A Fresh Start In More Ways Than One
There were surprises in January.
I hadn’t planned on so much closer and discovery in the first month of the year.
I’m a believer that things present themselves when you are ready to receive them. Sometimes you’ve got to have a couple of knocks at the door before you are ready to answer. I guess for me, I was ready, and I am glad I answered.
First, let me go backward. No, I did not travel to Paris as planned in 2022. There’s been an illness in my family and that meant a pause on long-distance travel, so a trip to Montreal was a great alternative. My daughter and I had an easy two-hour flight and an amazing five-day trip, which included lots of fun exploring, shopping, and enjoying an eight-hour spa day at the Nordic Spa, Bota Bota. If you’ve never submerged yourself in the St. Lawrence River in October, I highly recommend it–but only if you have a piping hot sauna waiting for you. We are both hooked on Nordic Spas and are working on our next adventure. More on that to come later this year.
But back to January. An opportunity to meet up with an old friend who I had a falling out with presented itself. A situation that needed closure. Yes, there were tears, mostly on my part. It turns out I cry at almost everything these days. But there was also good conversation and laughter and a fresh start. If, in the end there is no fresh start to our friendship, there is a fresh start for me. I believe it’s called forgiveness.
I’m incredibly hard on myself, absolutely ready to jump in and take responsibility and carry the water. However, this month, I slowed my roll a little bit and I’m trying, across all areas of my life, to pause. It turns out that pausing is not as easy as you might think but with a little bit of practice, it gets easier.
I’ve also learned that just because you pause in one area doesn’t mean you have to pause everywhere. In fact, sometimes pausing in one place creates space to try new things, explore more, and grow. I’m extremely excited about some of the new projects that I’ve committed my time and talents to this year. You’ll have to follow along as those unfold.
So, this January, I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked for things I needed. Sometimes those requests got answered and sometimes they didn’t. Trust me, I’m paying close attention to what didn’t get answered.
Now it’s on to February. My birthday month. I really like to think of this as the beginning of the year. Another FRESH start and an opportunity to soak up what I hope are the last six to eight weeks of winter.
I’m opening a new door in February and all that it will bring. If it’s anything like January, I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
Amy
PS
Yes, that was a pause in my train of thought and writing earlier in the post. I told you, I’m really working at it. Is it perfect? Nah, not at all. I didn’t say this was easy.