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one little word 2017: reflections on joy

As I reflect on bringing back JOY as my one little word for 2017, it was a very good choice, so good actually that it might stick around for 2018.

2017 brought a full year of freedom in many ways for me (aka PhD free) and with freedom apparently comes joy.  I am a believer that you can choose joy and seek joy. I have tried to be very mindful of this in both my personal and professional lives. 

Of course, there are aspects of my work that are not always joyful. But...there are many times when I have been able to reframe my thinking and choose joy, seek out joyful moments and hopefully create opportunities for joy for the teachers and students I work with.

There are certain times of the year that JOY is more visible - the word itself just pops up. Easter and Christmas especially. Always a good reminder.

In 2017 I have tried to live a full joyful life, doing things that I love and nudge me in different ways. Going new places, learning new things, taking on new challenges but also finding joy in the simple things like Sunday morning baking, taking in the sights and smells of the seasons, setting a lovely table, walking along the water, reading a book that totally engulfs me and hanging out with my family. It's been a good one. Thanks JOY.

~Janice 

one little word 2017: joy

So for 2017, I am bringing back my one little word of 2013 - JOY. 2013 started off pretty great and joyful and that carried through the summer and then things started to unravel. My dissertation stalled, we had a flood in our house, I developed a severe frozen shoulder and then the most heartbreaking part of the year was the tragic death of my mother in December. Joy was a feeling that had left me by the end of 2013.

It is time for me to again choose joy, a mantra that I embrace. There is so little in our world that we can control, except for our own personal choices. How we respond to and how we let situations and people affect us can be our choice. I am going to choose to see the good in the world. I am going to choose to find solutions instead of getting stuck on seeing things as problems. I am going to choose joy - joy in the big moments and even more importantly, joy in the little things.

Previous years' posts about my one little word can be found by clicking on the OLW category in the right side bar - I have been doing this since 2008! 

Here is my series of one little words. 

2008 - APPRECIATE

2009 - FOCUS

2010 - BE

2011 - PEACE

2012 - BALANCE

2013 - JOY

2014 - STRENGTH

2015 - FINISH

2016 - LIGHT

2017 - JOY 

2016 was my year of light - and even when there was darkness, light shone through. I have seen this in the last week as well, amongst all the darkness in the world - there has been light, goodness and moments of joy. Love will win.

2016 and the demise of my PhD was a good reminder to me of who I am. The joy in that work had long gone for me and so in turn, I have embraced the words of Loris Malaguzzi..."nothing without joy". I have joyfully thrown myself into so many new projects and initiatives - ideas and innovations that inspire me and fill me up.

Making homemade pasta or a cake, going to dinner and a movie with my husband, a walk with a friend, sunsets, sleeping in, hanging out in the kitchen with my boys into the early morning hours - all simple joys, much appreciated in the moment and filling my heart. My awareness of joy has been reawakened. Let's go 2017.

one little word 2016: reflections on light

Light has been a good word for me this year. I have played with the idea of light in many ways.

I have played with natural light and reflection in my photography. I have thought about light in my reading and writing and engaged in playing with ideas around light in my work as well - both scientifically and more esoterically. I have continued my love of fire and candles and have paid attention to what they provide for me. Even in some times of darkness this year, I have been able to both literally and metaphorically let the light shine through. I have brought light into my life in different ways and hopefully have shared some light with others.

 “Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light.”
― Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux

 

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
― Brené Brown

   

   

“We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

 

“There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.”
― Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

My one little word for 2016 was light. I hope to continue to let it shine.

 

 

All images in this post were taken from January-December 2016 with light in mind.

one little word 2016: light

2016 marks my ninth year of being a one little worder. We abandoned "new years resolutions" years ago and moved to short term and long term goals. I synthesized these goals to find a meaningful word that encompassed my goals as well as created openings for new possibilities of thinking. If you click on the olw tag in the right side bar of the blog, you will find some of my past posts about my one little word adventure. Some years have been particularly successful - appreciate, be, strength and others have started strong and then crumbled - joy, finish. I almost reclaimed joy this year to give it another go but am not quite ready to fully embrace that word again yet. 

I have traced back my series of one little words and they tell quite a story to me...

2008 - APPRECIATE

2009 - FOCUS

2010 - BE

2011 - PEACE

2012 - BALANCE

2013 - JOY

2014 - STRENGTH

2015 - FINISH

and for 2016 - LIGHT

The word light came to me in early December as I led some after school science sessions looking at light and shadows. My mind started to play around with ideas about light that really resonated with me - the tension between light and darkness, the metaphors, similes and idioms that involve light, the use of light as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb. December afternoons can be so dark, that I found ways to bring more light into my life and thought about the power of light and the calming effect of a glow whether it is from a campfire or candles lit around the house. 

