2013: A Look Back At Some of My Highlights

New Year’s Eve & Day are my favorite holidays.  I get a little sappy and a lot introspective around this time.  While I believe in regular reflection and goal setting throughout the year, I can’t help but find this to be an appropriate time to take stock of where I am, how I am doing, what I’ve done, and what is next.

There was a time when this process was primarily a negative one for me.  I would stop to reflect on what I didn’t accomplish or what goals and dreams were out of my reach.  In recent years, however, I’ve taken to heart just how important it is to give equal billing to what I have done.  Rather then quickly glossing over accomplishments or milestones in order to continue moving upward and onward, I now recognize the value in celebrating the victories (large and small) that are behind me.  And, while some believe that you gain wisdom mostly by rehashing your mistakes and failures, I also see the learning that presents itself in evaluating what has gone well.

To this end, here are some of the highlights, milestones, and victories that took place for me in 2013:

• 26.2 miles = Done! – The experience of running my first marathon have been shared in depth here and here, so I won’t say much more other than that it stands as one of the single best days of my life.  I can’t wait for many more!

• Goodbye, Gluten – Going gluten-free was not something that I ever intended to do.  It was (and still is) extraordinarily difficult for me, but 7 months later, my vastly improved health stands as evidence that it was what I absolutely needed to do.

• 1500 miles – It took me nearly right up until the end of the year to do so, but as of last weekend, I have run over 1500 miles for the year.  So cool.

• 71 books – I love to read and always have.  For me, books are a never-ending source of education, escapism, and inspiration all in one.  I track my literary adventures over at Goodreads.  If you’re interested in seeing what I’ve been reading, please head over and say hello (username: srrose).

• Facing down an old fear . . .  The dentist! – I’ll admit that, prior to 2013, it had been quite some time since I’d dragged myself to the dreaded chair.  It is an experience that long struck fear in my heart.  Having little or poor dental insurance for a long time had supported me in running away from this fear, but I finally did it.  After several trips to get all caught up, my teeth are happy and healthy!

• Cultivating creative confidence – This year saw me take some big strides in levels of self-confidence related to creativity and cooking.  I can’t say that I produced the largest quantity of creatively driven output this year, but I found myself trusting my instincts more, feeling stronger in my skills, and being open to experimentation.

• Keeping THIS going – I know that I’ve had periods recently of reduced posting, but I’m thrilled that I’ve been able to keep this site going.  I love it.  I love the process of it and that I get to connect with so many incredible people around the world because of it.

I’m certain that I could go on a bit longer, but I will end my list on that note.  So, thank you to every person out there who has been a part of all of this with me in 2013.  I’m looking forward to seeing what next year will bring.

Happy New Year!

The Super-Incredible Reinforcing Loop of Creativity and Confidence!

photo credit: Patrick Hoesly via photopin cc

I don’t know if this happens to you, but I’ve noticed this neat cycle in my life involving creativity.  I have even given it a name.  I am calling it the Super-Incredible Reinforcing Loop of Creativity and Confidence!

What do you think?

Sometimes I’m a total cornball, but it’s kind of great, right?? Eh???

Okay, in all seriousness, let me explain what I’m talking about.  It goes something like this:

I tentatively try something new.  This something new is successful on some level (maybe it’s great, but at the bare minimum, I survive it intact).  Feelings of wonder, amazement, euphoria, surprise, relief, and etcetera ensue from the successful venture.  Emboldened by these feelings, I try something else new, this time maybe a bit less tentatively.  And the loop starts again and again and again.

Sure, I’ve tried new things before, but what’s different right now is the way in which my creative mind is responding to it.  I’m keenly aware that with each endeavor my confidence builds just a bit more, which in turn, triggers more creative sparkage and subsequently builds even more confidence.

It’s quite the little snowball of activity, I must say.

And, my creative side is showing up in interesting ways.  I haven’t blogged about the more obvious manifestations of creative exploits lately (like my knitting) because I haven’t been doing so much of them, if I’m going to be honest.  (I miss this activity and will get back to it in time, but for various life-related reasons, I’ve had to take a knitting hiatus.)

But other creative endeavors are flourishing.

There is my cooking mojo, for instance.  I’ve been feeling much more inventive in the kitchen lately, heady with bravado, tossing strict recipes to the wayside and operating more organically, spontaneously, and fluidly as a result.

There is also my blogging/writing.  Ideas have been popping up in my head left and right.  The challenge for me right now is to organize them for filtering and action.

Then there’s my work.  Moving into a new job where I’m being given space and encouragement to think, try, and just go out and do has been refreshing and welcomed.

There are other things, too.  I’ve started a balcony garden, unleashing my creativity on the tasks of selecting seeds and planters, gathering ideas for growing methods and combinations of herbs and veggies to nurture.  I’m thinking about running and workout training methods with a fresh perspective.  I’m itching to refresh my wardrobe with some new infusions of color and style and having visions of ways to clean up and brighten up my living space.

It’s strikingly clear to me right now how much just simply surviving something that can be scary or intimidating can build new levels of confidence that filter in to so many parts of my life.  I am by no means totally triumphant in all the things I’m attempting, but just getting through them without complete disaster striking is sometimes all I need to spur the next attempt, the next idea, and the next big (to me) thing.  It’s one loop I don’t mind being stuck in.