2015 Word for the year

FOCUS.

That is my word for this year.  As most of you who read my bog know I don't make resolutions - they are too hard to keep and too restrictive.

 I choose a word for the year which I use to help me FOCUS on what I need to be doing.

Last year with moving house, a family wedding and other stuff that happened, I kind of lost my focus on what I was doing (or maybe I should say - what I planned to do...)  Of course, as usual when this happens, one tends to go off in a tangent and no matter how hard you work, nothing gets done and you are back to square one!



This year to help me FOCUS I have put together a ring binder with dividers for things like - My Garden, Quilting, Sewing General, Computer, etc. Into this binder I (hope) will write down the different tasks, perhaps what I wish to purchase, etc for each of the divisions.  I'm not putting in a timetable (only if there is a time frame, ie if say, a quilt needs to be made as a gift), and I will jot down my progress as I work through the folder.  Sometimes I will add things, hopefully I will be crossing most out. 

 After all, that is the reason for having this folder!!

What is your word for this year 2015?  Do you have one or do you make resolutions.  I would love to know.

51 Weeks to go......

that is, to next Christmas! 

It is a tradition is most country towns in Australia for Santa to visit the suburbs via a Country Fire Truck - just to make sure all the kids are home and still being good!!  This one was parked outside my home and he visited the park next door to me.  I didn't know there were this many people who lived in the streets where I live!!!!

 

And, of course we have to put out the lettuce and carrots for the reindeer, with Fraser supervising his older sister Jorja.  Note, this year, one plate, not 7 that she put out last year!!!!

What a year it has been!  Settling in to a new home and getting to know the area where I'm now living.  Plus a myriad of other things that have kept me occupied and not being able to get much sewing completed or blogging as much as I would have liked.

In November we had my niece's wedding on the beach at Point Addis, which is near Anglesea, Vic.

It is nearly time for my 'word' for the next 12 months.  This year I have quite a few that I could choose from - just have to find the appropriate one for MY year. Will follow up in the next few days.

Take care,

Joy

Happy New Year to you all - and my 'Word' for this year

When I read the above link that was sent to me via FB, I thought it sums up everything a New Year can bring.  On reflection of 2013 I found I had a lot of 'unfinished business' hanging around and it wasn't until nearing the end of 2013 I realised that most of it had been resolved.  I now look forward to having 'a clean slate' to start the year off and that there is New Beginnings for me this coming year.

One of these New Beginnings is - I am moving home AND moving to a new town.  This has been a hard decision to make, but I believe it is the right thing and the right time to do it.  Now that it has been made I am so looking forward to it.  I have lived in Anglesea for 30 years and raised my three boys here, but they have all moved on with their lives and doing very well. I am so proud of their achievements.  As some of you know my Mum passed away during the year and another chapter of my life had closed.  My dear Dad left us over 18 years ago now, so I feel that with Mum's passing I now believe I can go forward.

You might have noticed in the above paragraph the word 'believe' crops up a couple times.  Well that is my word for the year 'BELIEVE'.

I believe if you have the faith and believe in your decisions to make a choice you can reclaim your life.

You should believe in your abilities whatever they are - be it sport, craft, quilting, looking after your family, making new friends and being a good friend to others.  This belief will put you in the right position and frame of mind to break out and try something new also.

So go forward my friends and believe in yourself and you will make it through the good and bad times.

Have a fabulous year everyone, and don't forget to let me know if you have chosen a word for the year and what it means to you.

Take care

Joy

Yuletide Greetings to everyone

Wishing everyone one of you a very Merry Christmas and the best of health, wealth and love for 2014 and beyond.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for reading my blog.  Sometimes, I'm a bit slack in posting but that's because I felt I didn't have anything important to talk about.   A special friend mentioned to me - "Joy, you always have something to say, or have done something interesting - look around"; and I thought, you know, what I think is not important, may be very important or interesting to someone else.  So I'm going to keep a small notebook and write in it some jottings of what I did that day.  Sort of like what an artist would do by drawing what they have seen or done.

