How was your February? For me it seems like currently time just drags on. The monotonomy of the every day makes me so tired. I feel all my energy is drained constantly. And so it feels time is passing slowly. I could often fall asleep in an instant. Many times do. Everything is just so uneventful. But then we already check of February. So time does pass. Does it pass without anything happen or is that just a misconception though. I am not sure.
Before I dive into the things I got done how I intentionally lived by my word this year – lets start off with this quote:
I decided I will introduce yet another new blog post series to this blog. The January reflections and February intentions will kick off those “Reflections & Intentions” posts. Back in 2015 I shared my monthly resolutions that were mini milestones towards my yearly goals. I felt like that year I have gotten quite a bit done and maybe that will give me a bit more structure for the upcoming year. Because let’s be honest here we will continue to spend a lot of time at home and not roam as freely as before.
But before I dive into that here is my favorite quote this month.
Good Morning brand new year. Hello 2021. We have waited for you to come around. It is still early for the New Years morning and I enjoy the silence it brings. the perfect time to gather thoughts and reflect and set goals.
As always I am starting this off with announcing a word that will guide me through the new year. For 2021 GRACE will be my word. A word that sneaked itself into my list of contenders and then never let me go. I was toying with kindness but grace is more complete.
This post is one of my most cherished New Years Traditions. It all starts with finding a word for the New Year. Once that is done the goals, intentions and dreams are manifesting. Or is it the other way around? Do dreams lurk in the shadows of unconciousness and give hints so the right word emerges? Whichever way it is, it is working.
This years word will be MOXIE. I have not the slightest idea how that one sneaked up on me. I’ve heard of it but I couldn’t have told you what it meant. Maybe I still can’t quite grasp it but it feels right. The word is of Yiddish origin and the urban dictionary says: “It means a person full of energy, pep, courage or determination.” And that is exactly what I try to find, live and celebrate in 2020. Any additional layers this word offers will have to be discovered.
I am having one overall goal or intention this year and that is to wrap up projects. To no longer just talk about all the thing I’d like to do, to day dream about the the things that I start one day, when time is finally right. No this year I want to do. I want to find the ENERGY to start a project and finish it. To have enough focus and determination to see it through. On the other hand I need the courage to finally decide if certain things deserve to reappear on my to-do list over and over again. If I can’t find time and energy to start maybe it never was a project to follow through. And don’t forget the task that are a necessity to life that need to be taken care of, that spark no joy, that just belong to adulthood. I need to takle those as well. Don’t procrastinate, don’t find excuses – start, do, finish!
Then there are the hidden dreams, the nuggets of an unspoken ideas. The ones I lack the CONDFIDENCE to talk about, take the first step, just give it a chance to see if it is something worth persuing. The things that just need to be started and figured out while you are already on your way and wondering what took you so long to take that first step. I need to find my MOXIE. My spark that I have lost somewhere in the beginning of the last decade. I want to go out into the world and grab opportunities, leave my comfort zone, test out new things, speak my mind when necessary but also learn to find my inner core.
I will probably start by reading a couple books because you can never not be prepared. For one Elise’s book “Big Dreams, Daily Joys” I specially saved for January, And the other one “Step into your moxie” fitting my word perfectly. Maybe I’ll be recreating this sweater.
Did you choose a little word to guide you through 2020? Feel free to share in the comments, I’d love to hear it.
Happy New Year to you and may it be a perfect one to start off a new decade
In the last couple of years my reading has picked up significantly. I love it. I always read a lot during my childhood and I am really happy to have re-discovered this hobby. So for the first time I am attempting to write down some reading goals. I’ve never done it but got some inspiration from Lecy. So let’s see of this would work for me as well.
In the previous years I have mainly read free novels I could find on amazon for my kindle. So I figured I will give myself a budget in the beginning of the year to spend on reading otherwise I will again reach for free novels instead of books I really want to read. My hope is that I will end up with a mixture of books I discover and books I am interested because of recommendations. Also this way I could sign up for a monthly membership when I know I have a lot of reading time coming up. I need those tiny tricks to cheat myself into investing. Also last year I went ahead and bought the books I wanted to read right at the beginning of January.
I want to read 40 books in 2019. This is manageable as I read 50 last year. But I want to read a few more “complicated ones” which take more time for me. Ok, let’s see if I can sum up some books I want to read. Everything else is up to my mood.
Fiction Books
Jade City, Fonda Lee – I love fantasy and this seems to be a good one. ✔️Finished in May 2019
Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor – and here is another fantasy one with great reviews. ✔️ January 2019
Finishing the All Roads Lead Home, L.L. Ward series – I read the first one and really enjoyed it and just realized there are three more. ✔️ Forgetting There Finished June 2019, ✔️ Regretting There Finished July 2019, ✔️ Besetting There Finished July 2019
Book or author that won a Nobel Prize – thinking about The Unconsoled or The Burried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro
Ice Genisis, Kevin Tinto – I really enjoyed the first book in the series so I am looking forward to see how this unfolds. ✔️Finished in May 2019
A Place called Freedom, Ken Follet – I haven’t read a book from him that disappointed and this one was on sale recently (0,99€) so of course I got it. ✔️Finished April 2019
Non-Fiction & Guidance Books
Non-violent communication: A language of life, Marshall A. Rosenberg – I’ve started this one in 2018 but didn’t get done. This is something I need to work through so I will continue and hopefully finish.
The Creative Habit: Learn stand use it for Life, Twyla Tharp – other book I am working on far too long. For some reason it’s not really captivating but everyone references to it. So this year I’ll give it another try.
A Brief History of Time, Stephan Hawkins – I asked for this one for Christmas. I know this will be a tough read so I got the illustrated version. But I also believe my mind will expand.
Born a Crime, Trevor Noah – I like him and his humor but I really interested in his story. In my teens I read a lot about South Africa and apartheid. ✔️ Done in October 2019
The Girl in the Letter, Emily Gunnis – read someones review and it ended up on my TBR list ✔️Done in February 2019
When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi – I am interested but I am not sure if I am up to it. I know I will be very emotional here.
The Bible – never read it whole and my goal is for the coming years to read other religious books like the Koran, Thora or Pali-Kanon. Because it doesn’t hurt knowing more about things that are different. Jeannette posted a worksheet to help with this reading goal. ✔️Finished in December 2019
German Books
I set out last year to read more in my native tongue. I find it hard to do as usually those books are not as engaging for me. However I realized it is good to read German every once in a while. And some authors who neither write in English nor German I can easily read in the German translation.
Momo, Michael Ende – I’ve read this book but I believe I was too young back then and there will be lots of wisdom hidden within. ✔️Done in September 2019
One Book by Jules Verne – probably “Überwinterung im Eis” ✔️Done in July 2019
A Classic – I think it’s going to be Dracula, Bram Stoker which has been on my reading list way too long. It’s my only piece I own of my late father in law so it’s emotional. ✔️Done in October 2019
Blackout – Morgen ist es zu spät, Marc Elsberg – this one sounds really intriguing. All Europe without power after a hacker attack.
Well this is 19 books so far. All other ones I just pick up as I go to achieve my reading goal of 40 books. I will also aim to finish some of those series I started in the past years. I’m off to a good start as I just finished my first book in 2019. If you are curious which one that was, come check it out on Goodreads.
Now if you have any recommendations on how to handle an annual reading list or books I would enjoy, feel free to leave a comment. Until then happy reading,
