking about these things instead of January 1st.

  My lovely friend, Jen - from The Cottage Nest says, "I'm entering a new season, not just of 

the year, but of my life. It is one that requires peace and as few obligations as possible,

an empty calendar. Time to think. One that I hope is filled with creativity and beauty, small

moments, spontaneity and life. I have things I want to do and learn this year. I have given

myself homework." I'm working on that stuff, too. I'm an introvert, so I need a lot of alone

time. When I look at my September calendar, it is already filled with appointments and 

outings and get-togethers. I don't think I'll ever have an empty calendar. But I'm working on

making time for the things I truly want to be doing and learning new things.

As much as I hate to see summer leave, here's to the start of a new season.

mission organization - before and after

 Well, here we are...a new year. I don't make resolutions or pick a word or mantra

for the year. I don't even necessarily make new goals at the first of the year. Instead,

I make goals for myself throughout the year.

One of the most positive things that happened to me last year - a huge change -

was leaving my job. Did you know I contemplated leaving that job for at

least two years?!

So, 2013 finds me settling into myself and let me tell you - it feels good.

I love being on my own schedule and being a full-time homemaker.

I have time to clean, organize, decorate, putter, get together with friends,

take more walks, work on art projects, read poetry, cook and bake, and

be of service to others in different ways (visiting the sick, making a meal,
helping with a home project, etc.)

I do keep my eyes open for job opportunities and I have applied for one job,

but haven't heard back from them. I'm trusting that these things are meant to be.

One thing I like to do in January to get a fresh start, is to declutter.

This morning, I started with a drawer in the buffet.

It held my camera, old eyeglasses, coupons, restaurant menus, 

bills, and the checkbook.

 

After:

I put the old eyeglasses in my car to bring to the Lion's eyeglass drop box.

I put all the rechargeable batteries in a little basket.

Weeded out all the expired coupons and restaurant menus that we don't

use - or don't need if the place has a web site.

In the bill and checkbook pile, I shredded old receipts and filed some bills that had been paid.

 In the kitchen, my baking cabinet was a fright.

On the bottom shelf, you'll see a plastic bag with biscuits and a large, gray

bag in the back left - which contains bagels. Why? And in the baking cabinet?!

Two of my kitties are very naughty and love to get into anything wrapped

in plastic or in a plastic bag. They both have a plastic fetish.

Seeing I can't leave anything in plastic on my kitchen counters, I have

to hide them! So, at the time I was lazy and threw the bread items

into the first available space.

After:

Baking cabinet is neat and organized and the bread items are in the freezer!

Now, on to the dreaded basement. I didn't work on this area today.

This clean-up was actually done a few days ago when Brian was home from

work and could help me out. We were packing up all the Christmas items

and getting rid of a lot of it, as we simply have too much and don't decorate

for Christmas as much as we used to.

The piles of stuff in the background is all stuff to donate!

 Brian loaded it all up into his car and took it all to Goodwill.

(Sorry for the quality of the basement pictures - there's hardly any natural light

down there so the pictures turn out fuzzy with my point-and-shoot camera.)

After:

Cleared out! (Except for all my books. Yes, I have a mini-library.)

Brian was saying that we needed a little sitting area in front of the 

bookcases. I agree it needs something, though we already have a sitting area down

here in the family room. I was thinking a little table and a couple of chairs.

It'd be a good place to sit at and look at books, or play some board games.

Here's another view so you can see most of the sitting area. 

 Tomorrow will bring a little more decluttering - another drawer in the buffet

and my pile of personal paperwork.

How are you starting 2013? Do you make resolutions or goals? 

Start new projects?