Saturday, December 31, 2016

End of 2016 and the word of the year for 2017...

For many 2016 was not a good year because of events that happened externally. With all the negative posts online (by others) about this tumultuous year, I decided to see what had been good about it for me and attempt to find a smooth way to transition into the New Year.

What I did that I am happy about in 2016:
  • We made a little progress in the house: living room bookshelves, second fridge, new bed. I also purged some of the clothes I don't wear (although I think I still have a lot of clothes, probably need to do it again next year). I did more with the bookshelves, purging a lot of my old books that do not serve me anymore and donating them to the library for the Friends of the Library sales. 
  • I was fairly steady in my yoga practice this year, getting more consistent as the year wore on.
  • Rearranged my sewing room to make it more efficient for me for when I eventually sew more (see below LOL).
  • Stayed in relative good health for the year. I seem to have weathered a health situation that may get worse in the future but for now, I am healthy. 
  • I was more aware of staying positive and being grateful for situations and things. For example, when our old washing machine died as I started a load, I was grateful that I had the means to just go out and get a new one. And I think what helps me is when I share my gratitude about things, either out loud or online (here or FB mostly).
What could still use improvement from 2016: (just noticing, not getting down on myself cause we all know how that doesn't work!)
  • Well I do still have a mountain of fabric that I could have been sewing on. Luckily fabric doesn't spoil and I can carry that over to 2017.
  • There is still a ton more work to do in the house to make it comfy and so that I can feel like it is a home to be able to invite friends over to. I think my immediate goals now that the bedroom stuff is redone has to be the living room. We both still have a lot of stuff to go through. 
  • I got lazy about my better eating habits towards the end part of 2016 and ate more breads and sugar sweets than I might have liked. That too is easily fixed in the new year.
  • My walking plan sort of petered out. Time to get that started up again for 2017. Where IS that Fitbit I wonder?
  • Not as many blog posts happened last year as I had intended. I want to use this blog in the coming year to log some of my own personal growth and achievements. I saw a blog post once with the title something like "What if you write a blog and no one reads it?" Well, for me, that is just fine. I am writing for myself and if someone else happens to read it along the way, all the better. 
  • I sort of forgot my word for the year for 2016 (BE) and my CDF's (core desired feelings). Around November I remembered them again and decided I would find a way in the new year to integrate them more into my life on a consistent basis.
So this brings me to what my word for 2017 will be. Last post I wrote of some suggestions and why I might choose them. I decided as much as I did want to look outward for many things this coming year (volunteering or making things for donations), I still needed to be a bit introspective as well... so the word I chose is:

                               COMPASSION

Compassion is a great word for what I have been feeling. I can look outward and help others/be compassionate towards others, and yet I can still show compassion for myself and make the things I am working on for myself happen without being mean or negative towards myself.



Intentions, not resolutions. I stopped making New Year's Resolutions years ago. Instead I went towards what my Intentions for the new year would be. Then I stumbled upon the Core Desired Feelings and that resonated with me even more.

Core Desired Feelings. According to Danielle LaPorte, the core desired feelings (CDFs) are how you want to feel in these 5 categories:  Livelihood & Lifestyle, Creativity & Learning, Body & Wellness, Relationships & Society, and Essence & Spirituality.

As for my CDF's, I kept a few from last year and changed some. Mine for 2017 are:
  • uncluttered
  • open
  • mindful (intentional)
  • helpful
  • connected

Today I will be working my way into the new year with a 2 hour yin yoga session at Shala Yoga. I still attend It's All Yoga and consider it to be my "home" studio, but I am finding some other teachers in other studios as well who lead classes in the slow, more introspective styles of yoga that I enjoy. For a while I fought going to any other studio, wondering if it was disloyal or whatever, then after some thought realized that it was just fine. Finding classes that work for me in my yogic pursuits are a good thing. And once I opened to that thinking, I think I was more accepting to finding my own yoga path and helping myself grow in whatever ways served me.


8 comments:

  1. I was this to Thomas. We both enjoyed it! My word for 2017 is intentional. I've not done the word thing because I haven't had a word came to me. This year I did. Thomas decided his word is prosper. Happy New Year!

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    1. Great word Liz! Glad you both thought on this and found words to guide your year. I think intentional is great because it incorporates mindfullness and the power to choose what you need to be doing. Thanks for reading the blog! Love ya sis!

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  2. It was supposed to say "I read this ..." Oy!

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  3. Great post and lots to think about. I'm choosing "believing". Believing that the election result is in some weird way a step to a better and more peaceful year, even if it has to come through crisis brought about by a buffoon. Believing that my son is on his own journey and that he will do well. Believing in an attitude of gratitude. Trusting that the best is yet to be. Kathryn

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    1. Another great word! Thank you Kathryn for continuing to read my sporadic blog! Looking forward to more coffee and quilting fun with you this coming year!

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