This year, I’m keeping it simple.
BREATHE
CREATE
MOVE
READ
WRITE
When life feels like a big game of dodgeball, and I find myself ducking out of the way or catching full on what’s hurtling toward me, I hope that shifting my mindset to one of those five areas will make it easier to get back up when I’m brought to my knees by a dodgeball in the gut.
And, as an optimistic realist - or realistic optimist! – I plan to hold onto hope the way I once held onto those notes that got me out of gym class: tightly, and with gratitude.
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How are you approaching the new year? What will you focus on in 2026? Any suggestions for me in any of those five areas?
I love your simple list. I think it'll help you stick to your list. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie. I'm hoping that by keeping it simple like this, I'll stay a little more even-keeled. Fingers crossed!
DeleteHappy New Year to you, too!
Yeah, I like that list. I'd add - drop out of dodgeball game...
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I would much rather sit on the sidelines and read a good book. :)
DeleteI love those five areas! I accomplished a movement goal for 2025, and that helped me create a new one for 2026. I actually walked over 4 million steps last year (some small steps, some dance steps, some barely moving steps, and some walks, but all steps), and this year, I decided to up the number ... a lot. I'll take a look at it again in a few months and decide if it's reasonable. 4 millions steps is about 11,000 a day, and I definitely had 3,000 step days, and 17,000 step days, so not all the same all the time, but I got there in the long haul of the year. But yes, on movement. It makes me feel way better.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you on your goals and your goal words! :)
Wow on those 4 million plus steps! I am thoroughly impressed! I've been doing more walking lately, and I find doing that and being out in the fresh air is very helpful in a variety of ways.
DeleteThank you, Tyrean! And good luck to you!
I like that simple list. It's a good mantra for the year, I think. I can't do any of the things I hope to do without first doing those.
ReplyDeleteLove this a lot (for multiple reasons): I plan to hold onto hope the way I once held onto those notes that got me out of gym class: tightly, and with gratitude.
I'm finding it a lot easier, less pressure, keeping it simple. I found myself getting anxious about something the other day - big surprise! :) - and I thought back to that list, and just started thinking about writing. Nothing specific, just writing in general, but it helped.
DeleteThanks, MJ. The older I get, the slipperier hope sometimes feels.
Great list of inspiring words. I've copied them down and pasted them to my desk.
ReplyDeleteI hope they help you the way they've been helping me!
DeleteLearn when to walk away and do some self-care. I do this all the time and my true friends just text later to find out how I'm doing. If you don't look after yourself, no one else will. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood suggestion! As an anxious introvert, I find a lot of people often don't understand the things I need for self-care.
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