Scenes from My Life: Good Bye 2014

In less than 24 hours the ball will have dropped and the New Year will begin. I’ve always used this time to reflect and reminisce on the past year, specifically my One Word.

 

2014’s One Word was Intentional, preceeded by Grow and Harmony.

 

As I pondered 2014 there were so many moments where I strived to live intentionally, and succeeded. There were also a few missed opportunities.

 

Every waking moment, decision or turn on my life path was made with intentional perspective. I learned to say “no” on more than one occasion, and I also found my voice when life’s negativity threatened my intentional living.

 

Intentional One Word 2014

 

The biggest lesson I learned was to grant myself Grace when life is busy. There were times when my choices had to go in one direction, and my heart wanted to go another.

 

Triathlon training was more difficult this year, because of this reason. However, I quickly learned that a PR didn’t matter when compared to the “good luck” phone messages from my husband and kiddos.

 

Late summer brought about more challenges. I knew I couldn’t conquer them on my own, and tough decisions were made. Living intentionally gave me the courage I needed to make the best choice for my family and me.

 

I have no idea what 2015 holds, but I do know that Intentional Living will be an integral part.

 

As for my 2015 One Word?

 

Well, you will just have to tune in tomorrow to find out.

 

Happy New Year!

Scenes: My One Word for 2014 {#OneWord365}

2012 – GROW

Each day I had to stretch for the sun, and with each stretch I felt heartache, fear and confusion. My family sometimes felt the same. For as the flower blooms and changes it can be hard to comprehend. To them the flower must remain the same, but the reality is that each bloom, each leaf and each moment in time is different. Nothing can remain unchanged, especially if it’s still growing.

 

2013 – HARMONY

Let’s be honest maintaining balance tricky.

It’s hard to equalize the scales of life, one minute work will be going well and at the same time your home life is a raging chaos or vice versa. It’s like walking a tight rope every day and personally I don’t need the added pressure.

 

GROW and HARMONY words that defined years gone by.

 

Years filled with joy, new experiences, heartache, fear, giggles and {my favorite} nose doinks.

 

While both words had their place, they had their faults.

 

When you grow too big too quickly you become a tangled mess, and when you seek to find Harmony sometimes you just end up on a bad note.

 

Harmony Alphabet Photography

 

In the name of 2013’s One Word, Harmony, I let things go – tried to create a nice rhythm between work, home and my passions. While I did let laundry, work tasks and writing slide. The guilt and emptiness grew. As each item fell from my To Do list uncompleted the music that sang in my heart became harder and harder to hear. Eventually, I could no longer hear its beat.

 

Eventually everything became silent my writing, my workouts, my interaction with my family.

 

I just gave up, because with each sacrifice I made the notes fell off the page and I was left empty.

 

My heart’s song wasn’t in Harmony with the rest of my life.

 

Something was missing.

 

“What’s wrong,” I yelled to the heavens.

 

Then it happened. Call it a voice, a feeling, a nudge in the right direction, but I finally understood.

 

My heart’s song was missing a very important note.

 

A person can’t grow or find harmony unless they live life INTENTIONALLY.

 

As I experience life’s journey, I’m bombarded by choices each and every day. I have a tendency to “do it all” hiding under the guise of growing or telling friends and family “I’m fine” when really I’m a redheaded stress ball.

 

I’m so scared I’ll miss out on something.

 

What I don’t realize is that I’m missing out on the awesomeness staring me right in the face.

 

Eventually saying yes took its toll and I was filled with stress, guilt, anger and yuckiness. The life was sucked right out of me, nothing had meaning anymore.

 

I heard over and over again how my friends and family were Living Intentionally. Basically, they were weighing every decision and living their life according to their values and beliefs.

 

That was my problem.

 

I had no road map.

 

Living Intentionally, provides a guide for how you want to live your life. Someone once told me to “Live the life you value.” This is the message behind Intentionally Living.

 

Looking back on it I realize I did it all backwards. I should have created my plan first then found Harmony, then bloomed. However, since I can’t go back in time, I must start again.

 

This time with a plan – a plan to make every single moment INTENTIONAL.

 

Intentional One Word 2014

My One Word, captured by artist Michelle Pendergrass. Want one for yourself? Click here.

 

No longer will I say yes for the sake of saying yes.

No longer will I make choices out of guilt.

No longer will I remain silent.

No longer will I live in a world with reckless abandon.

 

I WILL live a life where every moment is INTENTIONAL.

 

What life will you live in 2014?

 

Do you have One Word that will guide you on your journey?

A {Harmony Found} Sound Bytes of the Week

Way, way, way, way back in January I picked my One Word for the year – Harmony. In the months of craziness that have passed I had fleeting reminders of this word. Lately, it’s been hammering me in the face, this need for NOT balance {because as I’ve mentioned, that’s unachievable}, but harmony. The ebb and flow of all elements of life that give and take in order to achieve a harmonious song.

Harmony Alphabet Photography

I think now that my triathlon is behind us, moving has been accomplished and the hubs and my travel adventures are about to end, Harmony can finally be found.

This week I found it in my 5 for 5 workouts this week…woo hoo! I’m finally back to every morning workouts. I’d have to say it’s a struggle with this damn heat and humidity, but I’m out there running my guts out. Also, since the hubs is at Comicon I’ve had to be creative with my workouts and my time. I’ve also started to focus on the much needed weight lifting and PT for my injured hip. Along with all this hard work comes the harmony between mind and body. When the inner voices stop roaring and I finally accept who I am and the fact that I CAN and WILL wear a bikini after 40.

Suck it UP #RUN

I’m also 4 for 5 on making dinner each night this week. Booya! Perhaps it’s the larger kitchen or I’m in the honeymoon phase with the new house. Either way it’s success and I hope I can keep it up.

We’ve slowly been unpacking, but I’ve kind of been blowing it off in order to spend more quality time with the boys. It’s hard to say “not right now” when a little redhead looks up at you with big blue eyes and begs you to play with him. Cue heart melting.

Silly Summer

As I proceed into what I hope is an even more harmonious weekend, I have to include the melodious sounds of this week’s Sound Bytes.

3. “I’ll be as quiet as a 100 buffalo.”

He was too. UGH…

2. “We made a love sandwich.”

I totally wish I had a photo of this, but the little redhead was tired of being the meat in the sandwich and squirmed his way out.

1. “Ok, G it’s time to go to bed.”
“I’m not going to bed ever. NEVER EVER!”

And so it begins. Hold me…

And so begins my VERY busy weekend.

If you are in the Iowa City area head over to the Iowa City Moms Blog Health Fair and Family Day. I’ll be the redhead running around after a mini redhead and crazy six year old. Fun Times…

Iowa City Moms Blog Healthy Fair & Family Day

Once I recover from Saturday’s fun we are headed to the zoo on Sunday with Mimi and Papa. I can’t wait to feed the giraffes and see the elephants one last time before they are moved to a sanctuary.

So, what’s on your weekend schedule?

Whatever you do make it harmonious.

Milk Mustaches