2012 In Review

You know what's great about having a blog? It's like having a little digital library to help you remember what was on your mind and trace how your passions and dreams progress. It's New Year's Eve, the last day of 2012 and a perfect time to reflect giving gratitude for all the blessings and also letting go of anything that's keeping me from my higher purpose. To help with the process, I have my mission statement, my journal, my BIG idea book, my blog/ iPhone/ and macbook. But perhaps the most important tool on my table is cup of hot tea and white chocolate cheesecake!

Ok, now that I'm pumped up on sugar and caffeine, let's take a look- shall we?

Instead of making a big ole' list of all my successes and lessons learned (AKA: failures!), I'm taking a different approach this year, based on the work of Danielle LaPorte, author of the Fire Starter Sessions and The Desire Map. Danielle encourages us to stop making goals and skip to the chase by asking what our CORE DESIRED FEELINGS are and go from there.

What were my core desired feelings for 2012 and how have I experienced those feelings this year?

• Abundant/Prosperous
• Freedom
• Creative
• Fulfilled
• Inspired

1. Walking my daughter to school each day makes me feel ABUNDANT, PROSPEROUS and FREE. It means I have the luxury of flexibility in my job to work around the school schedule. It's important to my child, and it's important to me. 

2. Traveling to Mexico with my daughter and best friend in Jan 2012 allowed me to feel PROSPEROUS, INSPIRED and FREE. Beach. Sunshine. Lovely condo. Being abroad fills my soul. We documented the trip, making the first international version of The Desha Show. I realized making a travel show would be a dream job for me. More of this, please!!

3. I found my calling facilitating groups of women using Danielle LaPorte's Fire Starter Sessions, which made me feel CREATIVE, FULFILLED and INSPIRED. I'll be starting the next session on Jan 6, 2013- a great way to start the new year!

4. Writing this blog and my new column on Brattleborology has left me feeling CREATIVE, FULFILLED, and INSPIRED by meeting so many awesome people and sharing their homes and stories. Publishing a weekly post feels good b/c it gives me a sense of accomplishment which I need b/c some of my bigger dreams take time and I can get a wee bit impatient. If you want to learn more about how to blog, take BYW, next class starts in March!

5. The DESHA SHOW- Ah, I've grown quite a bit since that first show. Making Life In Nantucket, episode 7 makes me feel CREATIVE, FREE, FULFILLED, and INSPIRED. More, please!!

6. My Day Job has provided me with a sense of grounding, and stability as I gain clarity in dreamland. It's given me a sense of ABUNDANCE of time and flexibility to be with my daughter, travel, and do work I love with those embarking on their next journey, which is FULFILLING.

Things I felt that weren't on my "list" and that I might have taken for granted:
1. A healthy body (kind of important, right?)
2. A dedicated and reliable husband (who cleans like a maniac).
3. A stable, secure job that pays the bills and then some.
4. The beauty and wonder of my daughter and the way she makes me feel such an indescribable sense of LOVE.

5. The feeling of connection with my friends, family and Fire Starter tribe.

Things to let go of in 2013: the big question marks. Go forth with strength and confidence knowing that everything I'm doing know will impact the future for the best b/c my intentions are genuine and come from a good place. There will always be things (goals) I'm striving for, so in the meantime I might as well enjoy the process, because the process is LIFE, isn't it?

Bless you for coming along on the ride with me.
I'd love to hear about your year, if you've written about it, please leave a link in the comments below and stay tuned for what's coming in 2013, I'll be thinking about that with my Fire Starter Starter sisters in Jan.

xo Desha