Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018
If I had to sum up 2017 in one word, it would be fast. It went by sofast. But that is not my word of the year… Each year, I take a pause and reflect on the year behind, and set my intentions for the year ahead by choosing a word. Here’s my word for 2018 and a personal reflection.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! And great 2017. I’ve picked a word to keep top-of-mind the past few years now, and I’m still loving the idea. It’s less of a resolution and more of a general attitude shift for the year. It must be catching on; I found these neat customizable bracelets
Anyway, looking back at my last year’s entry, a few things strike me. First, I think I handled the year’s challenges extremely well. I made an effort to focus my attention on the positive, and didn’t let negativity get in my way. I still wish I had a better morning routine, but such is life. I made good on my 2017 word on the whole. Here’s my list from the year. Let’s see what happened and what didn’t.
2017’s Bucket List:
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- Start an Etsy shop
No thank you. I realized I would get overwhelmed and tired of filling orders like a robot
- Be more strategic about the craft shows I participate in. ✅ Yes! I said no to venues I knew would be a waste of time, and doubled down on one of the best craft shows ever. Proved to be a very rewarding experience.
- Be more collaborative and meet other entrepreneurs and makers in the community. ✅ I started selling my crafts in a local shop, which is a dream come true. It’s helped me find ‘my people’ and get connected within my community.
- Take some pottery throwing classes. ❌ This is still on my list for 2018 😩
- Travel more. ❌ Always on my list
- Grow vegetables. ❌ Only herbs again
- Supplement my income in multiple ways, diversify with investments etc. ➕ I made small steps, but would like to do better
- Pay off one student loan and make one additional house payment. ❌ Double no. Totally doable
- Join a book club. ❌ Again, on my list
- Work on my photography skills. ➕ I could get better here. We got some new equipment for Christmas (thanks Lexi!) to help. I’ve been playing with Instagram this year which helps me improve a little.
2018
New to the list:
- Kickboxing — I dabbled in some hardcore kickboxing this year and want to find another open gym that offers it.
- Redesign Blog — I’ve been putting this off, but I’d really like to redesign this blog layout for better search and navigation, with a clean look and feel.
- Skiing — I want to do some more skiing this winter. I have a pair of skis and really enjoy the sport.
- Church — I want for us to find a church home where we both enjoy going each week. I would like to join a small group and get involved with some volunteer opportunities.
- Appraiser’s License — I’d love to get my appraiser’s license to become more knowledgeable about the real estate market and property values. It’s so hard to find someone in the industry to shadow in order to get the certification hours needed, but it’s a dream of mine.
2018’s Word
I really thought my word for this year was going to be something different. I had a nice, neat easy one all picked out. But this word Assertive has been creeping into my mind lately. And this is not a word I like or would freely choose, but I can’t quite shake it. Assertive makes me cringe. It sounds pushy, competitive and aggressive. Which I am 100% not cool with. But I have been in certain situations lately where I’ve been called to rise to the occasion. So I looked up the definition and got this:
confident, self confident, bold, decisive, assured, self-assured, self-possessed, forthright, firm, emphatic; authoritative, strong-willed, forceful, insistent, determined, commanding;
2017 Reading List
New for this year, I’m attaching my reading list from the past 12 months. Here’s a breakdown of the genres, and I have a brief explanation for each title below.
Spiritual: 9
Business: 6
Psychology: 6
Fiction: 4
Health: 3
Historical/Autobiographical: 2
Science: 1
Virtually a classic at this point, revolutionizing the way we think about the stuff we own.
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A dense read, but some incredible insights if you’re into the science of food and its effects on the body.
A 365 day devotional with recipes and real-life stories, kind of like paging through someone’s personal journal. Loved this coffee table read.-
Might seem a little out there, but I actually loved this book for naturally balancing hormones and eating the right foods at different times of the month. Hello kombucha my new best friend.-
This guy has an incredible story and I wish I’d implemented more of his practices this year.-
The Lightkeeper’s Daughters: A Novel
More of a young adult historical fiction slash mystery. A tale of a Canadian family who lived in a lighthouse.
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Definitely an easy, yet powerful read. One of those books you can keep coming back to and applying at different stages of your life. A good high school graduation gift! (Because they’ve already read Oh the Places You’ll Go.)-
An easy to understand science book, in the true Bill Nye fashion. Some hot topics such as global warming, creationism vs evolution, GMOs and race.
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Another super practical handbook for art and business that profiles real business owners and their daily lives and routines.-
What can I say? Gorgious from cover to cover. I really align with her design style.-
The art and science of persuasion. Highly recommend any of his books if you’re into the Freakanomics/Malcolm Gladwell/Daniel Goleman/Tim Ferris sort of genre.-
I saw a poster in someone’s bathroom and looked up the quote, which led me to this book. Some of the best advice for daily living.
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A bit slow for me, but probably a good one if you’re into meditation-
An interview with the Dalai Lama. Not as groundbreaking as I imagined, but interesting nonetheless.-
Something we can all use more of, I’d say. Shauna Niequist is a powerhouse and always gives you a vulnerable look into her life.
byBrown, Brené.If I can say one thing, it’s get on the Brené train if you haven’t already. I think I’ve read most of her work. Looking forward to reading Braving the Wilderness next.-
Bell, Rob,A quick read of personal anticdotes. Jumps around from chapter to chapter, so if you just want to pick and choose topics, this is a good book you don’t need to follow all the way through.-
by Bell, RobI just discovered Rob Bell’s work this year and he is a refreshing and radical creative thinker when it comes to Christianity. His titles are meant to mock/question the institutions of power and preconditioned ways of thinking. He explains things in ways I’ve never thought about them, and he’s funny.-
byLapeña, Shari,-
Meh, kind of a smutty mystery that was recommended to me. Not terrible.
bySwanson, PeterSame kind of book. But I kind of liked this one better.-
byTurgeon, Carolyn.A different take on The Little Mermaid. As if it were in medieval times. Impulse grab at the library, not bad!
byHanson, RickI’m not sure I finished this book 100%, and I don’t remember taking away and tips or tools. So please let me know if you read it for me.-
by Dinesen, Isak, 1885-1962.We watched the movie with Meryl Streep and in the closing credits, found out it was based on her personal writings. So I got this book and dug deeper into her personal life as a Dutch coffee farmer in Africa. She was quite a renegade, and has a wonderfully descriptive style of writing.-
by Ilibagiza, Immaculée.Whew, this book will have you in tears, but is so worth reading. Probably in my top favorite books.
by Gerber, Michael E.I have to say, I’m slightly let down by these two books. I heard they were classics for business but this was a bit old school.
This one has some good updates, but still left me feeling a bit let down. Good for anyone looking to expand their business and hire employees.
byWehrenberg, Margaret, author.I don’t know that I finished this one either, but some good basic breathing techniques.
byManson, Mark, author.This is a definite yes. Funny and deep.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy LivingThe Little Book of Hygge
byWiking, MeikA book about getting cozy and enjoying the small things in life. A great winter book.Have a Happy and Safe New Year! Let me know what your word is for the new year, and how 2017 played out for you.
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![Cover image for The Lightkeeper's Daughters [electronic resource] : A Novel](https://images.yourcloudlibrary.com/delivery/img?type=DOCUMENTIMAGE&documentID=ng5yc89&token=nobody "Cover image for The Lightkeeper's Daughters [electronic resource] : A Novel")
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The Little Book of Hygge