New Year Struggle & giveaway

Happy 2018  !!!!!!

 

Here’s wishing ALL the best to all of us under Grace, in Perfect Ways.  I was going to go through all the usual resolutions for the New Year, then I realized that I had only one resolution:  I’mo Pick a Struggle.

One. Struggle.

The Struggle is this:

I choose Okay!

I’mo choose to be Okay with my body (though I want to push towards even better health – 2017 was rough on this gal – I’m just now beginning to walk normally again). It’s not who I was at 23 – but after several accident-related issues (hey!  remember that motorcycle accident from 20 yrs ago?  You don’t?  Your body does – and it’ll remind you of it awhile later.)  But I’m still here, 40 years later, in relative health.  And I am OKAY with that!

I’mo choose to be Okay with my temper – doesn’t mean I’m giving myself permission to go Hellfire on everybody (I don’t have that right and it’s just plain ol’ bad manners), just that I will acknowledge my scary bits , then I’ll work HORD on bringing myself back to center.  No more me judging me about it – it’s who I am and..okay!

I’m going to be okay with the fact that I seem to have more vintage mixing bowls, Dutch ovens & casserole dishes than anyone I know (I just took everything off my kitchen shelves to wash and stopped counting at 28mixing bowls.  8 casseroles.  I have (gulp)  SEVEN Dutch ovens.  Seven.  And I still have stuff in storage upstairs).  I tend to get them at thrift stores and omg – the THRILL of finding a piece of Pyrex aqua butterprint for…$3?  I am OKAY with that.   I do use them so it’s not like I’m hoarding…….right?  OKAY!  And do NOT get between me and a piece of aqua Pyrex.  Okay?  Just sayin’.

not all mine. not yet, anyway.

I’m choosing to be Okay with my life.  Life.  I was having a real hissy fit a few days ago about how unimpressed I am with how my life is going, as I was pouring a glass of 1990 Krug (for realz) and making smoked trout pate.  I caught myself and nearly choked to death, laughing – when did I get so…silly?!  So.  I guess I need to be getting over myself.  My life is FINE.  It may be FINER a bit down the line.  That would be grand!  But me and mine are in relative health, we have roofs over our respective heads and…well, there is that Krug.  And maybe some Labyrinth, come late Summer.  Sounds okay to me!

so.  that will be my struggle for 2018.  What’s yours?  Tell us and I’ll have The Girl (whose only struggle is trying to get as much food as possible, as often as possible.  Not a bad struggle, I guess, especially if you’re a dog).  You know what The Girl will do.

 

Ooh!  and look at her New Bling.  Her dad got it for me for Christmas (go figure – except I haven’t shut up about getting her a pink collar for the past 4 months so…Merry Christmas to me! 😉  But doesn’t she look HAWT?  That’s why she’s in front of the fire extinguisher! lol!

I is PRETTY!

  • Kate E. says:

    Looks like a lot of us are struggling with anxiety so at least I’m not alone. My life has gotten a little upside-down and my struggle is to not spend so much time beating myself up about what I should have done better and also not to catastrophize about what’s coming.
    I hope we all find some peace and relief in the new year!

  • Mim says:

    In some ways I am still lucky, but in other ways when I take a good hard look at my life it actually sucks more because I get through most of the time by not focusing on the terrible stuff for too long.

    I think I’m going to focus on gratitude for the good and trying to let go of resentment for everything I want and can’t have especially from other flawed human beings.

    I guess my struggle is acceptance and being okay with not being okay. Not convincing myself that everything is fine when it is in fact not fine but rather accepting all the negative stuff without going off the deep end.

    I feel you on the creaky bodies and the Pyrex

    • “trying to let go of resentment for everything I want and can’t have especially form other flawed human beings” Mim, that is it right there- I am so not good at that and I need some serious practice.

  • Ingeborg says:

    I won’t make any resolutions at this time of the year. However, I still need to focus on getting more strength training. I have not been able to get back to my normal level of activity after surgery in 2016 (!), now having jumper’s knee which makes walking so painful I sometimes want to cry.

    I spent New Year with my family and we had a wonderful time together. The champagne and smoked salmon added to the festive mood.

    I had to remind myself how lucky I am that my father Is still in good health, I have a flat which will be fully paid for before I reach retirement and a job which still seems secure. All those basic things we sometimes take for granted.

  • Gwendolyn Jordan says:

    I plan to forgive and try hard to forget

  • Koyel says:

    Musette, i love your posts. In 2018, I too plan to try to stop making up struggles for myself. My life is pretty great, and I need to have perspective. That, and…I need to be better about working out and eating well.

  • Jennifer S. says:

    I see a lot of the same goals in these posts as mine and eating better and getting more exercise tops the list! Time DOES go by so fast especially when you’re still working so finding ways to enjoy what free time there is while making it more meaningful (as opposed to just being a couch potato) is all the more important.
    The girl is like…yeah. I know I’m hawt!!

  • tiffanie says:

    The struggle is real. I love what you’ve shared with us here today. Also love your blue and white Pyrex. I have a similar set of mixing bowls in pink and white. They make me smile.

    My struggle this year will be to pay more attention to my thoughts, choices, and actions. I want to be more purposeful, less reactive.

