Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Reflecting








It will be no surprise to any of you that I head to the woods when I need time to think, and this week I made sure to create the space that allowed me to walk the quiet trails near our home, alone. This was time for me, to reflect on the last year, to notice my own personal growth, to create awareness of just how far I have come, and to focus on the path ahead.

2014 has been a good year in so many different ways. Yes, there have been disappointments, and struggles, but all of it has brought me to this place I stand today, and I wouldn't change any of it. I feel more like me than I ever have before. I am living a life that has been carefully crafted, with Justin, over the years. It is far from perfect, but we were never aiming for perfect. We have been moving towards fulfilling our dreams, creating a life that is truly our own, and enjoying the journey, because really that is the most important part, right? 

As I, and we, move into 2015, we have creative goals in mind. Personally, I want to write more...poetry, prose, short essays. I know to become a better writer I need to read more, not gardening, homeschooling or nature related books, but fiction, well written fiction. This list of recommendations will come in handy. I want to explore skills from the past, carving, basket weaving, and fire making. I made a bow drill, and over the last few years have been successful in making a few coals and starting a fire, but it isn't consistent, this year I want to bring consistency to it. Justin has created his own list of creative goals, and as a family we are set up to begin family art nights next week. Family art nights are a way to bring us together to create. We are always creating in our home. Reece and I spend a lot of time during our homeschooling days creating, and Justin is always busy with something artistic in his workshop, but it is a rare occasion when we all sit down together to create. The three of us are really looking forward to this, and can't wait to get started next week.

We, of course, have plans for this little family homestead. There will be more chickens and some ducklings in the spring, we are enjoying our winter garden, and with the tunnels and cold frames set up we will get an early start on our summer garden this year, and hopefully, I will be working with a bee keeper, a gentleman in our area who has offered to mentor me this summer.

The one thing in my reflections I have not been able to pinpoint is a personal development goal. It seems to be eluding me at the moment. At first I thought I might just let the new year get started and reflect a little more throughout January. But then I read this post about choosing how you want to feel as opposed to setting goals. Because as Carrie-Anne says: "when I know how I truly, deep down in my soul want to feel, then I will act accordingly to build a life that sustains me."

So how do I want to feel this year:

~ grateful ~ content ~ joy filled ~ authentic ~ creative ~ inspired ~
~ abundant ~ attentive ~ productive ~ purposeful ~ open ~ connected ~

These are the feelings that will guide me. I will nourish myself through what I think and what I do, based on how I want to feel, and in doing so I will continue to build a life that sustains not only me, but my family.

Thank you 2014 for a wonderful year, you have taught me so much, and showed me that this path we walk is right for us in so many ways. And a big warm welcome to 2015, I am ready for the hope and possibility that you bring.

43 comments:

  1. Sounds really wonderful! I like that you have created realistic goals. We do family art night and it's so much fun. You will really enjoy it. Happy New Year! I can't wait to see all the goodness that comes from this next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks KC! We are all so looking forward to it. We actually had a trial run this afternoon, the three of us with sketchbooks in front of the fire...it was lovely.

      Happy New Year to you too!!! xo

      Delete
  2. Beautiful goals, Kim. I especially love your weekly art night idea! May you find 2015 full of all the feelings you seek.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Alexa, I knew you would like that art night :) Wishing the same for you. xo

      Delete
  3. Beautiful photos, as always. I also want to become a better writer in the coming year.
    Love the words you've chosen for how you want to feel in 2015. I've chosen a word for the past few years and 2015 is Perseverance. I want to feel determined, patient, connected, creative, and happy.

    Best wishes to you and your family for the New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Darcel. Perseverance is such a great word. Looking forward to seeing where it takes you.

      All the best to you and your family. Happy New Year!

      Delete
  4. Oh I love the idea of working towards a feeling not necessarily a fixed goal, it gives you so much more room for manoeuvre when life turns out to look not quite how you planned it! Happy New Year, I hope 2015 brings you all these feelings and more!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, that is how I felt with I read about it. And it also helps with decision making, if I have to decide about something, I can ask myself if I will feel any of these feelings...if yes, I do it, if no, then I don't.

      Thanks so much Carie, all the best to you and yours. xo

      Delete
  5. Wishing you and yours a great start into the new year! May it bring you happiness, joy and many good things! I love the idea of craft night, you'll have to show us some of the things you all will be creating together! Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Anke. I think most of our art nights will just be drawing in our sketch books, although there has been some discussion already about a family piece of art for our wall...we shall see.

      Wishing you and your family all the best for the most wonderful year ahead. Happy New Year.

      Delete
  6. What lovely goals for 2015. I hope its a wonderful year for you. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Everything about this post is lovely--the walk in the woods, the satisfaction over the last year's experiences, the goals for next year, especially the idea of how you want to feel. That's one I'm going to need to think about a bit for myself (time for a walk in the woods!). Happy New Year to you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Andrea. Enjoy your walk in the woods. Something tells me you and I would have a great time in the woods together :)

      Happy New Year to you and your family.

      Delete
  8. Спасибо за прекрасные слова! Спасибо за прекрасные фото!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love all of your thought out goals, it sounds like it is going to be a great start to next year. I totally agree with focusing on the feeling, often too many ideas take us away from the emotions that can bring wonderful our way. Have a wonderful New Years Kim, I'm so glad we've crossed paths in this blog world. I can't wait to hear more about your new projects. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Carlin. It is a very interesting way to look at things, and I think will make a huge difference in what I manifest and cultivate for myself and my family this year.

      All the best to you and your family for a wonderful year ahead. May 2015 be filled with many blessings, health and happiness.

