At the end of each year, I like to do a review of the year- things I’ve accomplished, hi-lights from the year, notes on changes in my life, and things I’m grateful for. I also write a couple of pages on what I want for the new year, generally listing a few things under each of a few main categories like health, career, and relationships. Not resolutions per se, but goals and hopes for the year. I know going into it that many of these things I’ll accomplish and some I won’t or some I will accomplish, although not always the first year they’re on the list.
It’s amazing looking back at a whole year at all of the things that can happen in that amount of time. So many different things can fit in to a year.
There are some things that come to mind instantly when I think of this, but others that I only remember when I read through my gratitude lists from the year. One thing that sticks out reading through my lists is that often the things that I’m thankful for are pretty routine things: a good meal (breakfast sandwiches came up more than once), a productive day at work, or some time outside.
Here’s a sampling of what was on my daily lists from 2016:
Yoga retreat in T or C (and one later in Ghost Ranch)
Blogging- so thankful for my readers (you!). Playing around in Photoshop, making ‘cartoon Hoppy’, and the turkey, writing and having a place to express me.
Biking
Hiking
Travel- seeing places and being out-doors
Drinking my morning coffee down by the creek and watching the tree branches do their gentle dance in time to the music of the creek
People- family and a couple of other special people
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Naps & Maps
Sunshine
Albert and Lester, Chester or Pete
Chirpy Birds
Little frogs
Seeing the Socorro isopods
Room service breakfast!
My traveling companion & little buddy Hoppy.
Getting a picture of Hoppy with Hal Elrod
Campfires
Swimming in the creek
Tall trees and expansive grassy meadows
Being not normal and liking who I am
Being in good shape and having all my parts
Spoons
Secret ice cream
Tacos and guacamole
While we all have our own experiences, so many of us share common themes. Whatever I’m going through, I know I’m not the first. With the help of the internet, I can always draw on the experience of others.
Green Chile cheeseburgers
Playing Scrabble
Twinkley stars
Christmas bows
Smilodons
It really is a magical world out there and I’m excited to see what things fill my gratitude lists for 2017!
What are you thankful for from 2016? What were the highlights of the year for you? And what were the small, daily sorts of things that you enjoyed the most?
One Response
Hi Kyla,
I’m a little late with my own review of 2016 and what I am grateful for, as things have been very busy with travel (and relocating) presently…
I was just thinking today I would like to start a new gratitude post on my blog, and I started to think of some things…
I remember meeting you and Hoppy back at the T or C yoga retreat! That is so cool you also got to go to the Ghost Ranch!! NM, USA is so beautiful…
I had my baby in May of 2016, so along with being super grateful for that I also had to really cut back on writing and publishing my blog posts, as I was just too tired in those first few months, and I needed to focus on the basics.
Now that I am getting my energy back (baby is 10 months now) I feel like I will be able to write some more on gratitude. My list definitely includes things such as travel, my two kids, my husband, my friends, yoga, good food, and living this life full of adventure where we relocate to different countries every few years.
The highlights were of course having my second baby, and also spending Christmas in Australia where most of our friends and family are. The small daily things I enjoyed (apart from my little family) were cooking, walking, running, writing, blogging (when I got the energy!), reading, and yoga. 🙂
Your list is great! Yes to guacamole, sunshine, and travel, yippee!!
Bridget 🙂