Monday, December 30, 2013

Thoughts Regarding The Past 364 Days


It's not quite time for Resolutions but I have been thinking about changes (improvements) I would like to make in the coming year.

Time.   I think I have to find a better way to spend the time I have.  Not fill it with clutter (things that do not make me smile).  Like second jobs.  Set aside time for art.  Set aside time for reading.  Set aside time for cleaning (yes, cleaning makes me smile).  Organizing makes me smile also.  Weird, huh?

Life.   Here I have to start making better choices when it comes to what I eat and how I move through my days.  I need to add the daily 3 mile walk that I had for Riley's early years.  Once G retired, I stopped being "the one who walks the dog" and I gained weight.  Simple.  Now G walks the dog. I need to re-introduce myself to the Pilates machine and my Yoga mat.

Importance.   Prioritizing the things I do.  I did far too many things (this year) that made me unhappy. On Saturday I helped a customer create a terrarium in an old fish tank.  In a touch of whimsy we added a goldfish plant to the other four foliage plants in the tank.  Teaching.  That is where my heart truly is.

Family & Friends.  When you get right down to basics, family and friends is where the rubber meets the road.  Without them--well, life doesn't have many smiles.  I need to be more "available" to both. Set aside the time to do things with them--even a walk-- and take the time to listen and hear what they have to say.  Both of my children are experiencing difficulty right now.  Searching for something that makes them happy and productive.   I haven't made time for friends I used to lunch with.  They have been patient.  Waiting for me.  I need to make sure I open my schedule for them.  They do make me happy.  I have missed them during this "seasonal" over work.

Choices.  Now that I have this one "bucket list" job out of my system (2 working days left)--and I have to say the shine is definitely off that job--- I can now enjoy my winter furlough from my full time job which ended Saturday.  I have two full days off.  Today and tomorrow. Working New Year's Day.  Next week I am FULLY unemployed.

I am going to be far more careful in choosing what I do in 2014.  I want time for my garden.  I want time for my friends.  I want time to finish work in the sewing room (mending clothing, dog toys and finishing an old friend's quilt top).  I don't want to walk around exhausted.  I want to be well rested, smiling and engaged in life.  I don't want to be moving from point A to point B--just waiting for the days to go by.  That's not living.  Too much of that in December.

And, I want to be able to post more often, here, and actually have something entertaining for you to read and look at.  We'll be moving forward on the kitchen.  Perhaps a bathroom or two (why not do them both).  Riley will have his picture taken a time or two.  I have no idea what surprises await in 2014.  I do know I am looking forward to them.

3 comments:

MariMo said...

Great post - 2014 will be your year! Looking at my doodle-tree-card, that arrived yesterday and feeling so happy. Snuggling next to my son on the couch. He just came by to have a coffee before he's off with his girlfriend to organize the party together with their many friends tonite. Guten Rutsch to you, G and Riley.

Annie said...

I'm happy that you won't be neglecting your blog in the coming year, I do look forward to your posts.

So glad you are done with the job at the big boot store. That was a bad idea.
Wishing you all the best!

Life Scraps and Patches said...

Hope you have a wonderful year to come with a few happy surprises. Glad that next week will look different for you.