I realized that I’ve been putting off writing this inaugural blog post for 2013 because I wasn’t really sure what to say. Truthfully it’s been hanging over my head that at the beginning of last year I chose a “word to live by” for 2012 – ENJOY – and I really don’t feel like I’ve lived up to that word. In hindsight I think my word was actually BUSY. That makes me feel a little “ugh”, so hence the delay on posting.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I did some cool stuff in 2012. But I also took on a new full-time job, still did a bunch of my own facilitation business stuff on the side and also had some family challenges to work through that caused me stress. I just didn’t have as much fun as I had planned to in 2012. I actually worked pretty darn hard.

Work-wise, my proudest accomplishment from 2012 is that I spent the latter half of the year developing and then facilitating a blended model (one day in person, four weeks online) volunteer management course for Volunteer Victoria. I had 32 participants in the course, it was very well-received, and overall my experience as its facilitator was fantastic. I grew leaps and bounds in my own learning about facilitation, and online facilitation in particular. And I immersed myself in the field that I love – volunteer management – with some incredibly great people. I hope to do more of the same this year.

Personally, the best thing I started to do last fall was eat less wheat. I can’t say I’ve cut it out completely, but I’ve drastically reduced my intake and, Christmas holidays aside, consciously make better choices about what I’m going to put into my body. I feel better, less tired, and more awake to the world. I think I’m a better parent, and hopefully a better spouse because of it.

So what is in store for me for 2013? Well truthfully I don’t quite know the specifics yet. My one-year work contract is going to come to a end in a few months so I’m doing some focusing and planning for what is going to come next. I’m looking for work that gives me variety, connection/relationship, control, creativity, learning, meaning and is values-aligned. I’ve got lots of facilitation and speaking gigs coming up that I’m excited about in Victoria and up-island (Courtenay, Parksville), and am starting to vision just what else is going to come together. I am thinking about going for my certification in volunteer administration and also applying for Leadership Victoria.

On a personal front I want to start recapturing the things that give me joy. I want to knit more, spend lots of time riding my new bike, read novels instead of work-related books, have more people over for dinner parties. I want to connect more often with my husband and spend more focused and fun time with my daughter and as a family. I want to see my parents and brother’s family more. I want to try reflexology, zip-lining, travel to some new places (we’ve booked Hawaii in!), and new foods. I want to have massages. I want to relax.

I’m not sure I will pick a word to live by for 2013, perhaps just one word doesn’t fit the bill. But I will try to do more of the things that I really want to be doing with my life and look up from my work more often to just have fun. This year I have a tremendous opportunity to re-design the way my next few years of life are going to look. It will take some strength and also some trust, and I look forward to creating it as it goes.

(Note: this post has been cross-posted at Shades of Bliss)