Happy New Year!
I am continuing the tradition of choosing a Word for the Year for the third year in a row. I love the idea of choosing a single word that frames or pulls together all of my resolutions. I've never done much with my chosen word, but it definitely comes to mind throughout the year. My word for this year has already influenced my art journaling, so I am thinking that it will be even more on my mind than my words from the past.
Without further ado, my word for the year is: SIMPLICITY.
I decided on my word toward the end of December, and fleshed out my thoughts about it in the car on the way to my mother's house in Kentucky for Christmas.
Here is what I have in mind when I think of SIMIPLICITY for the new year:
1. Get it done!
I have a bad habit of making simple things more complicated than they need to be. I once postponed making a phone call about a financial situation for two years. When I finally made the call, it took me five minutes, and there was no follow up that had to be done. Do you have any idea how much mental and emotional energy was given to that stupid phone call? I will not fall victim to this type of procrastination this year. I will finish tasks as they come up, and finish projects that I've started.To that end, I have made a list of all kinds of projects that I have started and things that I've purchased supplies for but never made any progress with. I am going to try to finish at least one a month, alongside all of the new projects I have in mind. It may take more than a year to finish all these unfinished things, but eventually it will be done!
2. Use it up!
I would like to stop doing so much shopping, and focus on using the supplies and materials that I already have. I want to do projects in the books, magazines, and files that I already have, instead of always buying more, more, more sources for ideas. I am committing myself to "shop" in my own home, resisting the lure of the craft stores. After all, take a look at all the things I already have to work with in my art space: |
| Seriously, I do NOT need to buy another art book for awhile...and this isn't even all of them! |
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| Can you say, Stop buying tape!! |
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| I think there are probably some things in here that I could use this year instead of going shopping again! |
Both resolution #1 and resolution #2 will help to cut the clutter around here.
3. Make it natural!
Over the past year, I have been working hard to replace products in my home that have toxic ingredients with more healthful options. This process has affected products related to cooking, cleaning, health, and beauty. It is not, in itself, a simple process, but I love the simplicity of products that have ingredients that are more natural and actually pronounceable. I am horrified by the toxicity that is so easily accepted by both the government (who should probably be regulating such things) and we consumers who provide a ready market for it. Why are we paying money to put these things in our bodies? But all of that is stuff for another post. Suffice it to say, that in my quest for SIMPLICITY I will continue to seek more simple, natural, and safe products for my home.  |
| An early art journal page, focused on my Word for the Year. I made a little book within a book. |
4. Do everything in love!
I can't tell you how many times I have run across this verse from I Corinthians 16:14 in the past week, confirming its place among my resolutions. In the midst of focusing on myself with these resolutions, I want to be sure to find ways to help others, and to act in love in all of my interactions.  |
| One of my first art journal pages of the year |
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| Sometimes a journal page can be SIMPLE! |
6 comments:
Hahah guess what? Our words are opposite but our intentions are similar. I wish you so much luck in achieve these goals! PS - my word is 'more'.
I love your chosen word and your explanation. Wow! That's a lot of art books. :)
i like a "one little word" that has many applications such as the one you've chosen. i'm not very good at following through with my word so i might do an end-of-the-month checkup to keep it in the forefront of my mind this year.
Sounds like some really great ideas! I know I don't need any more books! I've been purposely, when I can, not buy anything and instead I look around for an alternative to use! I still had to buy some buttons, but instead of buying a little pack of 2 buttons for $5, I bought a big pack of cheap buttons for $6, and with a 40% off coupon, it was less and transformed them! This is all saving me money and gas! It's fun doing it!
oh, how I can relate to the "get it done" goal. I have very similar un-made phone calls and un-confronted issues and it's so true that the stress of procrastination and dread is far far worse than the actual doing.
Hi, Andria!
I think your word is perfect. This is exactly what I need, and I may just use it for myself! Talk about loving to complicate things!!
Well, I feel a little like over-thinking right now, because I am probably going to complicate your life even more, soon. Remember I had told you I was planning on sending you some books... Well, I did. I had no idea you had so many! Maybe the ones I sent are duplicates!!!
I'm pretty sure that one of them is not, since it's for the girls. I hope you can tell which one it is.
Anyway, if you start working on un-cluttering, you can pass them on to someone else. OR, give them to the library! I've found that my local library has a horrifying dearth of craft and art books.
Happy New Year and thanks for the word!
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