So as I begin to live with the word light for 2016, I am thinking about...

-ways to bring light into my life, both metaphorically and literally

-ways to lighten my life, through self-care and purging of "things"

-ways to lighten some burdens I have been carrying

-ways to shine on others

The collection of quotes about light and visual reminders of my one little word has begun!

one thousand posts!

My blog is coming up to its sixth birthday and this post marks my one thousandth post! I remember deliberating whether to start a blog or not...

And I jumped right in for 2010 and did a blog post a day. To mix it up a bit, I have tried different features - Ten on Tuesday, 12 on 12, Wordless Wednesday, The Simple Things on Sunday and the Weekend Wrap-Up. I have done a few series - Holiday Treat Week, One Little Word, Looking Closely, On My Bike.

The following have been my ten most popular (most "hits") blog posts over the years:

1. More Breakfast Popsicles (this post somehow got re-posted on some major feeds and was pinned and shared all over the place)
2. Angry Birds Cake Pops (again, this post somehow got shared all over)
3. Washer Pendant Necklaces (who knew...)
4. Harry Potter Treats (clearly we are not the only fans!)
5. Breakfast Popsicles (see #1)
6. Happy Birthday Adam: Snowglobe Cake (for Adam's 15th birthday...this was kind of cool!)
7. Colin's Grade 7 Farewell (clearly Colin has a following?!)
8. Apple Oreo Pops (easy, simple back to school treat)
9. Holiday Treat Week: Santa Party Mix (just fun!)
10. Cool Christmas Cash Cans (these did turn out well!)

It's interesting to me how so many of my kitchen and crafty posts were so popular (and continue to get viewed even years later) - I guess it just reflects the era of "Pinterest" and other sharing sites. 

Kauai, March 2015

My blog was intended as a way to capture our life as a family of four in this wonderful part of the world that we live in - particularly as a way for my mom to keep up to date with the boys' goings-on and our travels and adventures while my parents spent six months in Phoenix each year. Over the years, this blog has become different things and has been shared out into the world for different reasons. One of the most amazing opportunities arising from this blog was because I had won a Vancouver mommy blogger award, I was invited to be interviewed by a CBC radio journalist on being a mom to young teen boys. That interview helped me synthesize and put into words so many feelings and ideas about what being a mom meant to me and how it frames my thinking about all sorts of topics. 

Christmas at home, 2015

So THANK YOU to those of you that have read my blog over the years. Whether you checked in for recipes, craft ideas, to have a look at some of our travel photographs or to keep up with the boys' sports and adventures, I've appreciated the comments both virtually and in person. I'm always surprised when I run into an acquaintance and she or he mentions something and I wonder how she or he knew and the response is "I read your blog!"

So happy birthday my dear blog, thank you to those who have ready many of these 1000 blog posts and a happy new year!

~Janice

Steveston sunset, summer 2015

the beginning of March

So blogging has been sporadic and today I realized I hadn't posted anything since the beginning of January. I wish I could say it was because I was doing so much "finishing" but we've had illness, a broken toe, stitches, provincial exams, sports, girlfriends, a visit from my dad and work and life.

March 1 was a bittersweet sports day for us. Colin was playing in the Burrard Cup and Adam was playing in the banner game. Both were up against teams they knew were going to be hard to beat and both boys' teams lost. What made it a tough day for me is that it was the last day of me being a soccer mom and a hockey mom. Colin has decided not to continue with soccer and commit his time to school volleyball, fencing at his club and judo, which is his new love. For Adam, this was his last year of Midget hockey. Twelve years he's played for Richmond Minor! I know he will continue to play in some sort of way because of his love for the game but it won't be the same for me.

So luckily the stars aligned and we were able to watch both games. Colin played his heart out, as he always does, but this time with a broken toe and six stitches in his fingers. There was no way he was going to miss his last game and he went out strong. Proud of him, his perseverance and determination.

 Adam's team played really well and at some points, we thought a win might be in reach but it wasn't. Regardless, we talked to Adam before the game and told him to just enjoy it, take it all in. Adam plays with such joy. He has said he loves the first glide on the pure ice and I thought about that today as he skated on to the ice for the game. He skated by and smiled a few times during the game, which is pretty typical for Adam. I watched every face off - thinking each one might be Adam's last...this was the one that was.

And his last skate off the ice...

At the end of the day, I was a little nostalgic. I am going to miss being a soccer mom and a hockey mom. I just love watching them play and am thankful for all the years I was able to do that!

*****

It has been such a beautiful early spring. The cherry blossoms have been in bloom since the middle of February. Blue skies, sunshine. 

The boys have had some good news. Colin rocked his Math 10 Provincial and Adam has received acceptance to UBC. Proud of our boys!

