Reflections and Intentions for a New Year
December 31st, 2017. 12:54 pm.
It's approximately eleven hours until the new year. Although I think time has a lot less to do with change and important moments than intention does. But it is a good marker that allows us to count and categorize our lives.
So let me set some intentions around this next category of time: 2018. And before I do that, let me reflect on 2017.
Globally and nationally 2017 was full of ugly politics. I finally got up the stamina to listen to my morning NPR news but other than that, I tried not to drain myself with Trump tweets or "fake news." I leaned into family and friends. Colleagues and my students. I focused on making strong graduate school applications. I had lunches with mentors. Visited a potential school. Wrote and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote personal statements. Sent the personal statements to mentors and then rewrote them again. I took the GRE and didn't let a number on a test consume my life. I talked on the phone with current graduate students. And eventually made peace with my four choices and pressed send.
All the while, I worked my regular full-time job at Centre. Which included many nights and weekends in meetings and at conferences. I held my head up high when I didn't feel there was an equitable demand on my time and value in my position. I leaned on great mentors and friends who validated me every step of the way. I conducted myself with the utmost professionalism and maturity, which I believe, in return, opened doors to collaborations and opportunities to do more interesting and fulfilling work. Out of my Shepherd Committee position, we started work on building a social justice minor. A feat once completed, will hopefully shape students for decades to come. More personally, I felt a greater sense of trust and camaraderie with my students. A few quite beautiful friendships blossomed and there was a greater sense of ease with students who previously felt more distant. An emotionally taxing, time-consuming, and under compensated job. But one of the most rewarding and fulfilling aspects of my life. I've had jobs where I wake up and dread going to work, where my time feels meaningless. But I've been fortunate enough to never once have those experiences over the last eighteen months. And that's something to truly be grateful for. Even more, my time in this position has solidified experiential learning, community engagement, social justice, and higher education as my contributive pathway for social change and viable career aspiration. (Here's hoping)
In 2017 I continued to do my best to prioritize my health. Though there's always room for improvements, I feel good about the health of my mind, body, and spirit. For three months I took consistent yoga classes and when that wasn't financially or time-wise viable, I did my best to practice at home. Whether 7 minutes post-run or a hour long, relaxing Sunday morning session, I tried to make yoga apart of my lifestyle. Perhaps more than the physical benefits, yoga is incredible because it teaches breathing. Deceivingly simple, intentional breathing is the most beneficial thing I've received from yoga practice because it is useful in all aspects of life. Going up that mountain and think you're not going to make it? Deep breathe through it. Feel anxiety on the verge? Take four long breaths in and out. Headache about to debilitate you? Breatheeeee. I can't believe it took me so long in life to practice this age-old advice. If you're not deep breathing, make an intention to start!
Running also helped me stay in shape and provided so much more than physical fitness. My favorite is running outside. Noticing the leaves change on trees. The crispness of the air. Breathing the fresh air after a long day stuck inside an office. The accountability and social aspect of running with a friend. Shout out to Jimmy who ran with me at 7:30 am almost every morning this fall semester, then dominated the homecoming 5K.
And alas, cooking. My most delicious approach for healthy living. Cooking is my therapy. My time to create and of course, eat. Cooking for myself or friends. I love the entire process. Flipping through recipe books. Grocery shopping. Prep work. Cooking it up. Eating it up. And eating leftovers for days. The only part I never enjoy is the dishes... (shout out to my dishwasher that is unfix-able so it's a drying rack) Cooking also has other benefits than the cooking and eating. It's also a great hobby because it saves me so much money. Eating out adds up so much quicker than people realize. So having a hobby that is not only delicious, healthy, and better on my budget is a win win win.
I also want to give a nod to hiking. I probably did more of this in 2016. Besides Borneo but I also think that's what burnt me out a little. But hiking is a great way I keep healthy mentally and physically.
So yoga, running, and cooking. These were my triad for healthy living this year and they're not going anywhere in 2018.
