Monday, January 11, 2010

contemplating the new year

Thanks for your nice response to my studio clean-out! It's fun hearing from you. It sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat with post-holiday clutter needing a good clearing out. I loved my bit of studio time on Saturday, but it would have seemed unbalanced to spend all day in there. I very much also wanted to take off with Ken and the little boys into nature, which we did in the afternoon. It was fun to enjoy the more "wintery" landscape--we even had a bit of cloud cover--a break from the unrelenting Southern California sun (a welcome break).
Ken packed us a little picnic snack with hot cocoa!
The boys hopped amongst the rocks and I drew in my nature journal just a bit and worked on my list of thoughts and goals for the new year. So far it's a very free-form list. I've been contemplating in what direction do I really want my life to be moving? I think it's so easy to get swept up in the dailiness of everything--even in summer when we're not working at our regular jobs--and not really take time to think make your real priorities happen.
Here are some of the things I've been thinking about just loosely so far. In the meantime, I'm coming up with a little plan to put some of this stuff into action:

Contemplating for 2010
::cleaning up my diet, which would be greatly enhanced by planning ahead and compiling a group of accessible go-to recipes
::eating more whole foods
::shopping ahead
::sewing and crafting for myself and home
::taking more walks
::continue my nature journal, even in small doses
::figure out how to make more time for family
::decreasing the plastic in our lives (even more)
::keeping the house clean and orderly
::getting rid of more and more clutter all the time
::reflecting on how reducing clutter gives us all more energy
::the year of no new craft books
::the year of no new cookbooks
::the year of delving into and enjoying the craft and cookbooks that I own
::encouraging helpfulness in myself and in my children
::waiting 1 week to buy something
::buying less
::encouraging and allowing the little boys to do for themselves, struggle and make mistakes. And allowing them the pleasure of having less.
::being the change I want to see.

What are you thinking about as we set out on a new year?

22 comments:

nicole said...

you've inspired me to take on the cookbook & craft books resolution and delve into the ones I already own...novel idea! thank you for the inspiration.

Unknown said...

They are great goals and you are totally inspiring me with your no new craft/cookbooks! Wonder if I could stick to that though? Also reducing clutter. You're right, it frees up energy. Thanks for this inspiring post!

Elfin Goddess said...

No more personal shopping unless I really need to buy something - not b'cos its on sale or I think I can afford yet one more handbag or a pair of shoes. Eating healthy for sure! And no delving on the past - there's only space for dreaming about the future and working in the present towards our goals :)

Janell said...

Very inspiring pictures and list! I've been lurking on your blog for a while and just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it. Thank you for sharing.

Joy said...

Those sound like great and worthy goals! I only see one problem here. Soulemama mentioned on her blog yesterday a third book. You might have to make a craft book exception for that. ;) It looks like you had a beautiful weekend; thanks for sharing!

Our Green Nest said...

These all sound great. Two big ones for us are to simplify even more and eat more raw!

Unknown said...

I share some similar goals: less waste (next step table napkins), decluttering (room by room), starting a nature journal, learning to sew. You are an inspiration!

Anonymous said...

what a great list!

Mary Beth said...

Joy--ha ha. I agree! I'd have to make an exception for that one! (But I sense it might not come out til 2011 anyway).

Andrea said...

What a great list...though I'd have to say your blog makes your life look a lot like it's already where you want it to go!

Sam said...

Almost all of these are goals of mine as well - I look forward to being inspired by your successes!

Julie said...

A great list... and I agree that it is so easy to get swept up into the dailiness of everything!

Annie said...

I was also kind of thinking about a no new craft/cooking book year. I'd love to take one or two of the ones that I already have and craft/cook my way from front to back. This, however, horrifies my husband who says "I don't think I like to try new things."

Chris said...

if i ever get my new year's post written, i think my list will be similar to yours, especially the more whole foods and building self-confidence in my boys. what do you write in your nature journal?

Unknown said...

I try to live by the whole "only things we need or love" rule in my home. Sometimes I get a little off track and I find myself being pulled in again every few months. So, again, we'll do the only need or love purge as soon as the weather turns just a *little* nicer!

Unknown said...

Hmmmm. I'm loving the no new books rule. Should DEFINITELY adopt that one!

Abi said...

love your list! i am not buying another bottle of shampoo or conditioner until bottle hazard that is our bathrooms is used up! also, i want to get dressed every day. not in jeans and a t shirt but in clothes that make me feel good. with three kids it is so easy to let that slide, even if i only go to the grocery store i want to be 'put together' you know? i'm doing it already and it feels great!

Lain said...

Wonderful list! I did a whole post on my blog about how I condensed it all down to five goals that I hope will change my life, even if I don't do them 100%. Here's the link:

http://knitandpurlgrrl.blogs.com/five_things/2010/01/5-reasons-2010-will-be-different.html

LOVE!
Lain

Mary Beth said...

Andrea--it's very much a work in progress. I have lots of room for "growth" :)

Chris--I'm extremely untalented as an artist, but how fun is it to draw and color with art supplies? Very fun. And I also really like to take a moment to notice what is going on around me in nature. So I sketch a little and write about what I see or what we've been noticing/observing outdoors. Plus, it helps me stay mindful of the seasonal changes here in So. Cal, which are very very subtle.

Anonymous said...

I think your list is just wonderful and I could easily add everything to my own list. I love how attainable each one is.

crunchy peas said...

I love your thoughts/goals/resolutions for 2010. I share SO many of them! It's fun to stop in here and see that we have so much in common. If we lived closer it would be fun to sit and chat over coffee with you.

Hope January has thus far been refreshing.

onegoldensun said...

Yes, no new craft/cookbooks is a good one to add to my list. I would love to finish the projects that I have not completed this year. And read the books on my shelves. :) Thanks for the post!