Until I read her post yesterday I just had not taken the time to stop and look back. I hardly even realize that it is the end of another year. She asks some questions to help you take stock. I took about 10 minutes to consider these. It is a great exercise, why not have a go?
· What are you most proud of?
completing my book
getting back to blogging regularly
taking photos almost every day
keeping my kids on track in their schooling
maintaining my home, my closest relationships while being busy
birthing another Cole baby
· What was your biggest learning?
I can’t get away with not exercising :(
I can do it all if I am organized and focused
· How did you stretch yourself?
traveling internationally with 4 kids while pregnant
schooling the kids right up until I was due with Max
· How will you celebrate who you’ve become?
A reward - my husband and I are going to Houston for the night New Years Day. Sounds small but is what we like to do - go visit old haunts, drive by my old house (the house I brought my first 3 kids home to), go the art museum, dinner at a great restaurant, a night in a hotel, antique shopping on 19th street, sit in our favorite coffee shop and write and plan our 2010 life (if I didn’t have Max we would go to the theater, but instead we may just go to the movies)
But the best way I can celebrate is to keep it all going. All my efforts can be lost if I don't keep at it. I want to maintain my productivity and vision and really be this person I am becoming.
~
Jennifer also suggested we write a 2009 Cinquain:
I love how the structure or rules of a poem helps direct your poetic words.
A Cinquain is constructed in the following way (this is copied from Jennifer's Wishstudio post):
· The first line is one word (a noun/the topic)
· The second line is two descriptive words (2 adjectives that describe the first word)
· The third line is three action words (3 -ly adverbs or –ing verbs)
· The fourth line contains four words that express a feeling or make a statement (a 4 word phrase)
· The last line is one word (a synonym or adjective that refers to the first word)
My cinquain for 2009:
Fullness
Round, satisfying
stretching, flying, becoming
Live inside a dream
Abundant
Using a thesaurus makes this a simple exercise! Why not have a go?
I hadn't thought of sitting down and thinking of the accomplishments of the previous year either. You can be very proud of your accomplishments. You have done so much, you have grown so much, you have kept it all in balance with family relationships, household and schooling duties and continued pressing on with your goals of blogging and writing and promoting your book, all while pregnant and giving birth to a new Cole baby. Totally amazing. I commend you. I hope you have another wonderful year.
ReplyDeleteSound like a good idea. I think I will have a go at it. Thanks for sharing this idea. I have been contemplating what to do for New Years and this will definitly work!
ReplyDeletethis was blissful and magical ..blessed 2010
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful idea, thank you for inspiring me to try my hand at this! I am new to the blogging world and am so glad that I stumbled upon your blog!
ReplyDeleteHow cool to look back - I might have to try that - Hope your new year is fabulous...and I look forward to seeing what you are up to next year.
ReplyDeleteYou amaze me! Children, creative, career, published...wow. A wonderfully full year. I'll def follow your column as I love Wishstudio.
ReplyDeleteVery nice retrospective. I loved the idea of the Cinquain!
ReplyDeleteOh how cool! I'm so delighted that you enjoyed playing with the questions and the cinquain. Congrats on an awesome year!!
ReplyDelete