All I can say is
WOW! What a difference a year makes! This time last year I was still trying to adjust
to life as a new retiree and an empty nester.
Now I feel like I’VE GOT THIS!!!
Last year as I
was planning ahead for 2024 there were two important things I wanted to focus
on. One was to take each day at a time
and ask myself “what beautiful thing can you do today?” and the other one, which
became even more important to me was to HAVE NO BAD DAYS. At first I thought that having no bad days
wasn’t going to be realistic, but I was wrong.
By focusing on each day, one day at a time, moment by moment, I found it
wasn’t difficult at all. Not every day was all rainbows and
butterflies, but by taking each day moment by moment I found that even if I had
something bad happen it didn’t set the tone for the entire day.
Honestly, my
hardest day in 2023 was the day Edith passed away. I feel really fortunate
about that because I’ve had much more difficult days in years prior. But, despite the fact that I had to say good
bye to my sweet girl and watch her go I also had a lot of really good things
going on that day as well. Unlike in
years past I allowed myself to cry and fully process my grief rather than
shelving it to deal with it later or to tell myself it wasn’t all that bad and just
move on. I rejoiced in the years I had
her and remembered her funny antics and how she would come in the house and
head to the fridge for a snack. I also
focused on the fact that while she was slipping away I was able to realize a
goal I had to have a designated and organized space for my long term food storage and how much I really enjoyed
making that happen that day. So while it
was hard in some ways it was also good in others.
My perspective on
what truly constitutes a bad day has really changed over the years and because
of that I had a really good 2023 and I’m extremely grateful for that. I’ve taken steps to protect myself from
having bad days too. I am no longer working
long hours in a stressful occupation for a company that doesn’t truly
appreciate their employees. Instead, I
chose to take early retirement knowing that it would mean some lean years financially. And while finances can be a stressor of their
own once again I gained a healthy perspective on that as well and chose to
focus more on myself, my health and my overall happiness.
This year I put
the finishing touches on creating a home, both inside and out, that makes me
feel happy and content. I finished a huge landscaping project that
not only looks nice, but is much more user friendly and lower maintenance. In my backyard I created a new garden space that I can now work in, add to and change
up however I please. Indoors I am now in
maintenance mode with a few new touches here and there. I painted the downstairs bathroom and I added a few new touches in here and there to make my life just a touch nicer. I’m so glad I did that too.
Upstairs I redid the guest bedroom to make it
nicer for me to sew and do some crafting whenever I choose. I took on a huge decluttering project all
over the place and I got rid of items I no longer use, need or want in my life anymore. That process has been life changing and I am
ever so glad I did that. It has no only
freed up a lot of space in my home but has made my everyday processes so much
easier. I can clean my home in a mere 15 minutes or less each day! And when I work on my quarterly checklist now I get through those tasks lickety-split! My home, inside and out is now my oasis.
In October I accepted
my new “dream job” and I could be any
happier about it. It fulfills me in so
many ways. I am still relevant and
useful, but more importantly I’m having a ball!
I spend my time with people I want to spend time with and they are
paying me for that! I am doing what I
love to do. I visit with senior citizens,
help them with their computer needs, social needs, everyday life needs. I get to help people and in return they are filling up my tank. It is an amazing feeling. I really love going to work.
Thank you 2023
for being such a great year for me! I am
feeling so happy, grateful, content, loved and blessed. God has been so good to me, more than I
deserve, I’m sure. As I sit here typing
up this post I can tell you I am in a really good place in my life. I can’t ask for anything more. I am so lucky!!
It's wonderful you've reached such a state of happiness and contentment. I enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for sharing so much of your life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for following along with me Jayne. I really do appreciate it. :)
Deletea beautiful year indeed. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
ReplyDeleteSame to you too Elle. Merry Christmas!
DeleteEdith was so cute❤️
ReplyDeleteShe sure was. I miss her. :0)
DeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New year. And congratulations on having a great start to the new chapter in your life! Hilogene in Az
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas my friend! :o)
DeleteSo happy for your accomplishments this year. And a fulfilling part time job. Perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about Edith. She was beautiful.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.
Thank you Judy. I appreciate you so much. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you!
DeleteSo nice to hear about all your achievements this year. Im semi retired now and working three days a week and you have inspired me to get a list of projects for 2024. Really enjoy your blog and appreciate you sharing your life with us. Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. Best wishes from Kim in Australia
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim! I hope your holidays are the best! Take care. :^)
DeleteI am so happy you've been able to create the life you want and make the most of each and every day. That is my goal as well. May 2024 be even better!!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed! It will be. Merry Christmas Lori. :0)
DeleteI'm glad your 2023 was so good! You got so much done, you should be very proud.
ReplyDeleteMy 2023 was fraught with too much heartbreak and too many challenges. But that's OKAY! I survived it all and learned many hard-won lessons. It's entirely possible I got a decades' worth of lessons learned in just a year, LOL.
So I'm looking forward to 2024. It's going to be pretty good. I'm going to keep my head up and a smile on my face and MAKE it so!
LOVE your attitude! What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Attitude is everything!! Merry Christmas Sue.
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