Happy New Year to you near and far! I love the fresh feeling that comes with turning that calendar page to a new year! It signifies so much more than resolutions and burning off the unwanted calories consumed over the holiday season. For me, it is a crisp new page in a journal both literally and figuratively.
My awesome hubby got me a wish list item for Christmas this year, a Commit 30 journal, and I am stoked! I am working on filling out the vision board for my year ahead and making some attainable goals each month as I strive to live a balanced life full of gratitude and lead with intention. As I do this, I am reflecting upon the year behind me.
2017 was an incredible year. It had high highs, some tough lows and a helluva lot of change. My motivation last year was simply to “get through it” which, was literally how I dealt with almost six full months of the year. I saw the year as a gateway to something better and at times I forgot to seize the moment as much as I would have liked to. Honestly, that approach was more exhausting than actual “living”. With that realization, i focused on doing better which was easier with our family of four being under one roof again. When I let the walls down a bit and started to embrace the change and embrace the moments, I saw more connectivity with my family and friends. I felt more balanced. I truly felt like I had gained something from the experience of just getting through. I saw resilience and strength in myself, but also in my marriage and in my children. I saw that there was more than just “getting through” challenges. I was reminded of the beauty in the struggle, like the rainbow after the storm.
That leads me to think about my goals and my motivation for this bright and shiny new year ahead. My motivation is simple. My family.
Our health and wellness, our adventures and our routines. I want to really experience the hell out of it all. I want to be present in the moments. I want to make time to get on the floor and play with my girls, no matter if I have my coat on ready to go out the door. If even just for a moment, to engage on their level, they will be reminded that they are important. I want to make time to be engaged with my spouse, in the midst of parenting chaos and life’s challenges, to really be connected. I want to embrace the beauty of technology when managing relationships long distance from family and friends. Making time for those I love is important and will continue to be so. I want to make new memories and enjoy the new experiences in this adventure we are on. I want to continue to grow and learn and lay down roots in this new home of ours. Because in this life, the military family life, home is where you are and “normal” is forever evolving.
So, as I crack the spine of my new journal, I do so with courage, excitement and eager anticipation, mixed with a healthy pinch of nervous energy.
Will I always get it right? Hell no. And I would never wish for “perfection”. As we all know deep down, life is a journey, not a destination, so put on some comfy shoes and walk this walk with me. I look forward to sharing my days with you and I hope you share some of yours with me.
Cheers to you and yours! Here’s to the magic that awaits us in 2018!
~M~
Momday Motivation 