Each year for the past few, I’ve been picking a song for the year. It’s kind of like that idea of picking your word for each year but instead, sort of a “theme song” that expresses what you want out of it. For example, in the past couple years I’ve picked ones like Firework by Katy Perry and Defying Gravity. Here is my song for 2012 – it took me a while to find just the right one but this one says it all “Don’t let your feet touch ground and don’t look down” – my motto for this year!
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Making vision cards: http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/creating-2012-with-vision-cards
How to set yourself up for success: http://tanyageisler.com/setting-yourself-up-for-success-in-2012-in-seven-easy-steps-and-ginsu-knives/
Creating an encouragement box: http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/create-an-encouragement-box
39 Things You Need to Know in 2012: http://blessingmanifesting.blogspot.com/2011/12/39-things-you-need-to-know-in-2012.html
Affirmation MP3 and poster: http://www.goddessguidebook.com/you-have-permission-the-free-affirmation-mp3-poster/
Free ebooks on The Little Book of Comfort and Be Authentically You as well as other items: http://www.blessingmanifesting.com/freebies.html
A great post on setting and working towards your goals http://nicoleisbetter.com/a-6-step-process-the-%E2%80%9Ceff-yeah%E2%80%9D-list-and-a-peek-at-my-annual-goal-setting-template-that-will-help-you-see-once-and-for-all-that-i%E2%80%99m-obsessively-type-a-and-100-crazy-what-yo
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Well I suppose that there are people out there, ex-friends, with whom I wish I could make peace. It’s not for lack of me trying either. They simply aren’t interested. It’s not that I want to have them in my life again or that I miss their presence because it became very clear that we aren’t meant to be part of each other’s worlds as we are just too different but I suppose I would like to make peace with them simply because knowing someone is out there with ill feelings towards me just doesn’t sit well with me. I’m a caring person who tries to be good to others and I never mean to cause hurt feelings. But, if the other party is unwilling to make the attempt, there’s little that I can do about it. So, while I haven’t made peace with them, I have made peace with myself and the situation. Other than that, I don’t think there’s anything else weighing on me that I feel the need to rectify and find peace with….and that in itself is a very comforting feeling. To see others’ wishes, go here: http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/wishcasting-wednesday-peace
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In Japan, on the second day of the new year, many families take part in Kakizome, “first writing”. They use long strips of paper and prepare ink by mixing an ink stick with water. Each person then uses a brush and writes out a favourite poem or proverb. This is both a way of practising and showing improvement in their calligraphy (if they do an especially nice job it will be placed on display in the home) as well as a way of greeting the new year with positive thoughts.
When I read about this custom, it was particularly fitting that I had just read a quote that I liked and felt spoke to me. Then, several more appeared and each one seemed like a personal message directed at me. So, I decided to do my own version of Kakizome, using more of a digital subway art format as you can see here:
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The other day I posted about how I look at “regrouping” instead of making resolutions over on my Cynchronicity blog: http://cynchronicity.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/regrouping-instead-of-resolving/ Instead of having a deadline of January 1st for setting goals or making changes, I look at what works with my life and how it flows. That being said, January is often a great time for me to regroup because the fall and going through the holidays is often so busy. Then once New Year’s Day is over, there’s a peaceful gentle little lull in my life. I have lots of time to reflect and plan.
This wheel asks you “How bumpy is your ride?”. By looking at the diagram you can easily see how in or out of balance the different areas of your life are. For example, when you look at mine, you can see that I’m fairly well balanced in most areas except significant other/romance, health, and physical environment which are lacking. One thing I might take away from this is that I really need to make changes to my home – have maintenance work done, take care of and organize some areas so that they are easier for me to maintain on my own.
One of the exercises I like to do when I’m taking stock and regrouping is to create a personal life assessment wheel. This wheel helps me to think about the areas of my life and how satisfied I am with their current direction. I have done these before on my own but recently, I came across a website that actually has a tool for creating these wheels – even easier than creating your own (ok the thought “why reinvent the wheel” just popped into my head! Ha!). Here’s the PDF for it: http://www.thecoaches.com/res/pdf/Personal-Assessment-Wheel.pdf There’s also a professional version to use for your business here: http://www.thecoaches.com/res/pdf/tc-profwheel-Final.pdf See the diagram pictured above for an example.
