a year of blossoming
Beautiful days and wonderful adventures seem to course through my life at a rapid pace, and I am often barely finished with one thing when another begins. Being caught up in this whirlwind is a privileged experience, but it is also easy to get disoriented and to forget what is really important in life. This year is going to be a pivotal year for me, a year where I am conscientiously working towards many goals, and concentrating my energies more proactively. I’ve created a vision board for this year to keep me focused and here are a few things on it.
1. Become a traveller with purpose
I travel, a lot, and I am now going to do it with more purpose. Travelling is a powerful way to inspire people, to share information, to learn and understand the world better. Whether it be through volunteering, writing an article, or supporting a cause, my travel this year is going to be driven by what I can give to the places I go to, and not what I can take from them. Here are some of the people that inspired me to do this: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/travelers-of-the-year/
2. Replace consumption with gratitude
It is so easy to get lured into a world where materialism and consumerism are the things that drive us, and I do not want to be one of those people. I am blessed with so many things in my life I have little need for anything else, and instead of being driven by wanting more, I am going to focus on being grateful for everything I have. I am also going to think more wisely about how the things I have can be used with greater purpose, and start to build my vision of social contribution.
3. Grow a food garden
The UN General Assembly has declared 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, with the aim to stimulate active policies for small-scale farmers as one component of combating poverty and hunger. In this spirit, I am going to grow my own food garden to supplement my food intake, and spend more time appreciating the very essence of life and growth.
4. Deepen my understanding through books
I feel like I have shown little resistance to the world of social media and have been increasingly consumed by facebook status updates and TV series, rather than reading books. This year I am going to rediscover my love of books and commit my evenings to being transported away by words, enriching my mind with tales, truths, questions and discoveries. My mother is an avid reader and the list of recommended books is long.
5. Enrich my spirit through prayer and meditation
Living in such a physically oriented world, it’s easy to neglect our true self, our soul and our spirit, and we forget that inner development is more important than anything else. This year I am going to spend more time connecting with my self, through contemplation, meditation and prayer, nourishing my soul and allowing it some space to breathe.
6. Increase my physical strength
I have never been a very athletic person and I’m inclined to exercise just about as much as I am to jump off a building. Zumba, however, changed my perspective and I was lured in by the magic of dancing and music when I started classes all those years ago. I realised the importance of being fit and decided that I never wanted to be physically hindered from doing things. To do this I need to build my strength and I cannot wait to dance my way through the year.
7. Volunteer on social development and environmental projects
I am a firm believer of volunteer work – not only is it a wonderful contribution to advance important causes, it’s also an extremely powerful way of connecting with the humanity of the world. Most of my life has been spent on numerous volunteer projects and this year will be no different; more of my time will be spent on others and less on myself.
8. Spend time building my relationships
During 2013 I went on an amazing adventure across countries with some of my dearest friends, and I was deeply moved by our connection and experiences with each other. Feeling that love of friendship is one of the greatest feelings and this year I am going to spend time building relationships with the people I love.
9. Become excellent at my work
Over the past year I’ve been developing training materials that discuss excellence, and how to perform to the best of your ability everyday. I often feel that all the blessings in my life have come to me by great chance, and I am neither skilled nor talented enough to do my work. This year I want to become better at it; I will learn new skills, develop those I already have, and become more concerted in my efforts with work. I want to start being recognised in my field not only for the quality of my work, but the manner in which I perform.
10. Capture
Write. Photograph. Write. Tell stories. Write.
I am looking forward to this year,
it is going to be a year of blossoming.
