100 Days of Finding Light.

Back on July 12, I finished a daily series of "finding light" photos for #the100dayproject. Yep, for 100 days, I found something Light in my world, took a photo of it and shared it on Instagram. Along the way I learned that 100 days, counted one day at a time, seems to last forever. and sharing something every single day on Instagram can be a real challenge! (I'm still enjoying a bit of a break from Instagram 😌.)

But I am so glad I participated. Images tell a powerful story. I have a deeper understanding of what Light means to me and how prevalent it is, if I just pay attention.

As the project drew to a close, I started thinking about what I'd do with all the photos. I originally thought about a video (like Carole and Kat - theirs are wonderful!), but I wanted to see all the photos together. Ah...the internet is a wonderful resource! Photoshop can create a "contact sheet" (aka a mosaic) and Costco can print a 14x14 canvas. In about an hour, I had the photos compiled and the canvas ordered

and a week later, I had the canvas.

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. and having it so visible (in my study, behind my desk) is exactly the reminder I need. Light is everywhere. sometimes I just need to look for it.

100 Days of Finding Light.

Long story* short, I'm all in for this year's #the100dayproject. I'm going to explore light - my one little word for 2017.

Specifically, I'm planning to fill in this blank

Monday morning

today and for the next 99 days.

I have three of those "I find light ____" post-it notes - one on my bathroom mirror (above), one in my planner and one on the calendar on my desk.

Today, I found myself feeling lighthearted on the playground. There's nothing like a spring day with a toddler and a playground.

Tuesday morning

I just checked Instagram and see a few of y'all are participating in this challenge. I look forward to what we make and what we learn ... and sharing it.

Here's to 100 Days!

*Last year, I watched a few folks on Instagram play along with #the100dayproject and I thought "Yay, good for you!" This year, I saw the tags start to show up and thought "ok, another year" and "Yay, good for you!" ...until Saturday, when I (finally) read Honoré's post about April. I had a little time to explore the hashtag and what sort of unique hashtag I could make ... and by the time I went to bed I knew I wanted to participate. It wasn't until Sunday morning, when I watched Ali Edwards' OLW class video for April, that the whole thing clicked. and OH MY, I love it when stuff comes together like this.

Welcome 2017 | Light.

I didn't intend to choose a word for 2017. In fact, I was determined not to, because I didn't want to set myself up for another year to be disappointed about not following through.

But right before Christmas, I started to feel the word light tapping on my shoulder and suggesting - ever so sweetly - that it might be a good choice. I kept seeing light pop up in things I was reading (my Advent devotion has been a collection of readings titled Watch for the Light) and seeing online.

First, Brian Andreas published Your Light:

Let me say this clearly because it is time to remember. You are always the light you see by and if it is dark in the places you look it is only because you still pretend the light will have to come from someone else.

Then I saw this quotation

It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

And finally this one, from Brené Brown (I’ve just started reading Daring Greatly with my small group and she's my new favorite author)

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy - the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light. 

Light and Dark. It’s an interesting metaphor given what’s happening in our country and around the world right now. I love the idea that I might be able to eliminate some of the darkness … even if it’s just for me and my immediate family and friends.

Then Christmas Day a few things happened that threatened to steal my joy in the day. When I mentioned them to Sara, she told me to Lighten Up.

So much for a sweet tap on the shoulder, huh?! I decided to go with it and last week, I even signed up for Ali Edwards' class. I'm not planning to create a scrapbook this year, but I am committed to the process. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I don't think so - the years I worked through Ali's prompts were years my word made a real impact on me and my life. We'll see.

To really see where light might take me, I've spent the last week working on intentions.  Maybe it’s just where I am this year, but I really wanted this year’s intentions to be new. not just rehashing an idea I’d had before. It was challenging because I think the intentions I set for 2015 and 2016 were good -- I still keep them with me (literally - they are pasted into my 2017 planner) -- but not light.  I haven't made any tweaks to the list in over 24 hours; at this point, I'm ready to call it done!

more gratitude.

more mindfulness.

more exploring.

more curiosity.

more connecting.

more yoga.

more prayer.

more letting (it) go.

less busy.

less worry.

...

more light.

and with that, I'm ready to say Welcome 2017. Bring it on!

The TWT crew is writing about the new year today. Head on over to Carole's blog to see what everyone is sharing.

Reminders.

...of my One Little Word. I'm really committed to following through on all this word promises for this year. Little reminders can't hurt!

First is this beautiful wood carving, a gift from my sweet friend Honore (this is our sixth year sharing the OLW journey!) It lives in front of Charlie's photo* on my desk. and seems so appropriate since he is such a big part of why I chose the word.

Thanks to Kym's recommendation, I also have these reminders to wear. Love the tiny tinkles they make as they bump up against each other when I knit - or move my hands (as I often do!).

Have to say...the excitement about this word is still there. I can't wait to see where we go next!

*the calendar was a Christmas gift from Charlie, made by his talented mama at Pinhole Press.

Ten on Tuesday | Well-intended.

...just six days into the new year and I'm already documenting intentions. Thank you, Carole - I think this is a record! I wasn't sure I was even going to do anything (more than that One Thing) this year until Christmas. But things came together and I have a word - it's Present. as in Be Present. Inspired almost entirely by these two images.

Katie took that first photo back on December 2 and Kal Barteski posted the second one on Instagram three weeks ago. When I saw Kal's post, I remembered a quotation I'd read on Ali Edwards' blog years ago (it took me a few hours to track it down!)

