Another year gone and I know I’m repeating myself, but how fast it’s come and gone!
This time last year I was looking forward to slowing down a little. My dad’s health problems only a few short months ago, myself still coming to terms with the anger and frustration that I had just left behind in a bad job situation and changes in daily life that came with adjusting from college to corporate world.
Looking back on 2011 now, it was a year of little outward changes for the first part of it- until we moved that is. Instead it was a year of taking a step back, trying to define for myself where I fit into this picture of having achieved my diploma, having settled down in an office job and accepting that this place (geographically even) is where I’ll be for as long as I can think ahead right now.
I was very reluctant to move apartments, which seems silly now that we love our new place so much. The reason was probably that I wasn’t “done” thinking all this through yet.
My New Year’s resolutions last year were:
1. Eat healthier and more local, which will include growing as much stuff as possible ourselves
2. Educate myself further in photography, gardening and sustainable living
3. Simplify and declutter.
Funnily enough, although a big part of the year felt like I was losing focus and looking to find it again, I achieved my resolutions. We now shop at the farmer’s market every Saturday and eat better at least at the weekends.
I did some nice photo shoots throughout the year (although still nowhere near where I’d like to be yet) and did the big balcony garden experiment, which was very successful in parts and will definitely continue in 2012. I realized “going green” is not one big overhaul but a step-by-step process that we are well on (now’s the point where I guiltily realize that I’ve been planning a post on that for months).
We threw or gave away approximately a third of our belongings and it was a long and painful process. Having worked hard at this for many months it feels so good now to be starting into a new phase in life with a clean slate.
So what’s in store for 2012? A lot I hope 🙂
:: More steps towards a simpler and greener life, more growing food and learning.
:: Hopefully a big step in photography.
:: But also, and very importantly, becoming better at keeping a balance between time and projects and resources, living more in the moment.
I have always been high-strung and this year I realized I am a highly sensitive person (here’s a great personal article about it), a term I wasn’t familiar with before but which makes so much sense now that I can’t believe how I lived without the knowledge. It means, in a nutshell, that I can get more absorbed in ideas, projects, creative endeavours, even my office work than most people. I burn for my ideas and experience and perceive things very intensely. The price for that is crashing harder at the end of the day than most people, both physically and emotionally.
My body lets me know fairly reliably when I run out of strength. The hard part is learning to stop to listen to it, dealing with the frustration of wanting to do so much and accepting that I can’t, that I must take it more slowly.
I realize I have blogged less in the past year and have sometimes failed to answer a comment and email and that is a trend that, quite frankly, will probably continue as 2012 gets busy. I love this blog and the friends I have made here but I find that too much online time makes me nervous. As one step towards more balance I’ve decided that in 2012 I will limit my online time to a reasonable amount.
Another step (and another resolution) will be learning how to meditate and incorporating that into my daily routine.
If you’ve actually read to the end of this, thank you! I am so grateful to have this blog as much as a personal outlet and as a place to interact and meet people from all over the world. Thank you for being here and I’m looking forward to sharing another year here with you 🙂
*As you’ve probably realized the photos in this post had nothing to do with the text, they’re just random horse shots from my now finished Project 52
little home by hand 
Kristina, I know what you mean about too much online time making you nervous. I, too, feel the same way and I need to limit my time. I love the community I have online, but I need to work a bit harder on the community right here at home. Both important and both necessary for my well being. I enjoy seeing your beautiful photos and reading about your projects and your life. Just post when you can. We will be there. Hope this will be a wonderful, healthy, and joyful year for you and your family. Lynda
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Wow, I relate so much with what you wrote! I do everything too intensely (or sometimes I think just too tensely) and my body REALLY reacts, my somatic responses are huge. I also relate with wanting to unhinge myself from so much online time. Good for you for putting a name to it and becoming more aware, that’s something I have to do too.
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Happy New Year! Isn’t it kind of great to have a reason to step back to look at and try to make sense of what’s been going on for the past year? It sounds like you had a very transformative 2011 and are on your way to a great 2012. I’m so glad that we found each other’s blogs – I’ve enjoyed your words and pictures so much. Now I’m on my way to read about highly sensitive people. 🙂 Take care!
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Thank you!
@ Lynda That’s exactly what I mean. I love this blog and wouldn’t stop blogging but I need to make sure I take care of offline life and relationships in the way they deserve.
@ Lauren That sounds familiar, try and find some more information about highly sensitive people online…I only did a quick search and didn’t find an in-depth article right away. I read a great article a few months ago (in german unfortunately or I would have linked it) which went into a lot of detail about how highly sensitive people perceive the world, build relationships and how and why they get overwhelmed by the real world so easily and react the way they do. It was such an eye opener for me. It suddenly all made sense! The article is here if you want to try your luck with google translator: http://www.hochsensibel.org/startseite/infotext.html
If that doesn’t work let me know, I might be able to translate parts of it for you.
@ Sherrie, same here, your blog always inspires me and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2012 will bring for you and your family! What you said is partly the reason for me to blog: I never used to be good at putting my thoughts into words but somehow, on this platform, it works for me. I can reflect and organise my thoughts while I write. I hardly ever know what I’ll write when I start a post but especially these end of year reflections are of so much value to me later on, because without this blog I would never have stepped back and put them into words and they would be drowned in day-to-day life very soon. A lot of stuff tends to start making sense only once I start writing about it.
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Kristina, I could had written more or less the same resolutions as you! I’ve read all your text even the Highly sensitive person 😉 , I’m one of this types of persons too.
My main resolutions are less time online too, more sewing, not buying un-useful objects (even if they’re super cute) and stop doing procrastination(online)!!
I must say that I’m totally in love with your photos!! They are really good!
Have a wonderful year!!
Neus
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Thanks Neus! Those sound like very good resolutions :)) Glad you found the text interesting for you and I hope it helps you as much as it helped me!
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