In a few days, I will share with you all the one little word I've chosen for myself for the new year, but before I go into a post on that, here is my reflection on 2012, my year of { movement }.
The word awkwardly and profoundly chose me the last week of 2011 when I wrote my all-important post about 'the shift' that occurred, when I expressed starting 2012 feeling "stuck...and not knowing what to do about it."
{Movement} appeared in my New*Years*Eve post 2011 >> 2012 where I said I was "hoping with all my being at the stroke of 12 midnight that this is the year movement will be made," and then I added,"...please, in the right direction.
I had wrote in that hopeful post that physically I wanted to run more. I wanted to bike as much as possible. I wanted to take up salsa again. I wanted to roller-skate. I wanted to swim. I wanted to play in the sand.
Emotionally: I wanted to examine where my relationship is, and where will it go.
Mentally: I wanted to move toward making firm, executive decisions to do things that will bring me long-term happiness. Decisions about money, job, vacations, organization, hobbies...how I want to live; where I want to live; who I want to live with...
Even if in inches or millimeters, I wrote back in that first olw post, I wanted some kind of movement in the right direction taking place.
... AND BOY, DID IT EVER!
I moved the first day of the year by bike:
There was a grandiose movement of my perspective of how I thought about my teaching job that I had grown to hate.
Movement was made visual with a sweet little | Year 1 on Instagram | video I made back in February.
I got movin' to The Brooklyn Flea...
...where my heart was left amongst the knick knacks and trinkets. See post here.
I got through the dreaded month of March by creating a doable Movement Challenge for myself:
...and approximately 52 miles later, this movement challenge got me to April in one piece, where I kinda sorta did another movement challenge. Woot woot!
I moved a bit to the whole-page scrapbook layout side of paper crafting:
It was a fun little visit, and I hope to do more when inspiration strikes.
I can't believe there was { movement } in the gardening department:
...even if it was a measly classroom garden of marigolds and moonflowers. Heck, I got twelve Special Ed 3rd graders to make their garden grow! One day, I will have a grandiose tomato and fresh herb garden, but this here...this little window-sill plant party, this is where it started.
{ Movement } in the right direction, documented. :)
With my one little word of movement, I found myself taking relish of even natural movement: the movement of seasons. The movement closer and closer to Summer was like an internal mini firework party:
Memorial Day weekend made me so happy. <-- (I'm obsessed with this post.)
Once Summer hit, there was time and peace for { movement } in the right direction to occur.
It came in the form of teaching myself Photoshop Elements 10:
...and well, DUH! OPENING UP MY STAMP SHOP:
This was a major form of { movement } for me. Hip hip hooray, say I, in the most joyfully quiet sentimental way possible.
From my creation of my stamps to the opening of my STAMP SHOP, to a movement down the east coast on a road trip I'll never forget:
So much movement!! From Savannah, Georgia, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ocala, Florida, to Myrtle Beach, SC, to Washington D.C. ...this east coast road trip moved me all the way down and back up the east coast, and moved me as a human a little bit. I did so much growing up and realizing on that trip.
Next greatest example of movement was the late-August Sweet 16 Photoshoot I conceptualized, created, and shot:
I love working on my photography skills, my creative backdrop-making skills, and everything involved. This was a lot of fun, and has been a long time coming. Plus, when you have as much family fun as we did this day on this 'shoot'...come on! Movement well made.
Then, there was movement to a new classroom, and school started up.
Muddy movement was a must:
The rest of Fall's been a bit of a blur, but these past few months have address the hardest
{ movement } of all which might be movement apart from my guy.
I'm left in a bit of confusion about that part of my life, but everything else, because of this year of {movement} has been made more clear. I have moved in the right direction this year, even if ever so slightly, but it feels good to have had some positive change occur, or any change occur for that matter. So much of 2011 was stagnant and still and stale, and declaring movement as my one little word a year ago got the engine running.
Even when I wasn't whole-heartedly declaring "MOVEMENT" as motivation for something with my fist in the air, it was really with me all year, in everything I did. Sometimes it was a little spark in the corner of my eye, but sometimes it was pounding in my heart as hard and strong as a waterfall.
I am so grateful for this one little word practice. I am thrilled movement's been my word. I believe it will never leave me, just give birth to challenging and appropriate other words, acting like the grandmother to each new little word that my future brings.
I am so excited to share with you all my word for 2013 in the next few days.
I hope to see you back here for that, and link up to any one little word related posts you may have written in the comments. I'd love to read them.
Happy almost 2013!
