4 Jan 2019

My Word for 2019

by amy@amyharkemoore.com | posted in: Reflections of a Ruralist | 2

Inside: At the end of every year, I wait for the word that will serve as a theme for what lies ahead in the coming year. I’m pretty excited about my word for 2019. Read on to find out why. . .

Cautiously Excited

Expand. . . To increase in extent, size, volume, or scope. Enlarge. To spread or stretch out, unfold. To express in fuller form or greater detail. Develop.

After living out my word consistent consistently (I couldn’t resist), I was looking for a new direction. Sort of like eating too many salads with ranch dressing for too many days in a row. Good for you, yes, but you’re needing some variety. Enter the word expand.

Some years I get my word as early as October. Other years it’s just before January. This time, around mid-December (when I was knee-deep into doing the marathon 12 Posts of Christmas), I’d been reading something when I got a gentle nudging upon seeing “expand” in the text. So I made a mental note and went back to the Christmas things that take center stage for the season. After Christmas I saw the word a few more times, and each time it’s like it nearly lifted off the page. At least that’s my process. No other competing words came into the picture, so by the end of last week, I knew it was mine. Since then I’ve seen it all over the place, almost daily. It’s crazy–except it’s not. God has His ways. And this year’s word comes with a scripture as well. Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense!”

I am excited. Cautiously excited, anyway. I say that because I’ve gotten words before and had a whole different idea of what I thought my word meant only to find out that it wasn’t what I expected. Five years ago I actually got a phrase, “write it down,” and I mistakenly thought that meant I would be finishing my novel that year. Instead it turned out that I was supposed to journal and get my feelings out that way. A close friend who likes to journal thought that was cool. I didn’t. When it comes to journaling I have a like-hate relationship with the practice. Like because of the benefits associated with writing things down. Hate because my practical nature balks at the idea that there is no useful or productive application for my journal entries other than “Amy’s mental health,” which I was tired of dealing with back then. When you’re typing out words on a page fueled by raw emotions, there is nothing pretty or poetic or lyrical about it.

But I digress. . .

So it’s January 4, and I have this word that seems exciting and cool and just what the doctor ordered. In a practical sense (there goes my nature again) we have for years wanted to build a home. Not sure that’s what this eludes to, but I can dream, can’t I? The word could also mean growth in some areas, such as this blogging business, and I’ve wanted that since I started A Rural Girl Writes. Or it could mean character growth. Sigh. Though I think the scripture puts a more specific spin on it. . . Or maybe across the board, in many areas of my life, I’ll see expansion.

We’ll just have to wait and see what the year brings. And that, my friends, is what I’m excited about!

I’ll keep you posted.

Do you choose a word for the year? If so, what is it? Share it with us in the comments.

Related posts:

My Word for 2018

Taking Inventory 2018

Taking Inventory of 2017

How I’m Finding Time to Read and Other Worthy Pursuits

Posts from a year ago:

Making Goals for the New Year

When Your New Year Didn’t Go as Planned

31 Dec 2018

Reindeer Socks, Most Popular Posts 2018, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

by amy@amyharkemoore.com | posted in: Reflections of a Ruralist | 2

Inside: Life’s too short not to wear reindeer socks, our most popular posts of 2018, and living out my word this year. Check out the latest at A Rural Girl Writes

Life’s Too Short Not to Wear Reindeer Socks

A few years ago I received a Christmas present of five pairs of socks with cute winter-reindeer motif, the same pattern but in different colors–red, navy, brown, cream, and ecru. And I love them. In fact, for the longest time I loved them so much I never wore them. . .

Let me explain. It goes back to an old habit that’s hard to die. Not wanting to use something–waiting for the perfect time to wear or use it. Silly, I know, but there is this part of me that wants to preserve things. Sort of like the “not using the good china” mentality.

I’m not the only one. Years ago I read an essay from Erma Bombeck in which she mentioned putting a beautiful candle, shaped like a rose, away in storage, not wanting to burn it. Turns out the candle ended up melting in storage.

Barring some vicious moths, something similar was unlikely to happen to my socks. But they sat neglected in a drawer for a little over a year until finally I started to wear them. At first they only saw the light of day briefly before I stuffed my foot into a boot. But then it hit me–why not wear them over my jeggings in such a way they could actually be seen? So I did.

Then another revolutionary thought dawned on me–why not wear them around the house? They made me smile. They gave me joy. So why not?

As I explained this story to the giver of the socks–Emily–she listened to the story, and when I was finished with my saga, she shrugged and said, “I just got them because I thought they were warm.”

And, yes, they are that, too.

Our Most Popular Posts of 2018

simple egg fast chai tea — Our number one post of the year!

This time of year you see a lot of top ten lists, and we here at ARGW don’t want to be left out! Here are the top ten posts of 2018, according to page views. Note, that doesn’t necessarily mean the posts were published in 2018, just that these are the most viewed this past year.

My own analysis as to why these posts, why this order? If you know anything about the keto diet, you know that keto is one of the most searched diets on the Internet, and egg fasts are related to both this and low carb eating. So no surprise there. The Hillbilly Christmas Wreath has gained ground since we first put it together last year, and thanks to Pinterest it’s finding its way around to people. The Tortilla Cinnamon Rolls are also going around Pinterest thanks to some really great pics that Emily took–and it’s a really good recipe! The Crunchy Green Bean comes in next for the same reasons. The subject of decluttering is a perennial favorite as people need to organize and simplify their lives. Backyard bird feeding is a popular hobby. My essay about bucking bales, not sure why except that it dawned on me that someone could do a search on “bucking tradition” and this would probably pop up, though not having anything to do with that expression. My poem “Auction Day” about my cousin’s farm equipment being sold off was shared widely among my extended family–a very big family! Simple low carb fudge–who doesn’t like fudge? And our anniversary post, I’m not really sure why except maybe curiosity.