...but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less. ~ Anna Quindlen

I am not at all one for regrets, but these words spoke loudly to me when I first read them ... and even louder now. I want to turn those wishes into reality. Marc & I have been married over 30 years and the girls are grown; but with Charlie...well, it's all possible!

And with that short introduction, here's my list.

1. Be still. Practice breathing. and waiting.
2. Make good choices. Say Yes. and No.
3. Pay attention.
4. Listen closely.
5. Nurture relationships.
6. Count my blessings.
7. Take pictures. Make notes. Write stories. (treasure the doing)
8. Laugh out loud.
9. Say I Love You.
10. Pray continuously.

Honestly, I haven't been this excited about a year (or a word) ... maybe ever. Here's to 2015!

 

One Thing for 2015 | Beginning.

...remember a few weeks back I posted about that One Thing? A huge Thank You for your encouragement and creative input!

Day One.

I've decided it's going to be yoga. Yep, that hadn't even made the short list when I wrote that last post; it seemed too much of a stretch. But a few more things came together over that next week (including a very surprising one little word) and daily yoga suddenly didn't seem so hard. My goal is just 15 minutes a day, with poses focused on flexibility, balance and strength. Days I get to take a class are easy; it's the days where it's me and my mat and the Yoga Studio app on my iPad that are making this a stretch.

That cute little Moleskine was Friday's idea. I wanted a place to record details about my practice - and my progress. Not that I've seen any progress, but I do have five entries in the journal and that makes me happy. (it also makes me happy that I got the very first issue of the limited edition of 290!)

So far, I've taken three classes and practiced on my own twice. I'm already thinking about how I can get to more classes; I took one on Saturday and one today that I never considered making "regular" until now!

and I have to say, I feel good about it all. despite being a little sore.

I finally watched the January video for Ali's One Little Word class yesterday and see she's suggesting One Thing. I know a lot of you are choosing words. Are you taking Ali's class? do have a One Little Thing? I'd love to hear about your plans!

One Little Word | Choose.

It is not what you first think. There is no effort of will, no firm resolve in the face of this thing called living. There is only paying attention to the quiet each morning, while you hold your cup in the cool air & then that moment you choose to spread your love like a cloth upon the table & invite the whole day in again. ~Story People

This word snuck up on me last fall. I wavered about it a lot in late December because I wasn't quite ready to commit. But then I came across this story in a scrapbook that my family made for me last Christmas. And I realized the choice had been made.

Then it took nearly a month to knit the mitts and get the photo. Huge thank you to Katie for braving the sub-freezing temperatures this morning for the photoshoot. (She also captured a few of the snow day mittens since we were already cold).

Grace Note(s).

...despite the silence here about this year's one little word, grace is still very much in the forefront of my thoughts, and occasionally my actions! The monthly exercises in Ali's class continue to both challenge and inspire me; this blog post grew directly from our July activity and this quotation I shared back in January.

In July, we wrote our word on post-it notes and then used those notes to prompt actions, record thoughts, inspire, whatever. I made seven grace notes and stuck them on my desk. Yes, grace notes - literally! 

For one week last month, I used those notes to journal daily about grace. Thoughts, actions, sounds, sights, words, dreams...I was amazed how easy it was to fill up the seven notes. I'm not using post-it notes anymore; rather, on a weekly basis I thought I'd share my grace note here.

finally some blue sky...on our walk this morning

Sam beside me and the songs of unseen birds make me look up and around, make me notice the patches of blue sky between the dense branches. Maybe this is what grace is, the unseen sounds that make you look up.  I think it's why we are here, to see as many chips of blue sky as we can bear.

-Anne Lamott, Plan B

(and a huge thank you to my dear friend Sandy for sending these words my way!)

grace.

...my one little word for 2013. this has been a favorite word of mine for a while. I'm delighted it was the right word to choose for this journey this year. (I made the final decision in early December while I was decorating my word tree and that's the real story behind my blog banner for this winter!)

one of my favorite things about this word is that it looks out...and in. and I am really excited Ali has re-worked her class this year.

I must admit - the new prompt threw me for a (very good!) loop when I first watched the video back on New Year's Day. I was completely prepared to re-run the opening pages like I did the last two years...but no. this year we're journaling intentions - one for each month. and actions to support those. my original thoughts had been tied up with Princess Grace. and pearls. and it took me another week plus before I figured out how to approach it. and how the 18 cards that make up the spread could really come together.

another few weeks and I got more settled on the actions. and tweaked another verb or two.

one hang-up I wasn't expecting is that I de-stashed a lot (as in almost all) of my scrapbooking "stuff" before we moved last fall. and I was not going to let myself buy anything new to start this project. then my printer died and I almost bought a new one yesterday, but fortunately, Marc decided he didn't need his and now I have a new-to-me HP Photosmart C4480 and I am in love with what I can print myself. I just got the printer setup yesterday, so finally. I'm ready to go. ...and now a little bit later, ready to share it here.

this is actually the front and back of a single divided page protector

I am still using pearls.

but all the papers and other "stuff" are coming from this small collection of Anna Griffin papers and embellishments (plus a small piece of music, a stack of Papersource cards, plain white cardstock and a few other things I kept):

I'm hoping that, just like Project Life, having a smaller selection will make the decisions easier.

I assume the remaining 11 months of prompts will give me reason to share my intentions and actions for those months, so I'll close this month with the wonderful quotation that prompted my January intention - grace notes:

text printed onto a tag ... and mounted on a piece of the Anna Griffin paper.

My actions - pay attention to the details and smile!

grace notes indeed.