2017 also brought hands down my best summer to-date. For the first time since before I left for college, I wasn't moving somewhere (even if it was just for that summer). 2011 moving to college, 2012 Atlanta, 2013 back to Lawrenceburg, 2014 back to Danville, 2015 Massachusetts, 2016 Louisville to Danville, and the sweet sweet summer of 2017: no where. Of course, that's just moving not traveling. Of course I traveled. It's me after all. Summer of 2017 I checked Asia off my continents. I spent three glorious and challenging weeks in Borneo, Malaysia (see Borneo blog for more reflections). Eleonor came to visit me and we did quintessential Kentucky things. Forecastle Festival, Makers Mark Distillery tour, ate, drank, and danced in Louisville, visited with my mom and Steve, hiked trails at Shaker town, ate at Grace Cafe, won two tickets to a DJ show on her last night and went, and spent time curled up together simply enjoying each others presence and never wanting it to end. Summer 2017 may sound like a lot of play and it was but I also dug in at work and prepared for a great academic year. I attended the Shepherd Closing conference, hosted the community partner appreciation breakfast, and loved on two fabulous summer interns (one of which spoiled me too much with pie and cookies).
On top of all of that, I read great books (including my first 600 pager!), got a part-time job at a brewery (finally!), said goodbye to a dear friend as she moved back home and took a new cool job, grew in love and patience for my demanding cat Maya, supported my friends in their dark times, emailed, called, and tweeted my representatives again and again (and got a few responses), tried to show gratitude as much as possible, kicked butt saving money, participated in a few protests and marches, congratulated a few friends on engagements and the love in their lives, asked for help or rest when I needed it and didn't apologize.
Therefore, I set the following intentions in 2018.
May I continue to prioritize my health and step it up a notch.
May I spend more time outdoors. Breathing fresh air. Walking as my mode of transportation.
May I continue to be financially responsible even as there becomes greater demands on my finances: moving costs, weddings, new car, trips.
May I fill myself with self-love and confidence.
May I be confident and at peace with my choice for graduate school and where I next call home.
May I stay diligent and focused on my goals and ever becoming the best version of myself.
May I be open to new relationships that bring me closer to the aforementioned intention.
May I be grateful for the beauty and love that is present in the relationships I already have.
May I invest more in deep play and rejuvenating rest.
May I read more good books.
May I have the resilience and flexibility to face whatever challenges come my way.
May I bring peace and light to those around me.
May I receive what I need in return.
May answers become clear to me when making decisions.
May I be in balance within myself and the world around me.
May the world feel a little lighter.
May we all receive clarity and the ability to act to make our communities more loving, compassionate, and just.
Happy new year.
In peace and love,
Liz
It's approximately eleven hours until the new year. Although I think time has a lot less to do with change and important moments than intention does. But it is a good marker that allows us to count and categorize our lives.
So let me set some intentions around this next category of time: 2018. And before I do that, let me reflect on 2017.
Globally and nationally 2017 was full of ugly politics. I finally got up the stamina to listen to my morning NPR news but other than that, I tried not to drain myself with Trump tweets or "fake news." I leaned into family and friends. Colleagues and my students. I focused on making strong graduate school applications. I had lunches with mentors. Visited a potential school. Wrote and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote personal statements. Sent the personal statements to mentors and then rewrote them again. I took the GRE and didn't let a number on a test consume my life. I talked on the phone with current graduate students. And eventually made peace with my four choices and pressed send.
All the while, I worked my regular full-time job at Centre. Which included many nights and weekends in meetings and at conferences. I held my head up high when I didn't feel there was an equitable demand on my time and value in my position. I leaned on great mentors and friends who validated me every step of the way. I conducted myself with the utmost professionalism and maturity, which I believe, in return, opened doors to collaborations and opportunities to do more interesting and fulfilling work. Out of my Shepherd Committee position, we started work on building a social justice minor. A feat once completed, will hopefully shape students for decades to come. More personally, I felt a greater sense of trust and camaraderie with my students. A few quite beautiful friendships blossomed and there was a greater sense of ease with students who previously felt more distant. An emotionally taxing, time-consuming, and under compensated job. But one of the most rewarding and fulfilling aspects of my life. I've had jobs where I wake up and dread going to work, where my time feels meaningless. But I've been fortunate enough to never once have those experiences over the last eighteen months. And that's something to truly be grateful for. Even more, my time in this position has solidified experiential learning, community engagement, social justice, and higher education as my contributive pathway for social change and viable career aspiration. (Here's hoping)
In 2017 I continued to do my best to prioritize my health. Though there's always room for improvements, I feel good about the health of my mind, body, and spirit. For three months I took consistent yoga classes and when that wasn't financially or time-wise viable, I did my best to practice at home. Whether 7 minutes post-run or a hour long, relaxing Sunday morning session, I tried to make yoga apart of my lifestyle. Perhaps more than the physical benefits, yoga is incredible because it teaches breathing. Deceivingly simple, intentional breathing is the most beneficial thing I've received from yoga practice because it is useful in all aspects of life. Going up that mountain and think you're not going to make it? Deep breathe through it. Feel anxiety on the verge? Take four long breaths in and out. Headache about to debilitate you? Breatheeeee. I can't believe it took me so long in life to practice this age-old advice. If you're not deep breathing, make an intention to start!
