Sunday, December 30, 2012

Anticipating and Prioritizing 2013

Greetings, blog friends.
Merry Holidays to you all.

Since I've had the past week off work, I've been off my normal routine. One of the things to slip by the way side was blogging. I needed a bit of a computer break, and while it felt a little strange at first, it was actually kind of nice.


It's typical for me to be lost in thought during this time of year. I've been thinking about the past 12 months, considering the lessons learned, thinking about how those lessons have changed me, and wondering how I can put all that to good use in the upcoming new year.

In the past I would have done a year-end recap on my blog. I'd show you all the stuff I did, things I made, road trips we took. But this year, as I scrolled through the archive posts for 2012 I was overwhelmed at the thought of recapping all of that - mostly because the running theme was my mom's illness and subsequent passing, and also because I just don't have the emotional energy to do it right now. {So, if you want to see what I did this past year, please refer to the archive list on the left sidebar of my blog - and we'll call it good.} ;o)


Carrie and I were talking about an online class she took recently related to goal setting. {She reviewed the class on her blog here.} In our discussion, she mentioned that one of the things that stood out for her was the subject of priorities - think about your priorities, then think about how you actually spend your time...

Leave it to my girl C to be the one who puts things into perspective for me. That was just the conversation I needed in that moment. I had already started a list of things I want to do in 2013: play with clay, crochet an afghan, make a quilt {or two or three...}, spend time art journaling, and the big one: less time on the computer/more time on my yoga mat.


Everyone told us that this first Christmas without my mom would be tough and I have to admit that part of me didn't fully believe that. I hadn't spent Christmas with my mom since I was a little girl, so her absence this year wasn't going to affect me like some people assumed it would. Hm. Wrong.

It wasn't the physical absence of my mother that hung over me during the holiday season; but more the vulnerable feeling of our own mortality that has been hard to shake. Losing someone so dear has changed me. It's changed me in ways that I want to write about, but not blog about. It has changed my priorities in terms of who I spend time with, and how I spend that time. It has made me want to spend my precious time more wisely. And thanks to my conversation with Carrie, it has me thinking about my priorities.


I'm still not sure how this shift in my priorities will change how I blog, but I know it will. I'm excited about the new year and how it will change who I am and how I move through my days and weeks. I trust that it's going to be just perfect, with a whole new set of challenges and lessons to learn.

I'm ready, 2013!
Happy New Year, everyone!

18 comments:

Susan said...

God bless you and yours in the New Year, my friend! I cannot wait to see all of your projects come to fruition! I have a couple on my list also.

tainted with a positive view said...

I just LOVE your photos - you do such a wonderful job of capturing the moment and then portraying it in your blog. Have a great New Years and I have no doubt your 2013 will be memorable.

Maria Ontiveros said...

I agree with the previous poster that those pictures tell a story - the broken bulb, the Santa being put away. So evocative.
I'm glad you're looking forward to 2013. And, for a coincidence, my word for 2013 is "prioritize."
Still working on my blog post about it.
Rinda

Alison said...

Happy New Year Deb...prioritising seems like a good idea....Something I think I need to be doing too!
Alison xx

Irene said...

As I was reading your blog today I remembered it has been 10 years my mom has passed on (12-30-92)......... (pausing to cry and say a prayer). Even thou our heart is heavy, somehow we live on. I believe our faith, family and friends will help us to live life to the fullest until we see our loved ones again in our next life. Peace be with you in 2013 and many years to come.

Rhona said...

I'm glad you're feeling positive for 2013, I think I need to hear that chat you and Carrie had! There's a lot going on over here at the moment, not all good unfortunately, and I know 2013 is going to be quite different for our family. x

Karen said...

I've been thinking about the same things recently. For the last several years, I've chose a word for the year. I'm not planning to do that this year, unless something comes to me rather quickly, but I have made three lists I'll be sharing on my blog about intentions for the New Year.

Ginger said...

hello Deb :) I read your post tonight on the reader and thought there is so many messages here I can relate to. I'm having a real hard time blogging these days - for more reasons than one, but it comes down to priorities and what is in my best interest.

BTW - Yoga is on my list of things I want to do this year :)

Happy New Year and here is to prioritizing 2013!

Margaret said...

Sounds like you have a lot on your mind. Take time to enjoy the journey.

Becky said...

Happy New Year to you all. Prioritising sounds an excellent idea and one I think I am going to go with too, instead of resolutions. Your photos on this post, as usual are wonderful and really tell a story. God bless xx

Denise said...

You have such a wonderful way with words Deb- your sentiments struck a chord with me. Prioritising sounds a perfect idea. lots of love Denise x

Cheri said...

Love the photos Deb - you really caught the whole feeling of putting away Christmas fabulously! I think a lot of us are in the same space right now - thinking about what we want out of this new year and how we are going to make it happen. I hope you continue to blog all these delicious profound thoughts you are having... really gives me something to noodle about. Wishing you all the best in 2013 my friend.

Jimjams said...

Beautiful photos Deb - profound reflections and I think you have it just right - spending time with special people NOW has to be our priority. You just never know what might be around the corner.

Happy New Year - wishing you all the best for 2013 xxx

Sian said...

I'm very much hoping that 2013 turns out to have a lot of good things in store for you and yours Deb. Happy New Year!

scrappyjacky said...

Time spent with the people you love is always time well spent.....and I understand just why you want to prioritise how you spend your time right now.
I do hope you will continue to blog though....you are an inspiration to many of us.
Happy New Year to you.

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

I'm excited for anything you have in store for us sweet friend. Last year was so trying for you, and I truly hope you will have a better year this year.

Miriam said...

Hello Deb, Happy New Year to you. Just popping in to say hi and thanks for visiting me over at my blog.I hope 2013 finds you some quiet times. Blogging is such a strange thing, we share so much and then we need to stop a while, take stock and yes prioritise. Your photo's are amazing. Take care of yourself x

Anonymous said...

What a thought provoking post Deb. I'm thinking I need to do some prioritizing myself. I love your pictures of putting away the Christmas decorations.

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