Ahhhh.
The holidays have been so lovely. I’m a Southern Hemisphere gal, and all my memories of childhood holidays involve running around barefoot and splashing in water of some sort: rivers and swimming pools mostly.
I didn’t live near the ocean until I moved to Melbourne in 2008. I LOVE it. I love going to the beach, walking along the beach, swimming at the beach. Did I mention that I love the beach?
But anyway, I digress. I was going to tell you how I went with my Two Words for 2012:
Stillness and Stability.
I’ve set a two word intention for years now -
2009 was the year of opening and releasing (my God and how)
2010, hope and courage
2011, healing and wholeness
2012, stillness and stability
This will be the fifth year I’ve done this.
It works incredibly well for me because it cuts to what intrinsically motivates me, and that keeps me on track in an amazing way. Before I started doing this, I can’t tell you the number of times I made ridiculous New Year’s resolutions of set goals that I simply didn’t achieve. Because I simply didn’t really want to (or was too afraid to).
The two words act like a compass: if your goal isn’t in line with them, you are probably not that interested in achieving it. If it IS in line, but you are sabotaging, you have an opportunity to examine why (mostly, it’ll be fear of some sort or a self worth issue. It seems to be that for most of us).
So, how’d I go?
This is how I started 2012:
- Exhausted & sick (still recovering from 2011′s epic illnesses which included a long-lingering inner ear infection, a cancer scare, two bouts of food poisoning, and several rounds of flu).
- Broke – because I’d made some really unfortunate mistakes (which I learned from) in running my business, and also in how my finances were arranged with my boyfriend.
- Burnt out and looking for change.
Funnily enough, that was right where I needed to be to get serious about my health and healing (which had been the point of 2011). Sometimes, when you are either very dense or very stubborn or both, you need a meaningful kick up the rear to get you on track. Ahem.
This is what happened in 2012:
Business:
- I got education in the areas I was really weak: cash flow/finances and marketing.
- I made some tough business decisions, solidified my business, and got it to the highest turnover it’s yet had.
- I found a mentor to help me with the business stuff. I’d been looking for one for ages and then she just showed up. So there you go.
Personal:
- My relationship ended, to my great surprise (although in retrospect, not so much of a shock, of course).
- I moved house, yet a-fucking-gain, and bought a new car, and new furniture and so on. Again. For the second time in just over a year. This, I was not excited about. But I was pretty pleased that I’d been saving like a demon for a rainy day. Turns out, when a rainy day comes, those savings really do help.
Health:
- I stopped eating sugar, pretty much altogether, for the first six months of the year, then relaxed a bit and had a little every now and then.
- I went through all dental and medical checkups with a clean bill of health (so that’s a full year of clean health now).
- I didn’t get sick at all this year.
Soooo.
Doesn’t look that still or stable does it?
But that’s the thing: I know life throws unexpected things out. Always. And usually, those things are going to be the life equivalent of plank pose, rather than a nice comforting child pose.
What I was looking for was the ability to create internal stability and stillness.
Stillness of mind I got mostly from meditating (which has become a much bigger part of my life this year) and from being sugar free. It’s amazing how much those sugar highs and lows can mess with your moods.
I’d go so far as to say too much (perhaps, any) sugar = mental health issue. It does for me. I also added more protein and fat to my diet, and those stabilised my blood sugar, health, and moods.
Stability – the food thing absolutely stabilised my health.
The education absolutely stabilised my business and finances.
And although my personal life was a bit wonky, I remained stable and calm throughout the transition. Because I had these systems in place to support me. Good friends, the kind who would bring you fizzy water when you are sick, are so important when you really need a bit of help.
Having enough money also helps SO much when you are going through change. I am so grateful for that rainy-day saving I had done! So, the change happened, but my mind remained, for the most part, still and calm.
All the parts of my life I could control remained stable: health, finances, business.
All in all, this is probably the year the two words have served me best. I suspect that’s because I am getting better and better and refining what I need and then (don’t judge me) putting goals, the action steps and dot points I need in under those words.
I like a good dot point.
How’s your year gone? If you did the Two Words Project last year, either by coming to the workshop (if you are in Melbourne you can come again – 16 Feb!) or joining the Facebook page, how’d it go or you? I’d love to hear!
And if you are wondering about this year’s Two Words, they are Planting Seeds. I’ll explain in my next post.
Happy 2013 folks!
Moving from Stability: Understanding the Pelvis in Posture (Online workshop)
Light Up Your Life
Nadine, I wrote about my 2 words experience that i took on in 2012 in my blog. I am so very grateful for the experience. Thank you a million times over. I also have two NEW words for 2013. Gentleness and Ease.
http://www.workingmummas.com.au/general/two-words-sounds-like/
‘Ello, love. Nominated you for a Liebster award……<3
http://thelindseyoneill.com/2013/01/08/my-liebster-award-nominees-are/