As you all know from previous postings I don't make resolutions for the new year, but take a word to inspire, to remind me to keep on track, and to live by (hopefully).  This coming year I'm still thinking about my word.  I will have new beginnings and a big change in my life (moving house), so I need something very special. I will post the word and my thoughts very early in the New Year.

Cheers everyone and take care over the holiday period.
...Joy

Word for 2013

Happy New Year everyone!

As you all know I don't do resolutions.  For the past couple of years I have been choosing a word for my mantra for the year.  I first began with 'Relax' as that year I felt this is what I needed to do to accomplish all the things I wanted to.  Last year it was 'Focus'.  Looking back on 2012 I realised that maybe I should have changed that word. I did loose focus half way through, but that was not the word's fault!  It was me not focusing on what I was supposed to be doing and getting drawn up in things around me that I lost my focus for a couple of months.

The word that you choose should guide you through the year.  It is not meant to be rigid or unbending, but should help you to clarify and define what you are trying to achieve.  You may find half-way through that it is not helping, then change it.  Find another one, but don't stop using a word.  It can be quite a powerful tool and will keep you on track.

This year, following on from 'Relax' and 'Focus' (last year's word), I'm choosing 'Simplify', with a little reminder to also 'explore'.  I want to simplify my life by tossing out clutter which I no longer need or want.  This could be material things or just changing the atmosphere around me.  I need to stop thinking and worrying about stuff that I have no control over, toss it out the window!

Teachers of Feng Shui tell you that by decluttering your physical environment, you will also declutter your mind, thus allowing you to live more simply, healthy and happy.  Don't we all want to achieve that!

You would have noticed that I have put 'explore' underneath simplify.  I want to explore ways of achieving my goals for the year but in an uncomplicated manner.

Do you have a word for the year?  If not, find one, it can help you mentally and physically achieve what you want with your year.

A New Year and a New Word

If you remember last year around this time I wrote about choosing a word for the year.  I first heard about this on the ArtQuilt Yahoo group I belong to.  The idea is to choose a word that you might find helpful in your journey for the year.  It is very helpful to have this word printed on a card/s and put in various places where you will find it or see it - just to remind you.  No stress involved - just a reminder.

It could be something very simple or complex - last year I chose 'Relax'.  I found I needed to learn not to worry about things I had no control over and not to get anxious about the things I did have control over.   Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't - but it did help in my day-to-day activities.  Some of you know my mother's health wasn't the very best this past year and I learnt that this was one of the things I had no control over.  But I did have control over how I handled it and to get other family members to help.

This year I am choosing ' FOCUS'.  I'm one of those people who wander off in a tangent at times.  Like going into the laundry to put some washing in the machine - start sorting it and realise I left some articles in the bedroom, go to get them and see I left a coffee cup on the bedside table, pick up said cup to take to kitchen and notice the rubbish bin needs emptying, take the bin outside and see.......... you know the story!  In an hour's time I realise I haven't turned the washing machine on!  So FOCUS, it is for this year.

What is your word for the year? 

A word 2011.....instead of a resolution

How many of you out there make resolutions for the coming year, but find for some reason or other that you fail to follow them - you know what I mean - loose ? kls; get fit;  remember ALL your friends birthdays;  finish X number of UFOs; only work from your stash etc etc.  We all start out with good intentions, I do, but life happens.

After reading a couple of blogs and comments on the QuiltArt list on Yahoo, some very inventive people are choosing a word for the year - ie - Inspire;  Change;  Learn;  Persevere;  Believe;  Balance.  So if resolutions don't work for you, how about trying a word.  Make some signs using this word and place them in strategic places like near your computer screen;  on your message board;  in your diary; etc to remind you how/where to focus.

My word for 2011 is Relax.  I need to learn to relax  and not worry about things I don't have any control over;  I need to relax when trying new directions for my quilting and not be concerned if it isn't going where I want it to;  I need to learn to relax when working on my art quilts - they are not meant to be 'perfect' but to go with the flow.

What word would you choose for 2011?  Would love to hear your ideas.

To read more about choosing a word pop over to Linda Matthews blog and see what she has written.  If you leave a comment there she will also incorporate your word in a small gift during the year.

Take care and have a happy New Year's and make 2011 the best you can.
..Joy