Giving Myself Permission To Stop (And Start)

There’s just something about setting goals that I really enjoy. The potential of what could be is intoxicating. A few years ago I made a list of all the things that I enjoy doing with the intention of doing each of them throughout the year. By the time I was done, the list was long…really long. For a brief moment I was overwhelmed and a little sad as I sat looking at the lengthy scroll, full of things that I couldn’t possibly get done in just one, wee-little year. Le sigh.

Ever the glass-half-full kind of gal, I rethought my predicament and realized that I was planning on living for many, many more decades (more on that later) and I actually had plenty of time to do all the things! Just not in one year. I decided to approach it like any other to-do list, one activity at a time. I’d pick something, master it, and move on. Thus, “The Year Of ___________” was born. Every year on my birthday I pick a new theme for my year and I go for it. I immerse myself in it and give myself permission to let other hobbies and interests take a temporary backseat. It’s wonderfully fulfilling and liberating.

The first year I figured that I ought to learn the art of living consciously so I could fully appreciate all the things to come. I delved in. I read stacks of books, pages of internet entries, and finally I took classes: yoga classes, meditation classes, breath-walking classes. It was great! Every time I read or did something I felt like I was working toward my goal, which only encouraged me. I was also learning new things, which was the best encouragement there was.

After that first successful year, I just kept going. There was the year of trying new things (sculling, soap making, aerial silk dancing, and so many others), the year of volunteering (almost 60 hours), the year of writing (when I started this little blog), the year of herbalism (look for new herbal and apothecary bits on the blog this year) and finally there is this year. What to do this year?

In the weeks leading up to my birthday I gave it a lot of thought, I revisited skills of the past and meditated on it until finally the answer came to me. This will be…“The Year Of Reading.” Perhaps you could’ve guessed from the photo above. I don’t read for pleasure nearly as much as I used to and I miss it. So I’ve decided that I’ll turn the TV off just a little bit early each night and take that time to read. Just 15-30 minutes, nothing too drastic but enough to start delving back into the world of stories on a page.

If you also like the idea of goal setting and change but the word “resolution” rubs you the wrong way, you may want to give “The Year Of ___________” a try. It’s a gentle way to give yourself permission to put a few things on hold while exploring something deeper.

What will this be “the year of” for you?

This is part of my series, Journey of 1,865 Days, where I chronicle my desire to stop just talking about the things that I want to do and actually do them. I’m living the life that I want to live and no longer just waiting for it to happen. Join me, won’t you?