This last post of the year is a quick playback of 2020.
As a refresher on the way I do things ‘round here, I base my reviews off of my slighted tweaked version of a planning system called Life in a Notebook. My friend, C.J. Hayden introduced me to her system sometime after I had first become a student of her Get Clients Now program and I’ve been using it ever since.
Like many others, I do choose a word and/or theme for the year. I simply incorporate it into my notebook system and formulate desires, intentions, commitments, and goals around it. There have been years where I dreamed up my words as a series for years ahead, and there were years where my word didn’t hit me until months after the start of the year. It’s always worked out.
My word for 2020 was “Focus” and my theme was centered around creativity. I intended to get into grad school and pursue a degree in writing. I was going to need both focus and creativity to accomplish that so that’s where I directed my attention.
Because I have been out of school for over…let’s just say it’s been a hot minute, I didn’t want to overwhelm myself until I had a rhythm.
Therefore, I didn’t write that many goals this year. Little did I know, COVID would shake up the world and cancel most plans anyway. If you remember, I spent all of 2019 resting in the gift of Love so I kinda felt that somehow I was given a heads up for this year.
Plans? What Plans?!?
So what did I plan besides all things school-related? Honestly? A lot of internal work. More than anything, I wanted to remain faithful to my commitment to the Way of Love. I wanted to expand on my research and work around what that continues to look like for my life. I narrowed my focus on ways I could show up to this path for myself and the communities I was involved with. I was not all that surprised where my yearning has led me. I will blog more about this in the new year when things are a little more solidified, but as a hint, that pilgrimage to Spain made me realize how tired I was of the chasing the carrot lifestyle.
It worked out that I finally sold my house this year! I have quite a few finance blogger friends, (one of them started a freelance writing school *affiliate link) so I try to catch some of that finance wisdom. I’ve joked that I feel like they are speaking some weird language that Google translate can’t seem to decipher for me. However, I understand ‘get thee behind me debt’! Less debt is less stress and less stress gives me more ease to focus on time spent with my Beloved.
I would say that finding the Divine One during my struggles with anger and frustration was the hardest lesson I’ve been learning this year. Spiritual Direction and community have helped a lot. Developing a personal rule of life that encompassed practices that grounded me and helped me to center myself when all I wanted to do was react to my emotions in very unhealthy ways helped as well. I could sense several things at once: relationships deteriorating, my hesitation to welcome new ones, and my joy that others were becoming more solid. There was a lot of grief. But there was also a lot to be very grateful for as well.
You can read more of my thoughts and reflections around anger, fear, and forgiveness here.
It’s My Blogiversary
***sang to the tune of Tony Toni Tone’s “It’s Our Anniversary”***
Finally, come January 9th, I will have 10 years under my blogging belt!
I’m not sure when I’ll be putting up that “coming soon” landing page, but this blog is getting a makeover to celebrate growth and transformation.
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Wishing you all a Healthy, Safe, and Blessed New Year!