New year. New possibilities

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I dislike New Year's resolutions. Way too much pressure on a person to actually keep them! 

 But I do like the open door that a new year offers and, with that door, the pathway to new possibilities ahead. 

As those possibilities present themselves to me (in whatever shape or form) over the course of 2019, I shall try to keep these guiding thoughts in mind: 
  • Be aware of patterns in my life: Nurture the good ones, ditch the bad ones
  • Listen and speak for the purpose of having conversations; don’t just say things
  • Make difficult decisions only once; then, simply execute them (i.e., just do it, don't re-make the damn decision)
May your New Year be filled with bountiful interesting and productive possibilities. Peace and love to all! 

My vision board for 2019

Comments

  1. PamelakatJanuary 1, 2019 at 10:38 AM

    Those are excellent guiding thoughts, and what a beautiful vision board!

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    Replies
    1. Amanda Le RougetelJanuary 1, 2019 at 11:03 AM

      Thanks so much, Pamela, for being a reader! I have great fun doing the vision board each year. This one came together almost seamlessly, as the pictures practically leaped out of the magazines at me... All the very best to you in 2019.

      Delete
  2. Amanda Le RougetelJanuary 1, 2019 at 11:01 AM

    Indeed! Thanks for being a reader, Ann! All the very best to you this year...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Susan HealdJanuary 1, 2019 at 5:09 PM

    One of the results of my New Year's musings, Amanda, is to begin to consider whether I will and can write a blog. I immediately thought of yours, though I'd read only a few of your posts. Now I've read them all, and subscribed, too--the first time I've subscribed to a blog. In fact, I know next to nothing about blogs but decided--similar to what I've just read in yours--that committing to one would get me writing, get my words out and see if anyone wants to read them. So it's very helpful to me that the main theme (I think) of your blog is writing itself. I have written little that's longer than a Facebook post in the more than 10 years since my retirement. And yet, I've remembered yesterday and today, writing brings me great joy. I might perhaps have something to say. Maybe I'd be happy to continue to just say it to myself, to compose the odd, brief, Facebook post, but maybe there's more. We'll see. Thanks for your words, and your inspiration. Although you "dislike New Year's resolutions", I thought I'd just remind you that you wrote some weeks ago that by January you would have a plan for a more consistent writing schedule. (I'm not sure that "consistent" is the word you used, but I think it's close.) Have you managed that? 'Twould be a huge accomplishment, with a full-time but weirdly-scheduled job.

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    Replies
    1. Susan HealdJanuary 1, 2019 at 11:12 PM

      I'm not sure why my comment was published as "unknown"--it's Susan Heald.

      Delete
    2. Amanda Le RougetelJanuary 2, 2019 at 7:57 PM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Amanda Le RougetelJanuary 2, 2019 at 8:00 PM

      Hi Susan - Lovely to see you here! First off, thanks for reading the blog. For me, having my writing read is paramount. I don't only want to write; I want what I write to find readers. I am finding my way towards figuring out what this means! Second, your query about the theme of my blog is spot on: What the heck is the theme? Your answer is correct: It is mostly about writing itself -the doing of it, the results of it. I may write about writing, the process thereof, the results thereof...or I may write about something entirely unrelated to writing -- but I will write about it and post it to the blog. Ergo, it's related to writing ;) I'm sure it should all be more focused and, eventually, I think I'll get to be more focused. But, for the moment, having the blog to post my writing to is enough for me. One thing I can guarantee any reader dropping by: The posts will be shorter rather than longer. And I hope the quality of writing and thinking will be good.
      Practice makes perfect (not that perfect is what I'm going for!) and so I have created this blog.
      I encourage you to think about starting one, too. Go for it! Having a place 'out there' to put my writing keeps me honest - and motivated. In May of last year, I challenged myself to write something every day. And I did it! And loved it. I sent my writing to three chosen 'dear Readers' - my mother, my partner and a friend. Having someone to send my writing to kept me going. The only person with any expectations was me - and I got hooked. That commitment back in May 2018 has led me to this larger and more public commitment of my blog, Five Years a Writer. Who knows where this will take/lead me!

      Delete
    4. Susan HealdJanuary 2, 2019 at 8:35 PM

      Thanks for the encouragement, Amanda. I look forward to seeing where this journey will take you. And where mine will take me. Right now, I'm at the try-to-write-every-day stage, and in doing so I'm trying to focus on what my blog, if there's to be a blog, might be about. I'll be sure to let you know if I get any further than this!

      Delete
  4. Susan HealdJanuary 2, 2019 at 8:37 PM

    I think I should at least figure out how to keep my comments from being identified as "anonymous" before I start a blog of my own :)
    And when I click the "notify me" button, I get an error message.
    Oh, dear.

    ReplyDelete

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