We're one week into this new year. I've been thinking about those resolutions -- yep, already broken a few. But that's okay, I can always get back on the horse again.
I'm so excited for this year and all the possibilities that it holds. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish, things I want to do, places I want to see, ways that I want to grow. A lot of this has been spurred by a year-long online class that I began last week. It's called "A Year to Remember" and taught by the fabulous Heidi Swapp. I'm just so excited about all that she is going to share with us and I can't wait for the "classroom" to open each thursday to find out what new things I'm going to learn that week. But it's not just about scrapbooking and paper and embellishments. The over-riding theme that she has laid out for this class and that she explains in her weekly audio messages is that we need to be conscious about the lives we live. She has a favorite quote that she shared in the class description and it's from a book called "SHE" by Kobi Yamada. It says:
"She designed a life she loved"
Heidi's comments on this: "To me, this statement is about choices. It doesn't say anything about her circumstances, her strengths or weaknesses. It doesn't mention her challenges or her triumphs -- only the fact that she made a decision. That her life was HERs and she knew that it was too precious, too short and too wonderful not to LOVE."
Each month Heidi is going to give us a "life challenge" and in January she started things off great with one that has really helped me to evaluate and push myself. Like I said, this course has really gotten me to think about what I am going to do to make this a year to remember. I'm looking ahead to what I already have planned and I'm feeling very happy about it: a family vacation, I'll be walking in the Portland to Coast, my annual mother-daughter weekend, maybe a Josh Groban concert when he comes to the area, even the simple things like putting the boys in swim lessons this summer, and several other goals that I am working on.
In addition to all this I was also inspired by Ali Edwards' latest issue of her AEzine life artist newsletter. She suggested that you come up with a single word to focus on and reflect on as you go about your daily life. So, to sum up what I want for myself in 2007 I chose the word "play." (And although this was Ali's "word" last year, I'm not a total copier -- I had already been thinking about this in my new year's resolutions.) For me I want to play more, I want to have more fun, be more fun. It's about remembering to be a little more playful or light-hearted in my day-to-day. It's also about making myself more open to people and experiences and letting it all just mesh into one happy good ol' time. Just thinking about it makes me smile, anticipating the playful happenings that could pop in and out of my day. And that's where the fun begins -- just focusing on each day. Then those playful days become weeks, and months, and soon the memories of my life.
It's all good stuff.