Running also helped me stay in shape and provided so much more than physical fitness. My favorite is running outside. Noticing the leaves change on trees. The crispness of the air. Breathing the fresh air after a long day stuck inside an office. The accountability and social aspect of running with a friend. Shout out to Jimmy who ran with me at 7:30 am almost every morning this fall semester, then dominated the homecoming 5K.
And alas, cooking. My most delicious approach for healthy living. Cooking is my therapy. My time to create and of course, eat. Cooking for myself or friends. I love the entire process. Flipping through recipe books. Grocery shopping. Prep work. Cooking it up. Eating it up. And eating leftovers for days. The only part I never enjoy is the dishes... (shout out to my dishwasher that is unfix-able so it's a drying rack) Cooking also has other benefits than the cooking and eating. It's also a great hobby because it saves me so much money. Eating out adds up so much quicker than people realize. So having a hobby that is not only delicious, healthy, and better on my budget is a win win win.
I also want to give a nod to hiking. I probably did more of this in 2016. Besides Borneo but I also think that's what burnt me out a little. But hiking is a great way I keep healthy mentally and physically.
So yoga, running, and cooking. These were my triad for healthy living this year and they're not going anywhere in 2018.
2017 also brought hands down my best summer to-date. For the first time since before I left for college, I wasn't moving somewhere (even if it was just for that summer). 2011 moving to college, 2012 Atlanta, 2013 back to Lawrenceburg, 2014 back to Danville, 2015 Massachusetts, 2016 Louisville to Danville, and the sweet sweet summer of 2017: no where. Of course, that's just moving not traveling. Of course I traveled. It's me after all. Summer of 2017 I checked Asia off my continents. I spent three glorious and challenging weeks in Borneo, Malaysia (see Borneo blog for more reflections). Eleonor came to visit me and we did quintessential Kentucky things. Forecastle Festival, Makers Mark Distillery tour, ate, drank, and danced in Louisville, visited with my mom and Steve, hiked trails at Shaker town, ate at Grace Cafe, won two tickets to a DJ show on her last night and went, and spent time curled up together simply enjoying each others presence and never wanting it to end. Summer 2017 may sound like a lot of play and it was but I also dug in at work and prepared for a great academic year. I attended the Shepherd Closing conference, hosted the community partner appreciation breakfast, and loved on two fabulous summer interns (one of which spoiled me too much with pie and cookies).
On top of all of that, I read great books (including my first 600 pager!), got a part-time job at a brewery (finally!), said goodbye to a dear friend as she moved back home and took a new cool job, grew in love and patience for my demanding cat Maya, supported my friends in their dark times, emailed, called, and tweeted my representatives again and again (and got a few responses), tried to show gratitude as much as possible, kicked butt saving money, participated in a few protests and marches, congratulated a few friends on engagements and the love in their lives, asked for help or rest when I needed it and didn't apologize.
Therefore, I set the following intentions in 2018.
May I continue to prioritize my health and step it up a notch.
May I spend more time outdoors. Breathing fresh air. Walking as my mode of transportation.
May I continue to be financially responsible even as there becomes greater demands on my finances: moving costs, weddings, new car, trips.
May I fill myself with self-love and confidence.
May I be confident and at peace with my choice for graduate school and where I next call home.
May I stay diligent and focused on my goals and ever becoming the best version of myself.
May I be open to new relationships that bring me closer to the aforementioned intention.
May I be grateful for the beauty and love that is present in the relationships I already have.
May I invest more in deep play and rejuvenating rest.
May I read more good books.
May I have the resilience and flexibility to face whatever challenges come my way.
May I bring peace and light to those around me.
May I receive what I need in return.
May answers become clear to me when making decisions.
May I be in balance within myself and the world around me.
May the world feel a little lighter.
May we all receive clarity and the ability to act to make our communities more loving, compassionate, and just.
Happy new year.
In peace and love,
Liz
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