Lots of things to celebrate this month, including a little 49th birthday for me! 

  So there's a little update on our lives, as we transition into spring break and some "finishing"!

one little word 2015: finish

Last year my one little word that I focused on was strength. I drew upon more inner strength than I knew I had and will continue to focus on other aspects of this word this year. My shoulder is still not fully recovered and I am not sure that it will ever be but I need to get stronger physically and feel like myself again. 

We've abandoned new year's resolutions for years now over here and talk alot about goals during different times of the year. Short term goals work best for all of us it seems. For several years though, I have thought about goals that I will want to focus on over the year, knowing that some may not be a focus until the summer and others are very short term and others more gradual. A word usually emerges from these goals. My history with one little word can be found HERE.

This year, a word did not come to me. I brainstormed some and looked through my file of quotes for inspiration. I thought of my mom and tried to channel some of her optimism and positivity. 

And then I asked the boys and Neil and they "jinxed" each other as they said unanimously - FINISH. 

Huh.

A very clear message - they need me to wrap some things up.

As I let the word FINISH rattle around and percolate within, I made other connections. I have not always been a great finisher - I am a starter, a dreamer of dreams, a planner, a thinker of ideas and then somewhere along the way I lose interest and abandon ship. I am also much more of a story or journey girl - I relish the journey and the story that come from the process more than the final product or achievement.

Saying that, there are short term finish lines that I have crossed that provided me with fulfillment - things like trying or learning something new, completing the Sun Run, visiting new places, reading a book, seeing a movie, creating something in the kitchen or making a quilt. All of these things have a definite "finish" but in some way, stay with you. Maybe that is the change in perspective that I need - that the finish is not a definitive, it is just another step so that you can continue on your journey. That the finish line is just the start line of a new race.

Kind of rambling here as I sort out my thinking on this but I am beginning the year with a glass half-full attitude - optimism and positivity abound.

Some things that will come to an end, have closure or "finish" in 2015 -

1) a few projects, some big, some small

2) Adam's grade 12 year and his graduation from high school

3) documentation of a year of milestones and changes during 2015 through Project 52

and for some levity, I completed my first lemon meringue pie on Sunday - a very short term goal!

 

 So here's to crossing a few finish lines this year!

one little word 2014: strength

I have been a devout one little worder for several years now. You can read a recap of past years HERE. Thinking about one little word for the year transformed the way I thought about New Year's resolutions or goals (what we called them around here). I still thought about my goals for the upcoming year starting in December and then looked for a common theme or element that connected them together.

I had a horrendous October, November and December and really thought I needed some word support (amongst other forms of support) to pull me out of the darkness that I was in. I considered several words: conquer, overcome, strength, determined, story and brave.

This year my one little word came to me slowly. At one point, I considered having two words (one for the first half of the year and a new one for the second half) but that somehow seemed so wrong! The more I talked about my word (thank you crafty girls for all your suggestions and input) I realized I was really needing strength from within to heal and move on. So strength it will be.

Strength to stay determined and work through the pain and get mobility back in my shoulder.

Strength to persevere and work through the academic process of PhD completion once I am off of medical leave from UBC. I promised my mom...it must be done. 

Strength to not let myself fall into the vortex that is always there, ready to pull me in. 

Rebuilding the strength within my family, that was tested and neglected the last few months.

 With such a late decision on my one little word this year, my traditional Vintage Pearl pendant won't be arriving until later in February so, even though I abhor malls, I made my way to the Pandora store in Richmond Centre and bought myself a strength bead from the new Essence collection. I love it.

So strength it will be.

goodbye to 2013

2013 has come to an end. Always a time to reflect on the year that has just gone by and to think ahead ot the year that is to come. 2013 wasn't the year I had hoped it to be. Although there were lots of highlights full of family, friends and travels and adventures, my fall kind of unravelled and has left me in a place of pain and darkness.

I am determined to come out of the place I am in, stronger and ready to conquer a few things and to hopefully finish a few stories that have been open for awhile. I know I will have to dig deep, both physically and emotionally and muster the strength I need to get to where I want to be. 

In the words of A. A. Milne...

Always remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.

I am not sure what will happen to this blog in 2014 and am not sure yet what my one little word will be for the upcoming year. Conquer, strength, story, brave...still to be determined.

Here's signing off for 2013 and wishing all a very Happy New Year.

May 2014 bring goodness and light!

some joy in my happy places this summer

Finding joy in some of my happy places from this summer...

Crescent Beach, June 2013

 

 

Okanagan Lake, July 2013

 

 

Oregon Coast, August 2013

 

Garry Point, Steveston, September 2013

 

No suprise here that all of these photos are water related!