  • Cindi says:

    I am newly separated from my husband of
    over 30 years… I bought my own home; and feel quite lonely, a lot! My dad, mom, brother, and most recently; my sister, have all passed.
    I miss them terribly. I have had one knee replacement; and need the second knee done! I have been getting shots in each hip; for bursitis. I need to be tougher, so that is a goal of mine… Good luck with what you hope to accomplish. My brother was a veterinarian, and your dog is adorable…
    Thanks, Cindi

  • TeaInTheGarden says:

    My Plan for 2018:

    Learn, learn, learn. New topics! Brain is 10X happier this way.

    Stuff:
    -Shop small. Support local & small online; the mall isn’t offering me much I want anyway.
    -Offload excess. It weighs on me and just destroys my joy.
    -Fragrance: It’s time to investigate indies.

    Garden: Get back out there.Took a LONG break, but I’m excited to get out there again. (Ok, it got cold, we got snow, that was fun, can we have spring now?)

    General health & fitness. Do better. This should be totally achievable.

    Happy 2018!

  • HeidiC says:

    The eyes on The Girl!!! My goal for the next year is to be less afraid of failure — I’ve been playing it too safe and I need to take more risks if my writing and my career are going to move forward. All best to everyone in the new year!

  • Queen Cupcake says:

    And P.S.: I think your collection of Pyrex bowls and Dutch ovens is way cool. Rock on!

  • Queen Cupcake says:

    Beautiful post, Musette, and what a sweet doggie! I wish you all the best for 2018 and beyond. I struggle with anxiety, like most of the population now, I expect. Years ago, I was lucky enough to take a class with the Gentle Giant of music Yusef Lateef. He was really a buddha. He gave me a word: tolerance. I guess I was impatient with the younger members of the class for being unprepared. Tolerance will be my word this year. In my mind, “flow through” has been a phrase that conjures equanimity and tolerance. Like a rock in the stream. Love to all the Posse XOXOX

  • Suzy Q says:

    Musette, I always read and enjoy your posts. A few weeks ago I heard about The 5 Minute Journal and I started the practice. I use a spiral notebook, not the official journal. I’d already developed good habits over the years but keeping this simple journal feels like it was the missing link.

    As Michelle wrote above, Acceptance is the work. I’m getting there. You are too!

  • I admire you Musette- acceptance is The Work. Mine is similar, I want to remember to stay Present as much as possible in each moment, and accept what is when things feel difficult, then move forward from there. And to remember how much wonder and magic is around me each second… And continue to eat paleo, as my body is telling me that it is happiest that way. The Girl is sooo cute!!

  • Cecilia says:

    The girl is gorgeous. Fur babies are adorable. My struggle is for me to decrease my anxiety and stop being so hard on myself. My word for this year is nourish. I need to learn how to nourish and care for myself. I have spent a lifetime caring for others. I need to do some of that for me.

  • Maggiecat says:

    I also spent much of this past year learning to walk again, reasonably successfully. I choose to spend this year celebrating where I am, as opposed to where I was, could be, should be, or will be (this makes more sense to me than it will to anyone else, I expect).

  • Tara C says:

    I had the same revelation a month ago – my life is pretty darn great so what am I whingeing about? HTFUP.

    My new year’s resolution is to get my anxiety under control. Journaling, meditation and yoga are going to be my three- pronged attack, as well as spending more time outside walking with my furry princess. Speaking of which, yours is looking mighty pretty in her new finery!

  • Kathleen Smith says:

    Happy New Year! And you are A-Okay and I enjoyed your post immensely. It’s all perspective, and being grateful and appreciating who which is my focus every New Year. I’m so happy to meet The a Girl! I’ve wondered who she is, and she is gorgeous. I’ve had an Old English Mastiff and Boxers, so you know I’m a softie for those faces! Give The Girl a huge smooch from me. Best wishes for the best year yet!

  • Shiva-woman says:

    My goal is to get back on track exercising. The last five years have been bad on health, lots of surgeries, losses of parents, my aunt, and then a fire, and I find that exercise goes down on the list. So, my focus for the year is to get back in shape, get back into yoga, cut down on surgery drinks of all kinds, also focus on moments, being in the moment, and, I’m gonna try to write a journal. I’m finding the days are going by so fast as I get older I can hardly remember what I was doing the day before. I want to just ground myself with the journal.
    Thank you for this post! I am one of the weirdos who likes New Years resolutions. They’re not envogue any more, but I like starting the year fresh, and thinking about all that has happened, all that will be and how I’m going to handle it. Happy New Year!

  • Pam says:

    She is a cutie! My struggle is to eat healthier. The holidays are always wild, but I have to get on a better track. My joints are complaining about the excess. My main struggle is to live in the moment. Not yesterday or tomorrow.

  • I had to learn to walk again from scratch: I FEEL YA

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    Oh my but the Girl is so sweet!! My struggle is going to involve literally reprogramming myself to Ground myself through all moments of anxiety. I definitely have lots of occasion for practice, and have amassed many helpful habits along the way — so this will be next-level for me, basically doing energy work on myself. Multiple times a day. *every* day.
    I really dig your take on this Musette. And Ann! Yours is inspiring too. Really loving these posts!