Thursday 4 January 2018

Taking Stock

 A new year, the perfect time to take stock of where I'm at right now....

Making: a menu plan for Bridget's birthday brunch
Cooking: double batches of dinners so I can freeze some for later
Drinking: Earl Grey tea
Reading: this book
Watching: the squirrels jump onto the bird feeder
Deciding: to cut back on sweets
Hoping: it warms up a bit so we can go skating
Enjoying: quiet days at home
Liking: not getting up in the dark to go to work
Loving: breathing deeply
Pondering: how to get more calm into my days on a regular basis
Listening: to podcasts - quite possibly the greatest thing
Considering: what my focus should be for the new year
Buying: a new winter coat - finally - I made a career of this
Browsing: my cookbooks for healthy dinners to start off the year
Wishing: my feet were warm
Wondering: if a 1:00pm yoga class on Saturdays would work for me?
Marveling: at how cold it looks outside; cold has a look
Waiting: for this book to arrive in the mail
Cringing: at the state of the girls' playroom
Hoping: for a dinner out sometime soon at my favorite restaurant
Needing: a haircut (I say this a lot)
Smelling: my beeswax candle on the kitchen windowsill
Wearing: my lululemon pants and grey sweatshirt - my home uniform, it seems
Noticing: where my mind wanders when I do mundane tasks
Knowing: I need to 'let go' of some sadness and hurt
Prioritizing: self care and self investment
Sorting: as I go, not focusing on any one area right now
Thinking: about what to do with all the crochet things I have in my house
Celebrating: how much I overcame in 2017
Disliking: how cracked and dry my hands are
Feeling: peace, calm
Hearing: the wind whip around the house
Embracing: the value in my every day rituals
Accepting: that some things are what they are and I can not change it, best to just move on

I've been off work for almost two weeks now, and after the busyness of Christmas, I have been enjoying a much slower pace, more time and space in my days, and an overall sense of calm and relaxation. It has been marvelous to just be in the moment and do what I enjoy rather than always checking things off a list and rushing on to the next thing. I've had time to think about this space, to ponder what I want it to be and the direction I want it to go in....and to make a few changes to the design (do you like it?) I'm excited about the new year and feeling ready for a fresh start, a focused perspective, and making a few plans.

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for being here. I hope 2018 brings you much happiness.

(writing prompts courtesy of Pip

3 comments:

  1. Love the photo of your craft work - Ready to go. Good plans and thoughts.
    Just wanted to comment about the dry cracked hands. I use this to wash my hands, takes a bit of getting used to (as it's a cream), around a ring finger it can go black but can easily be wiped clean with a tissue. I find I don't need hand cream at all. My hands are a total dried sandpaper feeling mess otherwise. All the best, happy new year, Cathy x

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  2. http://www.e45.co.uk/our-products/e45-emollient-wash-cream/
    Sorry forgot the link

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    1. Thanks so much for the tip. I have been plagued by dry hands in the winter for years. I may give that cream a try, thank you Cathy.

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