a clean slate. a fresh start. new adventures waiting in the wings. opportunities for travel. and a chance once again to renew my commitment to live life to the fullest and follow my bliss. what’s not great about beginning a new year?!
i seriously love new year’s day. a lazy, quiet day when the page has turned and a new chapter has begun. a day that seems to run in slow motion, perfect for recovering, for pondering, and for just being.
i’m keeping myself busy watching movies, chatting with family, visiting with friends, snacking, and doing a whole lot of giggling with my love. from the moment we woke up this morning, my love & i have found ourselves laughing & giggling hysterically throughout the day. tons of little things just set us off, and once we hear one little giggle, then we’re completely gone. laughing till our bellies hurt. everything feels so light, so positive, so exciting today. i am so looking forward to what 2013 holds in store for us.
anyway, with all this lazy time today, i’ve been reflecting a lot and i’ve come up with a few things i’d like to share. let’s call them my “arts & crafts reclining chair realizations”.
a blissful 2012
i called 2012 my year of bliss. you can read more about what i’m talking about here. but, shortly, i can tell you that i was inspired by joseph campbell & his mantra, “follow your bliss”. i decided that 2012 was the year that i would begin to really live life from my soul. i had spent the previous four or five years learning what it means to be free to be me and that the best way to live is to be true to myself, but 2012 was the year that everything began to solidify. it was the year that i truly discovered my soul’s dance & light…. that which truly is my passion. i think he says it best:
The way to find out about happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy — not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy. This requires a little bit of self-analysis. What is it that makes you happy? Stay with it, no matter what people tell you. This is what is called following your bliss…
Following your bliss is not self-indulgent, but vital; your whole physical system knows that this is the way to be alive in this world and the way to give to the world the very best that you have to offer. There IS a track just waiting for each of us and once on it, doors will open that were not open before and would not open for anyone else.
of course, it turned out that 2012 was not a blissful year in the sense that everything went my way and i was “in a state of bliss” the entire year. far from it actually. it was a tough, tough year in many ways. but, it was also a year where i learned more & more about myself, my passion, what makes me happy, what makes me whole, who i want to be, who i am now, who i have been. i learned that in a much more real way that life is unbelievably short and everything can change in an instant, that to not only live life from my soul, but to live it from my soul right now. day to day. moment to moment.
when i decided to leave my job & my life in the states 5 years ago & move to denmark, i decided it because i did not want to be an old lady at the end of my life wondering “what if this…” or “what if that…”.so, i listened to my soul & took life into my own hands. that was a turning point for me. and the beginning of understanding a little about bliss. but, the next 5 years, including 2012, taught me that i deserve to follow my bliss and how to begin living that life.
well, it’s now 2013, and my year of letting the mantra “follow your bliss” become part of my life has ended. it’s time for the next step. and for that, i look to joseph campbell again…
living my story.
i’ve identified & understood this bliss thing much better now, and it’s time to move on. it’s time to truly embrace this short, amazing life and to live with wild abandon. to do crazy things. to seek out adventures. to laugh. to be in awe every day. to grab opportunities. to do things i’ve never done. to not only dream big, but to make them my reality. to soak up every single little bit of positive energy around me. to give back much more than i receive.
in other words, it’s time to live my story.
i have identified much of who i am, what i love, and how i want to live by following my bliss. so, in 2013, i’m gonna DO IT!
joseph campbell has another quote that i ran across the other day, and it is just perfect for me in 2013.
you are the hero of your own story.
that’s right. i’m my own hero. i’m the one who chooses who i want to be, what i want to do, how i want to live. i am the one who will write my own story…. literally & figuratively. i am the one to decide whether my story, my life, is one filled with passion, love, light, & peace or one filled with regret, bitterness, and fear.
we all have a story to tell, and in one way, all of our stories are the same, just with different settings and characters. but, all of our stories have been the same throughout all of time, and they will continue to be the same. we are all on a journey. a journey with different experiences, but with the same dreams & goals of love, happiness, bliss, and meaning. our stories timeless. universal. from death, comes life. from sacrifice, bliss. the mystery of life. the cycle of nature. my story is your story is everybody’s story.
so, in 2013, i’m gonna write my story. literally & figuratively. with words, pictures, & adventures. i’m gonna create my story and live my story.
one word. one photo. one adventure. at a time.
chapter 2013.
a jar of kick ass moments
i came across an awesome idea today, and my love & i decided that we’re dedicating ourselves to it. here’s the plan. we’re gonna get a jar, label it 2013, and fill it with a strip of paper each day of awesome things that happen, and then next new year’s eve, we’ll empty the jar & read all the amazing things that happened in 2013. and… presto! a jar of kick ass moments from 2013. what a great way to embrace every day, focus on the positive, and recap the year on new year’s eve.
First off, I love the New Year’s picture! Did you take it?
Secondly, I look forward to hearing more about your heroism in 2013. I love the idea of putting slips of paper in a jar to help you be aware of and remember great moments.
Happy New Year!
Thanks, Barb! Yes, I did take the picture. 🙂 I look forward to this journey and how I am thinking about it… we’ll see what comes of it. And, yes, the jar is going to be very meaningful, I think. Hope your New Year is filled with blessings and love.
I’ll have to ditto everything my mom just said… that pictures is phenomenal! (The others are amazing, too.) And the jar thing is a really great idea. I’ll definitely have to keep that in mind to try sometime.
It’s always so interesting and inspiring to read your stories and thoughts. Best of luck in 2013 as you take the next step in writing them down!
thanks, carissa!! i am really excited about the jar too. 🙂 i truly appreciate your loyalty to checking in here & leaving comments, feedback, & thoughts. it means so much!
“we’re gonna get a jar, label it 2013, and fill it with a strip of paper each day of awesome things that happen…”
That’s a fantastic way to not only be thankful for those small things (in the moment gratitude), but also to help to recall just where your year went. I’m starting to feel like each year is passing within what feels like a few months!
Brilliant photos, as usual- 🙂
HNY girls!
thank you, tracy!! i’m with ya… time is moving way too fast. i’m hoping that the jar can help me intentionally slow each day down by living in the moment. 🙂 HNY!!
Thought I’d add this, since I brought it up. We have all heard it from those older than we. But, it’s true. Time tends to accelerate as you get older.
So? Do NOT let one, single moment go past. Experience everything you can. Enjoy!
What a great New Year’s post! My 2012 has actually been pretty similar to yours and I can’t wait for all the adventures waiting in 2013. And to read about yours. I wish you all the best for your plans and dreams. 2013 is gonna be a big year, I’m sure of it! Oh, and love the Joseph Campbell quotes and the jar idea!
You are so sweet! Thank you! I am really grateful for your visits & comments here. 🙂 I can’t wait to read all about your explorations and adventures as well. Sending you best wishes of peace and love. It is going to be a great year… I feel it!! Happy New Year, my dear! xo
Really digging the hero quotation. Oh, and the jar idea. I might just have to steal that one, it’s pretty awesome! I think number one to make it into my jar would be to have finally beat the flu (day 6, still there but almost gone). Sigh Thanks for all the inspiration.
well wishes for a healthy you soon!! i hope your flu is gone now. as for the jar… it has been such a simple and great thing to have. i’m lovin’ it so far!