I’m also taking part in Andrea Schroeder’s Month of Possibility over at The Creative Magic Academy. Her classes and blog are wonderfully inspiring and I always feel so uplifted by her words. To quote her, this Month of Possibility is “A month filled with explorations, experiments, lessons, inspirations, clue-finding missions and special goodies that help you deepen your relationship with possibility.” Check out the link if you’d like to join in: http://www.abccreativity.com/2012/01/01/forget-resolutions-introducing-a-whole-month-of-possibility/ I’ll be blogging about my Month of Possibility here so stay tuned!
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FOR TODAY
Outside my window…it is rainy…temps are mild for this time of year in London, Ontario, Canada
I am thinking… about the new year…about making the most of it!
I am thankful…for the company of Sam and Graham….I love the laughter that abounds when they’re around…..I’m also thankful that the dog seems to be feeling better
In the kitchen…I just made Rudolph the rednosed reindeer pancakes for brunch and now have homemade Chex Mix in the oven
I am wearing…well, at the moment I still have on my red flannel pjs!
I am creating…I’ve been working on some collage/journals this morning
I am going…to Graham’s grandparents’ house for Hogmanay
I am wondering…about that report that they’ve documented pandas (known to be vegetarians) eating meat – could this be some kind of evolutionary survival thing?
I am reading…S is for Silence by Sue Grafton – a Christmas gift from my daughter
I am hoping…to be rid of these daily weather induced migraines
I am looking forward to…seeing a special friend very soon
I am hearing…the dog barking at strangers walking past the house…this is actually comforting because it reinforces my satisfaction that she is no longer sick
Around the house…I need to get caught up on chores. After the holidays and then our jaunt to Toronto, things have fallen behind a bit.
I am pondering…my business plans for the coming year
One of my favorite things…my Kindle has become a constant companion!
A few plans for the rest of the week: I have my show Cynchronicity Live on Wednesday night, we need to go apply for Sam’s passport, I have to get some work done on the car, and I’m hoping the workers are going to start on the new roof.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing…
Paul Peel’s After the Bath, 1890….I got to see this again while in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario. It’s amazing how much joy I feel just being able to take it in in person!
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http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/12/11/30-things-to-stop-doing-to-yourself/
So many there that I could relate to, at least at one time or another in my life but I think the ones that hit home the most with me as priorities as 2011 comes to an end are: Stop spending time with the wrong people, stop putting your own needs on the back burner, stop trying to be someone you’re not (to please others), stop letting others bring you down to their level.
Check out the list and see if it gives you any food for thought.
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1. What gift do you hope to get this Christmas? I’d like to get some new books – I’m in a reading mood!
2. What gift are you excited to give this Christmas? I’m giving my daughter a trip to Toronto to see the National Ballet of Canada’s performance of The Nutcracker!
3. Will you go to church on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both? We generally go to Mass on Christmas Eve – either just after dinner or Midnight Mass.
4. What’s your favorite family tradition on Christmas Day? We haven’t had a ton of family around in recent years but when we did, Christmas Day was always the Gagen family cutthroat Scrabble tournament! Now it’s generally the day we go to see a movie – this year, Sherlock Holmes 2.
5. Does your family open gifts on Christmas Eve? Yes we do. I grew up with that tradition. We would have dinner and then go to church. On the way home from church, we’d take the long way, looking at all the Christmas lights and by the time we got home, Santa had been there. For my own daughter, she has always had the option of picking whether to open them on Christmas Eve or Day. She usually chooses Eve but she wanted to experience the whole waking up to the presents thing at least a few times. I always told her that she was special and so she was always given place of honour on Santa’s tour – either as his very first delivery or his very last.
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Flickr, derekGavey
My daughter is 23 and likely will not be living at home again. Of course she’ll be here to visit for Christmases but still, she’s on her way to forming her own family and her own way in the world. I’m happy and proud for her but still, it’s bittersweet. So, I wish to celebrate one last Christmas of her living here…of her being my baby. I want to make this Christmas extra special – not going nutty by trying to do so much that I’m stressed and frazzled because that kind of defeats the purpose. I just want us to have some mother-daughter bonding time, building some memories that I’m sure both of us will keep in our hearts for a very long time. I have some special things planned but on the off chance that she might read this, I’ll have to keep them a secret for now.
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Hmmmm, there are so many people (living and dead) I could happily choose but really, I’ll choose the people who have been most on my mind lately and whom I’m missing very much. I’ll choose my family – particularly the ones who live far from me in Arkansas and Tennessee since I see them so rarely: my mom, my sister, her husband, my two nieces, and my niece’s husband. (How I wish my dear dad and my nephew could be there too but alas, that won’t happen until I get to heaven.) Surely, we can work out a visit soon and be with each other again!
Check out other’s’ participating in Wishcasting Wednesday here:
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