Have You Named Your Year!

Posted by Shea on January 19, 2014

Happy New Year Everyone – are you ready to Name Your Year?

I hope this ‘post’ lands in your inbox at a time when you are all beginning to settle back into a routine fresher, more relaxed and ready to make this year, your best year yet!

It is inevitable that as one year ends and another starts, we begin to think and plan our New Year. Many of you will be spending time contemplating your ‘New Year’s Resolution’ while others construct a ‘To Do’ or ‘Not to Do’ list. The challenge then is committing a portion of your ‘time’ to ensuring these goals become a reality.

At the end of every year our focused and very driven Cousin, reminds us it’s time to ‘Name your Year’. What started as a random idea deep in the “dark recesses of my mind” (quote un-quote) has become an annual commitment for around five years now. Many of us (both family and friends) have joined in the exercise and it is a regular talking point over a cold drink or two during the Festive Season. This year my reminder came in via a text message on the 25th November 2013 –

“Have you worked out your 2014 Theme????”

He, of course, had his already sorted – ‘2014, The Year of Zen Ben’.

There was much to-ing and fro-ing with text messaging after that as I tried to decipher if that meant Yoga, becoming a Vegetarian and taking up Meditation? Him relax? Not likely….

His reply was “Think more along the lines of Shoulin Monk!”

For previous years my Themes have been:

‘Year of the Baby’ – I am an extremely proud Mother
‘Year of the Expansion’ – We sold our property, bought a larger block and moved house
‘Year of Consolidation’ – Tidied up some loose ends with my Mum’s properties and was chief ‘Project Manager’ during the renovation of her new unit
‘Year of the Baby’ – #2

My 2013 ‘Theme’ was ‘Progress not Perfection’ and I committed to starting this website, with the devoted help of my Editor in Chief ‘My Mum!’ I have ‘progressed‘ through a MASSIVE technical learning curve as I started building this site from scratch (with zero tech experience) and accepted it didn’t have to begin being ‘perfect‘ I just needed to start!

In 2014 I named my Year –

This simply means I am going to allocate time to step out of my usual daily routine to enjoy activities which are just for me – easier said than done with a young family to look after!

I really hope you enjoy the results of 2013 Progress not Perfect. Progress as I continue to Perfect my new found passion – Blogging. If 2014 the ‘Year of Sabbatical’ goes well, by this time next year I will be proud to look back on loads of published, interesting musings. Writing and sharing discoveries I have made is definitely high on my list of enjoyable activities I look forward to during some allocated ‘me’ time….

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How do you start planning your year ahead?
Why not begin the simple (yet not so easy) tradition and Name your Year – then commit to sticking to your theme for the next 12 months?

I would love to know how you get on – share your stories in the comments below or visit us on our social media pages – Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.

It’s a fun exercise really….

X Shea