Honestly, I have struggled ALL YEAR LONG with how quickly the year has sped along. It's the first year that I have not been able to keep up, catch up or cope with its speed!
However fast it has seemed for me though, I can also look back and see how jam-packed it has been. It's been a year of ups and downs. The good times I'll cherish, but it's the not-so-good, challenging times that are making it a whole lot easier to say goodbye to 2015 and move right along into a new year. A time that allows renewed hope, a fresh start, and is full of promise.
BRING ON 2016!
I don't want to focus on the negatives, so I'm just going to move right along and share the positive things I have to look forward to for the new year and what I have planned so far!
1. CAMPING/VAC SWIM -- Every January, four families from our street in our little town enroll our children in the Vac Swim holiday program for two weeks worth of swimming lessons at the beach in town. We pack up our caravans/campers/tents and set up camp for this time and have a great time all together just kicking back and holidaying together. We look forward to it every year!
2. BESTIE MOVING CLOSER -- I was so excited to find out that my bestie from Tassie is closing the gap between us by HALF and moving to South Australia for 6 months. Her hubby has a job lined up in the Riverland region and I'm hoping that we might be able to work in a ROADTRIP to meet up sometime!!
Exciting times!
3. ONE LITTLE WORD with Ali Edwards -- Every year I choose a word that creates a banner over my life for that year...and for the last few years, I have joined Ali in her highly acclaimed One Little Word workshop. It's all about supporting others who are doing the same and she posts prompts every month to help us along with living out our words and also to creatively express ourselves as we walk with our word too.
This year my word is...
I plan to dedicate a post to introduce my word properly and go into more depth about how and why I chose it etc etc in another post so I won't jabber on about it now.
Stay tuned :-)
4. BIBLE JOURNALING -- I have been following different people's Instagram feeds who have latched onto the new concept of art journalling in our Bibles!! There is a 'movement' formed by Shanna Noel called Illustrated Faith that is devoted solely to this creative expression. I absolutely adore the idea and have my Bible and supplies ready to go!
5. DELVE DEEPER INTO GOD'S WORD -- I don't talk extensively about my faith in this space...it was designed to be a place to share my creative activities, ideas and other lifestyle topics. However, the truth is that I am a woman of faith and it plays a very big part of who I am. I must admit that over the last few years, my faith has in some ways suffered a little and I felt the pull to revive it, nurture it and let it bloom so I can live the full potential God has planned and purposed for me.
SO...I aim to read His Word more, everyday if I can, and get into some more structured Bible study plans.
Also, I have created a page on Facebook called OPEN VESSEL that is dedicated to sharing more in depth inspirations and revelations into my spiritual life. I plan to also set up a blog devoted to this as well :-)
6. BLOG MORE REGULARLY -- this is always a goal of mine and each year I do get better at it. I aim to have time set aside in my week specifically to blog; create more varied content and schedule where possible. I will be keeping this space a place that is directed towards sharing my creative lifestyle and everyday life as a wife, mother, carer, volunteer ambulance officer, consultant, business partner etc etc. I should have plenty to talk about ;-)
7. JOT GIRL -- I am so thrilled to be continuing on as part of the Jot Team, headed up by Kim Archer, again in 2016! Jot is very much my creative 'home' and I feel like I've 'grown up' there, as it has been a very major part of my creative story. I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had, am having, and will have in the future with Jot!
8. PROJECT LIFE -- I will be creating a Project Life album as an means to document me and my family's everyday life. Although I have been doing this for 3 years now and have NOT completed one yet, I have managed to get more done each year so I'm thinking I'm going uphill so I'll keep going with it ;-)
I actually really love the concept and thoroughly enjoy looking back over the pages so I KNOW it will always be a great keepsake to have!
I'll share more about the details of my album, the process for me etc etc in another post so keep an eye on that :-)
9. PLANNER GIRL -- I have my new 2016 Heidi Swapp planner ready and waiting to be all glammed up as the new year goes ahead. I absolutely adore the planners that Heidi releases - they are so gorgeous, full of detail, and come with divine accessories that compliment the pages so beautifully! I hope to share some of my planner pages as the year goes by so keep your eyes peeled for that too :-)
10. CONTINUE ON BEING A CONSULTANT -- for Nutrimetics & also for Your Inspiration At Home.
I'd like to focus some more of my time on building my little businesses. I use and love the products from each of these product lines! I just wanna share the love!
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So that's a few things that I will be spending my time on this coming year!
I do love the excitement, freshness, and the sense of new-ness that comes with starting a new year! Much to look forward to and no doubt a dose of challenges to overcome here and there too BUT I choose to keep moving forward and live out my TRUE self boldly and bravely!
HERE'S to 2016 -- BRING IT ON!
What's your plans for the New Year?
What would you like to get out of 2016 the most?
Take care, chin up and keep smiling :-)
With Sprinkles of Sunshine...
Anna