Monday, January 10, 2011

my life is beautiful as is

january mantle
I've been reading a lot amongst the blogs about choosing a single word to define your intentions for the new year. That idea appeals to me very much and I thought about some words that come to mind: energy, color, make, do. But today it occurred to me that I want a whole phrase to carry me through this year--"my life is beautiful, as is."

I love the idea of embracing and loving my life in all its imperfections--even with the pain, the challenge, my personal struggles and imperfections. And also, there is another part to it too. There is a certain letting go--of my preconceived notions of how my life should be, and of butting up against those notions and trying to wrest life into some sort of idealized version of itself. How amazing would it be just to let my crazy, beautiful, uncategorizable life just wildly unfold and to be okay with it? So that is my theme for the year--to embrace it all, to ditch the fear and resistance and to continue to seek self improvement, but gently. To be gentle with myself and others and to love more. It's a lot but it's what I desire.
the january mantle
{the january mantle}
Here are some scenes from the house I shot right after the pre-New Year's tidy up. Oh how I love the feel of a freshly cleaned and de-cluttered house right after the holidays.
the play area--opened up
{the play area, opened up}
two cuties in january
{boys, playing}
january mantle
{from the january mantle}
in the new year
{kid art, and calendar}


Some happy things right now:
:: I am loving all of Dieter's artwork he is doing lately
:: I'm calendar obsessed this year and have ordered so many of them
:: I served Enviromom's bean bowls again tonight and everyone was happy and the brown rice cooked up extra fluffy
:: tomorrow Faith and I start a yoga class

And also, I just want to say thank you SO MUCH for your kind responses--on all levels--to my post yesterday. I love this blogging community and it is so amazing to put something out there and to really feel heard by like minded souls. So thank you! I had a much better day today and am feeling better.

17 comments:

nicole said...

I love it " beautiful as it is". No wonder I like you so much...my 2011 goal is to "fall in love with my life" with the idea of as is not altering my life to love it.
We are also alike in the "clean slate" feel of a new year with holiday decor taken down.
I wish you a blessed and beautiful year!

8760 said...

You are absolutely right Mary Beth. We try so hard to live our lives in the way that we think we ought to and spend so much time worrying about all the things that we're not doing, instead of enjoying what we are doing! I am so guilty of this. I have personal struggles too and although I am feeling in a better frame of mind at the moment, I still constantly have a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, a constant worry, and instead I should just be happy in what I am doing. I keep thinking 'if I just get this, this and this sorted I can get on with living how I want to' and then other things come along that I feel like I ought to do, and the moment of living like I think I should never arrives! I need to accept that I am living like I am, and enjoy it. Glad you're feeling better :)

Joy said...

I love both of your calendars and think that's a great phrase for the year. The little boys are adorable as usual. Enjoy your yoga class with Faith!

Anonymous said...

I love your phrase. It's so true yet so hard. Just this morning as I nursed my baby at an hour I didn't want to be up and nursing at, I was complaining in my head. And I thought to myself that there is always something I *could* be complaining about. So why not just not complain.

Fiona said...

Wonderful phrase. Such a great thing to strive for :)

jenny feherty said...

you've inspired me to move into 2011 with some thoughtful intentions. I'm not into the new year's 'resolutions' but something more meaningful. we all have our own 'imperfections' as you call them and mine would be to move more gently into the new year with my wee ones. off the top my one word would be quiet. thanks for sharing.

Andrea said...

What a wonderful intention for the new year--we all (your blog readers) love your life, so you should too!!

Chris said...

This is a great way to frame the year. Wishing you all the best this year - many exciting changes and new things to come!
And I love how simply you've decorated. There is something refreshing about a new year's clean!

SL said...

I love this phrase, and it's something I should remind myself of as well. It's so easy to get caught up in the things I see on other blogs or in magazines and want my home to look like that. But I have a beautiful life too, just maybe in a different way.

Lina said...

I went to bed thinking of your post, how I never write anything but just come in a read and enjoy pieces of your every day life, so I came back again to say hope you fell better more cheerful! But I found your post and it fits me so well, to accept life and one self as we are, how it comes, that would be nice for a change! I join you in this year intention, please do remind us from time to time about this! A hug from Colombia!

Carrie said...

Beautifully said, Mary Beth.
One of the traditions of Chinese New Year is to thoroughly clean one's home and sweep out all of the bad for the coming year! I so love that tradition as well.
I think your home is so lovely, it always appears so tidy, natural and simple yet still with a lot of style.

Anna said...

This was an absolutely beautiful post. And one of the reasons I keep coming back to your blog is the discussions of your attempts to balance work with family, introversion with the desire for community, the worry of parenting with the joy, the tedium of chores with the satisfaction of homemaking. I share all these, and your lists, your recipes, and your reflections have made my own journey easier.

I also have to add that, as a fellow introvert who gets flustered in busy social situations, I don't always comment on other people's homes. But I always notice and reflect on those handmade touches, etc., later. So there may be more of those like-minded people out there than you think.

They're just quiet too!

coloring in my life said...

I love this post for so many reasons. I keep having those thoughts of "when I get more space, I can craft more", or "when I have more time I can do more reading", etc., etc. But I have to realize that "when" needs to be now. Waiting for some moment when everything becomes "perfect" is not realistic. So thank you for this, I needed it!

Sarah said...

what a great phrase for the year. Thanks for sharing such intimate pics of your kiddos and what is dear to your heart.

Laura said...

What a wonderful phrase for the new year. I am constantly reminding myself to be grateful & happy for my life & everything I have & to not be consumed by preconceived ideas of what my life "should" be like. Thank you for the reminder, esp. about being gentle on ourselves.
I feel the same about taking down holiday decor & starting fresh - it's such a wonderful feeling!
Can you please tell us where you got the calendar in the first picture? I love the colors & graphics.
Hope you enjoyed your yoga class!

Sara said...

I love your phrase for the year. What a lovely way to frame it.

Mary Beth said...

Thank you so much for the kind support, everyone.

Laura--it's from one of my favorite Etsy sellers: 1 canoe 2. Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/1canoe2?ref=seller_info