Happy new year everyone :o) I hope everyone had the new year’s eve that they wanted – in my case I went the rock ‘n’ roll route of a nice bath with a good book while eating my dinner, followed by watching a few things that I’d recorded over Christmas while starting to make my double gauze quilt, a notion that took me at around 10:30 last night. As you do. Jack was having a few drinks… (don’t worry, I gave him a straw)
Anyway, looking forward to 2016, Pat Sloan encouraged a group of us to think of a word this year using Susannah Conway’s ‘Find Your Word’ series. I’ve never been good at publicly declared resolutions where you have a lofty list of things to achieve that have usually gone out of the window by Easter if not Valentine’s Day, mainly because life happens, outside influences cause you to go in different directions, sometimes good, sometimes bad, and you have to roll with it. On the other hand a word allows you to bend and flex and suit where things have taken you, and it’s good to have some sort of thing to focus on no matter what twists and turns occur, so this year, my word is:
Freedom. I think it would be safe to say that last year’s word, had I had the energy to come up with one in January, would have been ‘Recovery’ after the annus horribilis that was 2014, culminating as it did in a nervous breakdown. The net result of the need to recover meant that I spent rather a lot of time indoors either sewing or attached to a computer, save for a few weekends away, and whilst nurturing my inner hermit was perhaps required, this year I need to get out and about more, I need the freedom from my self-built, self-protective constraints.
Freedom also means saying ‘No’. Whilst there is a temptation when trying to grow a business to say ‘Yes’ to everything that comes your way, sometimes you need to stop and think about whether or not it’s a good idea, and whether filling all your time with what other people have asked you to do is truly going to deliver your desired end result. I’ve already said ‘No’ to a few things, and this year I want to really try and use my free time wisely, and to have the freedom to explore creatively. I have ideas bubbling away that would like to escape.
This year I have a few big adventures, the first, Sew Brit Bag Camp in March, which is the first retreat that I have been involved in organising, the second will be taking my friend Lori and her husband on a tour of the Highlands and Western Isles in June, and for the third I’ll be going to France to meet up with my parents, uncles and aunts to celebrate my parents’ retirement. It will probably be in September, but they haven’t quite made their mind up yet… ah, the joy of not having to be anywhere at a particular time nor having to book the time off work in a timely manner! Anyway, beyond that I have decided that I want to get out and about with my camera a bit more at the weekends – the price of fuel has dropped, so I should have the freedom to get out and about a bit more without having to worry about selling a kidney to pay for the transport. For example I’d like to get up to Perth and see the poppy installation there during the summer at some point. Dad and I went to Liverpool to see the Weeping Window last week, so I’m intrigued to see what they’ll do in Perth:
Finally I want freedom to influence my eating. I want to start cooking less comfort foods and eating more healthily again. I haven’t got the worst diet in the world right now, but I have been falling back on some quick, more carb laden offerings at times, and have been guilty of munching at my desk after lunch when I probably didn’t need to. I’m not going to go back to an ultra strict diet plan, because I’ve found in the past that although it can be successful in shedding weight, it also means that you spend an inordinate amount of time planning meals, so I’m going to take the freedom of mixing and matching my way through the various healthy things that I’ve pinned and not counting parts of the nutritious content to the nearest gram.
Jack thinks this best represents his idea of freedom. I’m not sure if that means that he thinks he needs to escape from my photographs, or if he’s just taking up running, but I’m sure you’ll seem him around:
How about you, do you have a word for the year?
awesome word, you can do it!!
Brilliant read Katy. I think my word this year will be Explore
Brilliant read Katy. I think my word this year will be Explore
I don't have a word, but it sounds like you've really reflected and found a powerful word for yourself. All the best to you for a wonderful 2016!
My word this year is balance. Last coup,e of years there has too much work and other areas have taken the back burner. Great post and a good word!
Great attitude to enter a new year with! I totally relate to having to say no sometimes, especially when trying to grow a business. I wish you lots of 'freedom' this year! Jxo
I like this one word approach … mine would be "fun". 2015 was such a year of business and realignment for our family. Selling up our old house and moving to a different area for better schools. Hubby started a new job to pay for new said house in new said area, which involved him flying interstate more often, solo parenting is tiring. So! Let's have some fun this year yes?
That is an excellent word. I actually have a word this year too = intention. There are some similarities in your concept to mine, doing what I form a real intention to do instead of what is easy or handy or others are doing, etc. I wish you a very excellent adventure into freedom!
Great word and good logic behind it. Given that my word for the last four years has been menopause I manage to forget every other word / intention / menopause improving wives tale anyway, so I'll stick with my old word!
Happy New Year. My word is "faith".
Hugs
Prudence and the gang.
Thanks for pointing me to the Conway link! I've never been one for resolutions, but I am all about intentions! Freedom sounds like a great word for 2016. Isn't it incredible how after a year of intense challenge the freedom of a new year can feel daunting? I am grappling with that right now. Where to focus my energy when I no longer have to focus on recovery. It's a gift, for sure, but also a challenge. Happy new year! McKee.cassandra @ gmail
Sounds like you are in the right place to experience that freedom Katy, hope 2016 turns out to just the kind of year that you want it to be! Think my word for the year ahead needs to be concentrate, then I might just actually complete some of the many projects milling around in my head and my cupboards 🙂
I had no idea you were going through all this in the last few years. A nervous breakdown? I'm so glad you have taken a look at your life and scaled it back. Good for you for knowing when to say "no". Thinking happy thoughts and hoping Freedom works wonders for you in 2016
Happy New Year – I hope 2016 has all the freedom you desire!
Well said. I wish you the time you want to fulfil your dreams. Can I copycat your word please? Sounds just what I need.
The Da XXX
Freedom sounds a delicious word to me. All sorts of possibilities spring to mind. My word will again be 'survival'. Not as drastic as it sounds but with 3 teens (or nearly) inevitable…..
So glad for the fun things – travel and all – coming up for you. Freedom sounds like just the right word. I hope it can be a more lighthearted year for you!
My word is 'Organise' – which I am hoping leads to more free time to do things I enjoy rather than less! I so often feel guilty about not doing the boring but necessary tasks that I end up not doing any of the fun stuff either. We shall see…..