What did you get curious about? • How the other half lives. How do they vacation? How do they enjoy life?
What did you get over? • Regrets about past friendships that went sour.
What did you good at? • Finding a way to accomplish things that frustrate me.
What did you embrace? • Change.
What did you rediscover? • The radio. I love the radio so much.
What did you surrender to? • God's sovereign will for my life.
What did you sacrifice? • Pride.
What did you sideline? • My ambitious weight loss goals.
What did you survive? • Survive is such a serious word but I'd say supporting my loved ones in their most challenging moments while supporting everyone else in the family.
What did you celebrate? • New life and the abundance of life God is giving us.
Contemplate. Take time to ponder:
What did this year teach you about your capacity for courage? • When you don't think you have it you find more courage out there.
What risks did you take? How did they work out? • I risked my plan for security in exchange for enjoying the life God is giving us. I'd say they worked out.
What did this year teach you about relationships? Love? Your capacity for forgiveness? • The most important relationships are my absolute priority. Love is sacrificial. When God commands me to forgive, He gives me a blessing when I obey.
What particular synchronicities did you notice? • When God placed someone in my mind, I'd immediately pray for the person. Late on when I reached out, the person always told me there was something going on at that moment and they needed prayer.
Where did you bring light to the darkness for someone? • I found myself on the other side of hugs and I always hope to be God's embrace on earth for my family and friends.
When were you generous? How did that serve you? • I tried to practice purposeful generosity whether by myself or by organizing a group of friends to help a friend in need. God is generous, I want to be like Him.
Did you neglect yourself in any way? Was there a time when you did not allow yourself something you needed? If a similar situation arises this year, what will you tell yourself? • Of course I neglected myself. I neglected myself rest, quick forgiveness and even the space to get out of a fun and dream again. I want to tell myself, "treat yourself" next time those situations come around. Treating as in taking some time to care for myself with an early bed time, bath, manicure, or whatever else I need.
Of all the places where you spent time, which environment made you the most calm? Where did you have your best ideas? • I feel I'm calmest when all my people are together at the end of the day. I also find "calm" after a good CrossFit class or run. My best ideas came from refusing to "coast" in my thought life and schedule creativity (writing to be exact).
What changes did you notice in your loved ones? • My kids are getting taller, especially my oldest, who had spinal surgery. My nieces and nephews are getting taller and they all look like little adults. My babies all grew up so quickly! My husband is a rock: peaceful, joyful and caring as always. My parents are aging yet with God's grace on their side. They do not forget about me. My dad (who has Alzheimer's) told me so.
What went on in the world that really affected you? What did that teach you in your role in wider society? • Election season was tense in the U.S. and working in county government it changed the way I see this process. I found appreciation for the people who passionately work for free and fair elections year-round. I taught me that there are real people in real life I can show gratitude for all the things they do that we don't always see and these things benefit all of us here in the County.
What did this year teach you about the preciousness of life? • God, the creator of life gives (we have a new baby second cousin who really is a niece) and He takes away (our cousin Harley went to be with Jesus two months ago).
Practical:
What did you create or made happen this year? • I finished my first self-published book.
What brought you the most satisfaction? • Seeing our children thrive.
What was money well spent and when did you waste money? • Finding a great home helper. Wasted money is money that I did not steward correctly.
What was the best use of your time and energy? Where did you waste time and energy? • Being the wife, mother, and professional God created me to be. I wasted time and energy with worry and frustration.
What was a real success for you and why? What did you learn from that? • I finished a video project at work. I learned the process of getting things done in county government. I learned how much first-responders sacrifice for the well-being of a community.
What didn't work out as you hoped? Why? What did you learn from that? • For years, I want to be a lifetime member of WW. I guess this was just not the year yet. I learned new techniques that improve my consistency.
What or who was a challenge? Why? What did you learn from that? • I believe there were several things I couldn't change that challenged me. Life is just like that. I learned to rely on God and to remain grateful through it all.
What was the single most important thing you did for your physical health? • Took more responsibility for my advancement in CrossFit.
What was the single most important thing you did for your mental health? • Exercised consistently.
If you could sum up the year in a single word, what would it be? • Quick
Letting go:
Write down things you want to let go • Dread, feelings of inadequacy, feelings of being less than who God created me to be.
Moving forward:
When did you allow yourself to be vulnerable over the past 12 months? What did you learn in the process? • I was honest with people and asked for help when I needed the most.
What do you want to carry with you in the new year? • Resilience and focus on what matters, no matter how it is reciprocated.
What truths are you ready to start believing? • That God created me the way He did for His glory. I'm done apologizing for who I am.
What are you ready to receive? • God's best.
Time to make a plan.
* from "Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year" by Beth Kempton.
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