Get a life

While 2013 has been very good to us, it has also been kind of rough.  I am excited to move forward into the new year with a fresh start, and to continue to build on our many blessings.

We have this habit in our house of taking stock around this time of year.  There are some really great tools to provide guidance in reflection.  Tim Elmore offers insight into his year end tradition.  My friend Lori just posted about her year in review. My all-time favorite is blogger Susannah Conway's Unravelling the Year Ahead workbook.

I am feeling especially reflective because of a comment made on one of my husband's Facebook status updates.  As many of you know, one of the blessings this year was the launch of my husband's handpainted sign and repurposed furniture business.  It's a little part-time gig that has really grown into a great way for him to be creative and to connect with other people.  His work is a little part of him and he invests hours and hours working on designs, building, creating, fussing over details...you get the idea.

So, the comment was,

I like seeing your work but every time I do, i think, you need to get a life. : )

There are a couple of things about this statement.  First, when you say something snarky and put a smiley face behind it, it is still snark.  Second, what if this is his/our life?  What if this is something really important and meaningful?

When we encounter lessons like this in our life, we usually find a way to make them humorous.  "Get a life" has become a rally cry, a sort of inside joke that we toss out in conversation.

I feel a little vindicated after reading a post shared by my friend Ben.  The author has some really simple goals for 2014 - do things and make things. I love it!  Here's hoping that we all get to  Do Things and Make Things Next Year!  And, in the process, we just might get a life.

Word for 2013

I mentioned in an earlier post that there is some buzz about selecting a word for the new year.  This practice is designed to focus your efforts - to make you intentional around your goals and resolutions.  I shared a great resource from Susannah Conway that helps you identify your word and truly she helps you review the hits and misses from the previous year and refine your vision for the new year.

After spending a lot of time reflecting and reading, I settled on Thanks.  I like this word because it reminds me to be grateful, and heaven knows that I have a lot to be grateful for.  Also, sometimes when I feel stuck, it helps to say, "Thanks."  In a awkward or difficult situation, say, "Thanks." Who will argue with you if you are saying, "Thanks."   I just need to say, "Thanks." more.  I also have two ideas about how to pursue my goal.

1.  I am writing one note a week to a friend or mentor who has helped me.  By January 2014, I will have sent 52 notes to people who are superstars to me and my plan is to thank them specifically and clearly for how they have helped me.

2.  I am completing one act of kindness per week.  By January 2014, I will have completed 52 acts of kindness - random or carefully planned, for strangers or those closest to me.  I think acts of kindness are another way to say, "Thanks."

I am convinced that "Thanks." leads to "Wow."  If you don't believe me, read Help. Thanks. Wow. by Anne Lamott.  And, truthfully, we could all use a little more appreciation and a little more "Wow." in our lives.

If you are working on your plans for the new year, I recommend two blog posts from Tim Elmore.  One post offers ideas about how to review the previous year while the other focuses on planning for the new year.

And, if you need some inspiration, read my friend's blog about how she lost 35 pounds through intentional living. So proud of her!

Happy New Year!

 Today has been the perfect day to wrap up one year and begin another.

It is snowing in Kansas (still, at this hour) and has been all day.  It was one of those glorious snow days when we didn't have anywhere to be, so we didn't have to worry about the road conditions or getting in and out of vehicles.  Sigh.  I love these days.  I may or may not have worn pajama pants and a hooded sweatshirt all day.

New Years Eve is my time to reflect on the previous year and make plans for the new.  We usually sit down as a couple and review our lifetime goals list - checking off those things we accomplished over the year and set our sights on new goals for the upcoming year.  Done.

This year I found a great resource from Susannah Conway.  Her blog is fantastic and I love her photography.  I also really, really like this planning workbook she offers for free on her website.

So, in addition to our planning as a couple, I spent a good hour or so working individually on my road map for the year.  Susannah's workbook leads you through a process of selecting a word for the year and encourages you to select some supporting words.  More on my word(s) later.

I really encourage you to check out Susannah's workbook - one of the best that I have found.

A great life...

A friend from work gave me this cute saying.  I plan to display it at my office as a reminder that the little things that are the sum of each day add up to big results.  It is really easy for me to get lost in the details and to sometimes be discouraged about progress towards important goals.  This saying is a great reminder!

There are a couple of bloggers/writers/entrepreneurs that I follow that speak to similar concepts.  Both are wise, accomplished women and each has a take on finding simple truths about life.

Becky Higgins often posts ideas that speak to her thoughts on living a good life.  The posts always begin, "Part of cultivating a good life is..."  You will really like her website with links to her blog and free printables.


I am also a huge fan of Gretchen Rubin.  Her Twelve Personal Commandments and Secrets of Adulthood really resonate with me.  She posted the Secret of Adulthood graphic below.  It seemed like a good fit for my reflections on making a difference through incremental effort.

I imagine that many of you are reflecting on 2012 and preparing for 2013.  Whether you are in the middle of a deep cleaning project or thinking about your hits and misses of 2012 or planning some exciting new adventure for the new year, I am wishing you the best.

The year of...

My life feels like a series of contradictions, including it is the best of times to be traveling and the worst of times to be traveling.  A series of events has me feeling like I need to be home where things are safe and predictable and I might, however naive this sounds, be able to exert some influence and control.  The other part of me is thankful for the chance to flee and recover, reorganize and reset.  Regardless of my feelings, I am committed to several obligations related to work and speaking at a conference that has me in Colorado, Minneapolis, and Missouri over the course of the week.

The first leg of the trip took me to Aspen, Colorado for the Western Slope College Fair.  Talk about an event of contradictions.  From the wealthiest and most privileged to the lower income, first-generation college student, we saw them all and many between.  I was humbled by the graciousness of everyone.  There is a spirit in that part of the country that is really inspiring and attractive.

I began my travels early Saturday morning and arrived just in time to take the last gondola ride up the mountain for a spectacular view.  It was so special to see the panoramic views with the fall leaves turning on a beautiful, sunny day.  I have to admit, I cried a little bit on the ride up the mountain   (Thank goodness I had the gondola to myself...I already felt weird riding alone and still a little awkward about crying in the DFW airport  earlier in the day while I tried to figure out if the GPS I was buying from a vending machine (yes, a vending machine) was a good deal.)  At the top, you could see for miles in all directions.  It felt like one of those once in a lifetime moments.

After riding back down the mountain, I had enough time to return to the hotel and get ready for the start to the fair.  I happened to circle up with a great groups of other women attending the fair from colleges all around the country.  We started talking about our work, laughing together about things only people who do our work would appreciate, and enjoying good food.  One of the women told us she was training for a marathon and a half.  We all did a double take.  She told us that runners arrive at Disneyland and run the half marathon on Saturday and then run the full marathon the next day.  C-R-A-Z-Y!  She is training for this now, during travel season.  DOUBLE C-R-A-Z-Y!  (and kind of inspiring)

We asked her about her motivation for this and she said it was HER YEAR.  She had declared 2012 HER YEAR and she created a list of things she wanted to accomplish - buy a house, date a guy, run this crazy back-to-back race, etc.  We were all encouraging her and pouring on the praise and then she turned to me and said, "Emily, so make this your year.  What do you want to do in 2013?"  I kind of freaked out.  We have a lifetime goals list and I am pretty intentional about focusing on one or two things, but nothing that big.  I begged out and told her that I would need to think about it.  So, I am.  I have two and a half months to think through what MY YEAR might include.

So, if this were to be YOUR YEAR, what would you do?  Post comments or I know some of you like to message me on Facebook.  Either way, I'd love to hear about your plans and I am open to suggestions for my own list.