! ! ! ! ! ! !
were your holiday dreams realized?
did you receive all that you wished for?
i invite you to set aside a few moments of quiet time.
after the crazy rush of the christmas season,
before bolting headlong into the new year.
snuggle up with a hot cup of liquid coziness.
and contemplate on paper what brought you happiness in 2013.
fulfillment and insight.
was there a particular story, person, object, event that stood out?
that held special meaning for you?
did you accomplish great things?
or forge new pathways to understanding?
then i want you to brainstorm how to attract more of that delight.
how to bring it fully into your life in 2014.
expand the wonder to fill your world.
maybe your year was difficult or sad.
did it somehow fall short?
were there moments of regret or disappointment?
things you wish you could redo (or would have done)?
write down how you can change your circumstances,
or at least your reactions, in the new year.
introduce a hint of joy as a welcome respite.
i had an interesting year.
of ups and downs, of breakthroughs and discouragements.
of thrilling enlightenment and bitter disillusionment.
of happiness and of sadness.
a great deal happened:
- a self-immersion into memories as i sorted through box after box before moving
- a goodbye to roots and also to our beloved free-spirited canine (jag)
- a fabulous / inspiring / chaotic / educational / family-bonding adventure in europe
- a forging of cultures with relatives never met before (despite language barriers)
- a firsthand foray into the reality of my dad’s advancing age
- a mutual infatuation recapture with my best-friend husband
- a clarification of my coaching vision as it naturally unfolded
- a reconnection with childhood friends (both human and in book form)
- a chance to meet several online acquaintances in person
- a struggle to regulate my asthma and allergies
- a fascinating seventeenth year of homeschooling
~~~~~~~
“We are always getting ready to live, but never living.
(Emerson)
i do not want this quote to define me.
don’t let it describe you either.
design your own life.
your bold.free.new life.
match the expectation you imagine to its real-life counterpart.
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next week i’ll be sharing my vision board and revealing my word of the year.
i’m very excited about both.
but before i leave you today . . .
seven of my most popular 2013 studio notes:
- back & forth with the sun
- 7 tools to create eating awareness
- jessica knows her stuff.
- remember the smiling sink.
- how to improve your day in 3 easy steps:
- white bruises of the soul
- wellness around the world: the european edition / SPAIN
and three somewhat neglected (but i think important) studio notes from 2012:
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what does your list of 2013 highlights (and lowlights) look like?
(i absolutely love reading lists, so please do share.)
let’s SKYROCKET into 2014 with determination, strength, and well-being!
Looks like you had an amazing year April!! I’m so glad to have found you and am wishing you joy, love & light in 2014!!
so happy to have connected with you too, jenny – you’re such a sweetie. (and loved your 2013 review too!)
I need to sit back and look at my year. What a great idea. I will do that before heading back into “real life” on Monday! My absolute favorite line of yours from this post….
“a mutual infatuation recapture with my best-friend husband.”
carol – so excited that you addressed these questions on your own blog today @ http://silvervalleystories.blogspot.com/2014/01/defining-moments.html! a beautiful retelling of your year. (and thanks for noticing one of my favorite lines as well. :))
Yes. . . I’m with you! It has been an interesting year!!!! I look forward to seeing your vision board!
nice to see you here, elizabeth!
I love the idea of writing down how you can change your circumstances. Getting clear on that is so important!!! Great post!
thanks, laurie. for me, the act of writing down my intentions helps make them more real (which inspires me to action).
So much thought provoking here April. I simply love “Expand the wonder to fill your world”. Synchronistically I’ve been practicing this mantra of late “I am delightful and my world is delightful”…for me, wonder and delight sit on the same vibration. So 2014 is a wonderful and delightful year, filled with many hints of joy. Thank you April.
i love the word “delight”, marg. and i agree – definitely on the same spectrum with wonder. thank you for your thoughtful words.
My year was filled with both joy and sorrow. I’m giving myself permission to feel both. I look forward to some new adventures in 2014 and living in the mystery of what unfolds for me when I step away from the need to plan it and into the joy of following my desires. Thank you for sharing your year with us.
so glad that you are allowing both the light and the dark sides of your year access to your emotions, sue ann. i’ve also had to learn to step away from planning and let life naturally unfold. thanks for your insight.
Such a busy year for you! It is so important to take a moment to reflect on your achievements! It’s always surprising how easily we can gloss over our own efforts. Stand in you light in 2014!!!
thanks, susie! yes, it’s so easy to ignore/forget our accomplishments and shining moments. a happy 2014 to you as well.