      I am pretty darn happy our paths have crossed too, looking forward to sending you some mail soon :)

      Delete
  10. What wonderful goals and plans you have thought about for next year. I hope they are fulfilled in the ways that they are meant to be.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like the way you think. My main theme was to be "present". Of course I threw in some health goals, writing goals and productivity goals. May 2015 be a wonderful year for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Karen. Great theme for the year.

      All the best to you and your family for a great year ahead. Happy New Year!

      Delete
  12. I can't wait to see where this year takes you...or rather, where you take this year. <3

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love this feelings focus, instead of goals. After reading this post this morning I sat down and wrote a list of feelings for me for 2015. I have put them up in my bedroom so I see them everyday. Thanks Kim. I hope 2015 brings you everything you wish for. Much love xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is pretty awesome isn't it? That is wonderful to hear Julie. I wrote mine down in my sketch book with a little drawing yesterday afternoon, and today I plan to do a little doodle to hang in my office area.

      All the best to you too my friend. xo

      Delete
  14. Lovely Post to begin 2015. You and I are so much alike in some areas. Embrace the past, good or bad for what lessons it brings. I have another friend that chooses a word each new year to carry with her throughout the year. This year I have chosen "fullness" for my word. It is how I want to feel this year, where I want to be. Shine on, and Happy new year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is a lesson in everything, we only need to look for it, at least that is what I have always told myself :)

      Fullness is a great word. I look forward to seeing where it takes you. Happy New Year. xo

      Delete
  15. Happy New Year Kim! I love all that you have on your to-do list for the year ahead! I'm hoping we'll have ours (and I'll have mine) squared away by the end of today! We started sharing our hopes for this new year last night but somehow never finished!

    I'd love to keep bees someday too! I cannot wait to hear about all you learn and see that adventure come to fruition. And, of course, the topic of chickens for us continues to be one that's discussed but never seems to go much further than. I suppose we really should just do so already!

    Have a wonderful year my dear friend! May 2015 be your best yet! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And to you too Shel!

      I am looking forward to the bee keeping. I took a workshop two years ago, and for some reason have not gotten my bees yet. I think there is a little bit of fear there, not of the bees themselves, but of keeping them alive :) I think the mentoring will be great, and give me the chance to learn from an experienced bee keeper and feel confident that I can keep the bees healthy and alive.

      I agree, will you just get some chickens already :)

      Delete
  16. Beautiful reflections Kim! Much love to you! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tiffany. Happy New Year, and all the best to you and your family for a wonderful year ahead. Hugs. xo

      Delete
  17. Kim- what a wonderful reflection. Happy 2015!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing here with us all year long. You are an inspiration.

    I too have been listing words of ways I want to feel/live in the new year. My primary word is Courage. I'm excited to return to it throughout the year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, that is so lovely of you to say. Great word, I am sure it will serve you well. Happy New Year!

      Delete
  19. I don't know I missed this post, but better late than never. Wonderful thoughtful words. I'm glad you are taking time to think of what would make you happy. We so often forget ourselves in the process of family life and motherhood. Jason and I have started crafting together at night. It used to be about keeping our hands busy as we watched TV, then it was about listening to music and making... no, it's about us. Hands busy, silent conversations, deeper subjects we don't get to share at length with busy little ones running around. It's been amazing. Although I don't wish time to speed up in anyway, I am looking forward to a time when all of us will be able to sit and create... In a few years I hope as Little Man slowly becomes more focused and his likes and dislikes are made known more clearly.

    Again dear friend, a WONDERFUL New Year to you and your loves. xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Yanic. We had our first family art night this evening and it was wonderful. We sat in front of the fire, each with our sketchbook and doodled away. The time will come for you guys too, just wait :)

      Justin and I often have our best conversations while we are both busy creating too, usually me knitting and him drawing a new design he wants to create, while Reece dreams away. The only problem is I often get too excited about things we discuss and then can't fall asleep :)

      Thank you, to you too my friend. xo

      Delete
  20. PS : If I can make one suggestion for your reading list, my favorite book of all times is "Einstein's Dreams" by Alan Lightman... a book of essays on the theories of time and the perception of it. It is magic on paper... :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm...I will look it up. Sounds interesting. Thank you.

      Delete
  21. I like the perspective of thinking about how you want to feel over the year. I'm struggling slightly with setting any direction this year, so I will try thinking from that perspective, it sounds more open and flexible, whilst still keeping you on the track you want to be. And I'm really looking forward to hearing more about the bees. It's something Theo and I would both like to do and have talked about quite a bit, but not got round to trying to make it happen. Are you planning on incorporating your reading into your blogging? I'm sure there are many bloggers out there who would share your goal to read more widely for themselves, rather than for their home or garden or children. Perhaps some kind of online bloggers book club would help prioritise that goal for you. Although you are always so good at turning your goals into reality without any extra prodding!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is nice isn't it, and does allow for openness and flexibility.

      Ah the bees, I will definitely share if it all comes to fruition. I did a course two summers ago, and it was amazing, you can take a peek here if you like http://www.motheringwithmindfulness.com/2012/07/hanging-with-bees.html I felt so at home with the bees.

      I hadn't really thought about the reading and incorporating it with the blog, but it might be an idea, we could all use a little bit of motivation to keep reading right? I will think about it.

      Delete
  22. A lovely reflection on the year that has been and your goals for the one ahead.
    I drew up a list of goals for the year, and you'll be happy to know we have one in common ...... ducks!
    Looking forward to sharing the year ahead with you. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Chrisy. Yay, we can share our duck adventures with each other. Can't wait for that.

      Enjoy your weekend my friend. xo

      Delete