We’re in the most festive time of the year and I’m so excited to decorate the house and put up the Christmas tree! For us, the festivities start on the 19th of December (St. Nicholas Day) and they continue well after the New Year.
We celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January, and then we have what we call the Old New Year on the 14th, followed by the Epiphany on the 19th of January.
That’s a whole month of fun traditions, delicious homemade food, and blessings!
In between the celebrations and feasts, I’m also learning to slow down, rest, and give myself grace. This was the inspiration for my December moodboard.
December Moodboard
For my December moodboard, I chose the theme ‘December Dreams’. This past year, the way I imagined my ideal life, future, and career has changed fundamentally.
I decided to not set New Year’s resolutions and goals for 2022, nor take on any ambitious personal or work projects. Instead, I’ll just go with the slow and let the Universe surprise me in the best way.
In December, I’ll decorate our Christmas tree, bake cookies, read, take long walks in the snow, and feel the joy of the festive season.
Slowing Down
Though 2021 was the year I truly started to embrace slow living, it took some adjusting. For the year(s) ahead, I want to honor my inner guidance when it tells me to rest, laugh, and play. I want to honor my human design when it tells me to observe and learn rather than go against my nature.
To me, slowing down is shaping my day towards doing more of what I love, more of what I need, and more of what I feel.
My 2021 Year in Review
2021 was a year of lessons for me. Though I don’t always vibe well with life changes, as I grow older and wiser, I do try to embrace them more. Also, my husband and I moved from the big city back to my small hometown, which was just what we needed. Early in the year, we took a bold, enormous step towards our dreams and learned some difficult lessons along the way.
In 2021, I started writing poetry again, inspired by the TV series Dickinson. It felt like my heart returned home, just like me. I also started this blog as a place for me to share my journey to slow and simple living, connect with wonderful people, and follow my bliss.
We also resolved some major financial matters, planned some incredible trips, and celebrated my 33rd birthday in the mountains.
What a Year Can Bring
I’m in awe of what a year can bring. Growth, expansion, faith, change, letting go of old dreams, and dreaming new dreams. But most of all, hope.
As Karen Lamb says, “a year from now, you will wish you had started today”, and I realized this is true for me too. I wish I had started this blog a year ago (and I almost did) but then again, I believe in divine timing. I have faith that right now, it really is the best time for my writing to find its firm place under the Sun.
Happy 2022 my dear friends! May this new year bring you everything you’ve ever wished for, and more!
