How to Keep January's Energy All Year Long
Hello Love,
Happy New Year! I feel like all we did last year was talk about the year itself. Please, let's leave that energy in the past. This year, I'm hoping to spend more time having discussions about the things that make me happy, inspire me, and fill me with hope. This time of the year can feel so rejuvenating. We're leaving the hustle of the holiday and the past behind while making way for a new beginning. I love this time. However, the energy of January is difficult to sustain as the year progresses. It is nonetheless possible to keep that motivation most of us are feeling right now throughout the year. Like you, I don't know what we're in for in 2021. This time last year, I was setting my goals and making plans like you probably were doing for how I wanted to live 2020. We all know how that year transpired. It was a difficult year, even if you had your health and job. Millions lost a lot, globally. The energy was just different in 2020. I don't know how 2021 will transpire, but I do know that I want to live as best as I can come what may. So in this post, I'm sharing five ways I've learned to be consistent and accomplish my goals in the most dynamic of years.
A December to Remember
Hey Love,
I've been away longer than I intended or anticipated. But I'm back to my flow and routine after some major transitions that took place in November. With mere weeks reminding in this formidable year I want to take the opportunity to reflect on my November and share some things I'm excited about for the remainder of 2020.
How I Celebrated October
Hey Love,
How'd October go for you? I hope you had at least one lovely moment to relish this month; if not, there's still one more day to do something wonderful for yourself. This has been a very dynamic month for me. Starting with a beautiful birthday and then getting blessed with the realization of a long-held dream. I loved this month and in today's post I'm sharing a few other amazing things I cherished and some hard choices that taught me valuable lessons.
Reveling in October
Hey Love,
We've journeyed through nine months and now we are here in October, the final quarter of 2020. This is my favorite month of the year, for celebratory reasons and weather reasons. I love October because it is my birthday month and the start of my favorite season. Last week I celebrated my 30th birthday with family and friends. I welcomed my new year by paddle boarding in the morning and with a cozy evening dinner with the full moon. I spent the first weekend of this month reflecting on my 30 year journey in my journal and dreaming of my hopes and dreams for this new decade. So this month is off to a lovely leisurely start for me. There are so many other little wonderful things that I'm looking forward to this month and in this post I'm sharing a few along with my manifesto for October.
Botanical Garden Yoga
My favorite little botanical garden has recently reopened and I'm so happy about that. It's one of my favorite places in Miami. It's the smallest botanical garden I've ever been too and I love how cozy and intimate it always feels. It's like being in my own backyard; my "secret" dream. So this month, hopefully, this week, I'll treat myself to their socially distanced afternoon yoga session and spend a few moments reading by the pond.
Reading at the Ocean Shore
Something I thoroughly relished during my unemployment was taking my beach chair right to the shore line and spending an hour or so reading as the ocean waves massaged my feet. It's even more glorious than I'm describing. Though my time is more fixed and limited, I want to make a deliberate effort to do this once a week.
A Leap of Faith
This is sort of a big announcement that I'm sneaking into this post. I've been dreaming of moving to a new city. I've actually thought I'd be there by now and planned to do it before turning 30. Fortunately, God's timing is better than mines. So for reasons unknown to me, He still has me here, but this month may present the opportunity to take a leap of faith and embark on an adventure I've only dreamed and hoped for. More to come.
Carving a Pumpkin
I've never carved a pumpkin and would love to do that this October. My friend has been planning one for us so I hope this is the year I carve my first pumpkin. I just want to light a cinnamon spice candle, sip some pumpkin spice latte, and enjoy a cozy girls night-in carving beautiful pumpkins. That's it.
There's less than 3 months left in 2020, a year that's seen more for multiple lifetimes. There's a lot of turmoil all over the world. I'm learning to make the most of this year and to seek joy in the areas I can control. I don't want to look back and say 2020 was a horrible year; yes it has seemingly endless challenges, but there is good and beauty to be found. My hope is to seek that daily grace and I hope you do the same. I pray October brings you love, joy, and peace.
Faithfully,
Marie
A Fruitful September
New Beginnings: A Reflection of August
Here's What I'm Looking Forward to in August
Thank you for stopping by. We're really in August. Sis, let that sink in. I'm just so grateful to be here in this moment. With the way our country (US) is going, it's a blessing each day to live a life I love and enjoy. It's nothing grand by the scales of what our popular culture says is a good life; but it is mine and I am always intentional to live it as I please. I recently came across a quote, "A well-lived life is chosen one day at a time". One day at a time. It's a choice and not every adult on this planet gets to choose to live as they wish. I would argue that a disproportionate amount of people don't necessarily have a choice. I don't say that to that to dull the mood, quite the opposite. Living with that realization makes the life I get to choose to life much more remarkable. How am I choosing to live my life, each day? At the end of each day I want to feel like I've done well. I may not have been as productive as I envisioned, but I did well. I lived and loved well today. That's how I want to feel. And choosing to live-well each day means that I will have lived well each week, each month, and each year; yes, even 2020. With that, here's how I plan to live well this August.
I've actually already done this, so I'm off to a great start. I've taken to writing a monthly manifesto in my journal and I read this every morning. It sets the vibes for the day and reminds me of what energy I want to put within me and around me.
Read 2 audiobooks
Girl, audiobooks have been my thing this year. I've listened to over 20!!! I had to go count, I wasn't aware it was even that many! Wow! Okay. Well, I've sure used my quarantine time well. I plan to write a separate post of my favorites.
Read 2 physical books
I had to separate this from audiobooks-which I do count as reading-because I have so many books on my TBR and I need and want to read them. I had to go count and I've read 8 physical books so far. Ion like that discrepancy. So 2 books is doable. Hopefully sharing it publicly will motivate me.
Run 2 times a week
I've always wanted to be a runner. Okay, maybe not always, but definitely post-college. I wish I was an athlete in high school; but alas I wasn't; trying to be a runner as an adult is proving to be impossible for me. So I've curtailed my goals. This month I simply want to run half-a-mile non-stop. I got up to a quarter of a mile in July so I'm on my way.
"Swim" in the sea
I don't know how to swim, YET; so I'll just be waddling in the sea, hopefully making some trips as the sunrise.
Spend intentional time with my babies and family
My family has been blessed to add 3 new babies in the past 8 months and I love them babies. This month I want to schedule time to be with them and my family. By making it intentional I don't have to feel a rush to leave to run errands and can be fully present.
Love on my friends
I just want to shout-out my friends. They've help me grow so much, both old ones and new ones. I'm blessed to have them. So I want to express my appreciation in ways that I know they'd appreciate. Some of my favorite people in my life celebrate their birthdays this month and I can't wait to celebrate them.
Start a new job
Yes! You may have remembered a few post back I mentioned that I was going to be unemployed . It's now been a month and I am hopeful that I'll be starting a new position this month. God is faithful. Pray for me.
Just by writing out this list I feel like August is already the best month this year, so far. I hope you take the time, it doesn't have to be written, to think about a few things you're looking forward to this month. Let me know in the comments.
Faithfully,
Marie