focus 2016: update

At the beginning of the year, I wrote about my focuses for the year:

Family,
Faith,
Wellness, and
Enough.

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to revisit those ideas and give a little update on how it's gone.

Honestly, I wasn't as intentional about any of this as I hope to be. Still, since these areas are ones I'd been wanting to devote more attention too, they fairly easily remained my focus throughout the year. You can read all of my intentions in the links above.

I'm going to share below what came easiest to me in each category.

1. Family

Best for us policy.

We got pretty good and just doing what would work for our family, that would help our kids thrive, and keep us centered when our plates we too full. I definitely have a long way to go in some aspects of this but this year felt like a step in the right direction. It's amazing how sharing what you need and what your family needs is received. I feel fairly comfortable saying that we didn't offend anyone with this approach. People get it, they have been there, and we were met with grace every time we had to back away from something.

Patience abounding.

I can't give myself too much credit for this. I'm more patient with my kids now than I was at the beginning of the year in large part because they're at easier ages and they're great kids. We have our moments but I haven't entirely lost my cool with either of them in a long time and I'm very happy about that.

2. Faith

I continue to learn so much as Elia's faith grows. Sharing my faith perspective with her, answer questions about God, and reading Bible stories with her helps me to process my faith and the legacy of faith I want to pass on to my kids. She is now attending a Christian school, something entirely new to this public school girl, and it's so wonderful to watch her faith blossom.

In addition to gleaning off my three-year-old's love of Jesus, I feel like I have just spent a lot more time this year with my faith and relying on my faith. I spend more time in prayer, more time reading about faith issues, and feel more comfortable living in and acknowledging my faith that I probably ever have. It feels like growth, movement toward the way I want my faith to be expressed and lived out.

3. Wellness

Moving my body.

This has been one of the most tangible changes for me. My attempts at regular exercise this year came in fits and starts but in August I decided I'd just get up early every morning, starting the following morning. And I did. And then I did again and again and again for months. Now I'm in a comfortable routine of exercise at least 4 days a week. It's a lot harder to pry myself out of bed every morning now that it's pitch black until 7:00 or later every morning but I am in a good routine and feel stronger and more fit than I did at the beginning of the year.

Seeking balance.

This has definitely improved. Since Wells is no longer as physically dependent on me since I stopped nursing, I have been able to get away more. I have a great group of girls I get together with about once a month and the best side effect of all of those early morning workouts is a bit more time in the mornings, making things feel less frantic. The extra energy doesn't hurt either.

4. Enough

This has been the hardest thing for me. I feel like I am a generally more mindful consumer but at the same time I still find myself falling back into the comparison trap over and over.

I just re-read my original post about "enough". In 2017, I'm going to challenge myself again to remember that I have enough, I do enough, and I am enough, and do my best to live in the beauty of that knowledge.

So there you have it. There was a lot of progress made. I haven't done any of this perfectly but I knew I wouldn't.

Yesterday, I was able to attend a yoga class and written on the wall of the studio was a phrase that I first heard at a yoga class about five years ago.

"Begin again."

Those two words are music to my ears every time I encounter them.

Begin again.

Every day, every minute is a chance to start over if you need it.

When I am short with my kids I can stop and try again with all the patience they deserve.
When I oversleep and skip a workout I can set my alarm and not hit snooze the next day.
When my husband and I disagree I can approach him with love.
When I feel drained I can seek balance and rest.

You get the idea...

In all the ways I fall short, the opportunity to begin again will present itself every day and I will take it every time I need it.

Moving forward, I think these four areas are the ones that will continue to be most important to me, maybe my whole life. I look forward to exploring the ways that I can develop them and begin again in 2017. Cheers!