So these are the most popular, though not necessarily in my personal top ten for what I liked and thought turned out well. Are any of these your favorites?

Living out my Word This Year

It’s been an interesting year, to say the least. Not what I’d call a bad year, just not one of great success. Mostly I felt like I was treading water so much of the time. Can you say “consistent”?

A fitting word, that good ole consistent and I have to say my own definition of the word has changed. I used to view the word “consistent” through the lens of perfectionism. The best example to me was an Olympic athlete in training, with no other work but to train, every day, without ever missing a day. That was my idea of consistent.

I now view the word differently. I see it more like sticking with something, whether it be a project, establishing good habits–whatever. Within these new parameters, momentary failure is possible, yet remaining there isn’t. Fall off the horse and get right back on. Miss a day of exercising, yet rather than giving up, showing up to do it the next day. Establishing a habit of consistently not giving up–that’s how I now see my word of 2018.

While I didn’t see a lot of results, I did learn a few lessons. We often measure a successful year by everything going right, but maybe, just maybe, the years in which things don’t go right are when we learn the most–and see the most growth.

And while I won’t say I’ve fallen in love with the word, I will say I have come to appreciate what living out my word has taught me.

My word for 2018. — Embracing my word from the past year.

Note, I have my word for 2019 and will reveal it in a few days. Let me just say I’m really excited about it, so stay tuned!

Did you adopt a word for the past year? Tell us about it in the comments.

Related posts:

Slowing Down to Enjoy Christmas

My Word for 2018

Taking Inventory 2018

Is Perfectionism Holding You Back?

Posts from a year ago:

Second Snow, Our Top Ten, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

Taking Inventory of 2017

28 Dec 2018

Taking Inventory 2018

by amy@amyharkemoore.com | posted in: Reflections of a Ruralist | 0

Inside: It’s that time of year again–taking inventory 2018. Reflecting upon the year with these simple questions helps bring closure as well as guide me to what lies ahead.

*This post contains affiliate links.

I’m back with a long and sometimes hard look at the past year. It really works for me to set aside time to do this at the end of December. These ten questions are simple yet provoke some thought and help me put life in perspective so I can move forward into a brand-new year. So here goes. . .

1. What worked?

Having coffee with God first thing in the morning (after getting dressed and feeding cats).

2. What didn’t work?

Living so much of life on the fly. If you had asked me a year ago if I was good at planning, I’d have said, “Not bad.” Now I realize that this is an area I really need to work on to avoid needless stress. Like doing 12 posts in 12 days with only scribbling down an idea for each day. . . What typically happens is that I do things last minute because I don’t have a proper handle on how long a task will take. Then I rush around and start to panic because this is not a comfortable pace for me, only to feel overwhelmed which makes me lose my focus. So the joy of doing what I like to do evaporates in this rushed environment, and this frazzled feeling spills into other areas of my life.

All that to say, more thorough planning could eliminate most, if not all, this unnecessary stress I bring upon myself.

3. What surprised you? (Whether good or bad.)

If my father’s passing away surprised me last year (which it did), I was doubly surprised when my cousin and neighbor around my age died this past spring. . . Really hoping when I do this a year from now I actually have a good surprise to share rather than a bad one.

4. What disappointed you?

A lack of results in so many areas of our lives, and, in some ways, feeling like we were moving backward and losing ground. It was a year of planting a lot of seeds but not seeing much of anything come to fruition. But . . . (Thought continued below, question 10.)

5. What were you most proud of?

That I actually stuck with my exercise goals. Nearly every year that I’ve written down goals, exercising has been on my list–with the goal being unmet. Previously the word “exercise” would find me with a grimace on my face–a grimace of dread, not one of exertion from lifting weights or doing squat thrusts. That I no longer make a face or dread it–well, seldom–says a lot. And that I’m getting my steps daily and exercising seven days a week (most of the time) shows tremendous progress. Hello, fitness tracker!

6. What gave you the most joy?

Learning photography and taking pictures for blog posts.

7. What drained you?

I’m going to cheat and just quote directly from last year, because it still holds true:

“To a lesser degree, simply neglecting taking good care of myself–vitamins, resting, eating healthy. I’m at a place in my life where I avoid as much stress as possible, so I can’t recall feeling drained from anything other than just not having energy at times. Living as simple a life as I can helps tremendously.”

8. What wasted your time?

Mulling over a situation that I have no control over. Sorry to be so cryptic, but I can’t say more about it at this time. Hopefully it will be resolved in the new year, in which case I can fill in the blanks.

9. Who did you enjoy spending time (or connecting) with?

Mike. Mom, having coffee at Roasted Bean. My family and friends. My monthly-ish phone calls with my dear friend Joy. My writer’s group here and my adopted writer’s group in Maryland! Joining Instagram and making new friends there.

10. What gave you the most peace?

Through the uncertainty of situations and disappointments (again, sorry I can’t disclose more) I have felt overwhelming peace. So really it’s more Who gave me the most peace, and that would be God.

Your turn. If you are the introspective type, copy down the questions you want to answer, or, for an abbreviated version, simply what worked for you and what didn’t work. As you answer these questions, you might find some answers overlapping. That’s perfectly fine. In fact, those areas might be the ones you need to more closely examine.

So let’s finish the year off right, consider its lessons, and then wave goodbye.

So long, 2018!