I’ve been thinking a lot about the past year, what I’ve struggled with and where I’d like to improve in the future. I’ve already shared quite a bit about putting myself back together after falling into the hole of high cortisol/out-of-control stress. (I apologize to everyone who has had to read those depressing ramblings!) Needless to say, even though I am a mother who is spinning more plates than she feels ready or qualified to spin, my health demands a change. Not only in physical health, but also in perception. I have to become a better version of myself in mind, body and spirit.
So as I’ve brainstormed ways to achieve this in the new year, one word continually came to mind: abundance. Spoiler alert: I think this is my one little word for 2024 and I’m breaking it out early! I want to battle the overwhelm and disappointment of life with the idea of abundance. I already have so much! Even when things go sideways, finances are strained and the world is dark, I want to remember there is good where you seek it. I’m determined to start looking in every nook and cranny.
Around here, abundance looks like…
+ watching our town’s annual Christmas parade. I felt full to bursting seeing the streets lined with neighbors, all watching and cheering for people in our community. We’re a tiny town and everyone from the volunteer fire department to the high school band to Johnny’s Towing showed up to drive down Main Street. Such a great way to begin the season.
+ free cross stitch patterns created with leftover linen and thread. (The website is chock full of patterns that she created for free – what a blessing!) The plan is to turn them into ornaments.
+ used bookstore Christmas records for 99 cents each. The Nutcracker one is from the 70’s and its hippie vibe is so cool. Another interesting find was the 1984 Christmas choir music from a Croatian Catholic Church in Kansas. I’ve never heard traditional Croatian carols before!
+ wrapping gifts with last year’s clearance paper.
+ reading the same Advent devotional for the fourth time and still finding new nuggets of wisdom throughout.
+ the most generous donation and comment on my Ko-fi site that made me tear right up. (Thank you, Natalie! I appreciate you more than you know!)
+ making dinner using random leftovers that miraculously came together for a chicken pot pie.
+ finishing my first four week exercise program. I don’t have much to show for it – no huge gains or weight loss – but I didn’t give up! That means something and I’m going to keep going.
Congratulations on completing your first month of the exercise program! The doggies wrapping paper looks very cute 🙂
Thank you!
I love finding rolls of wrapping paper at garage and estate sales – good prices and often fun older prints! Also, the cross stitching is really cute. I have never gotten into that, but I do like to embroider. I have been working on a seasonal kit but I love the idea of ornaments.
I’ve never even thought about looking for wrapping paper at garage/estate sales – what a great idea!
and candles too!