My words of the year are community and connection, and I really want to become more connected with the people in closest to as well as my larger community. I loved how you said you want to bring more of yourself into the world. I want that too, and I also really want to invite the world in a bit more. I'm starting slow and resting a lot here at the beginning of the year, which feels good.
I've always really struggled with inviting people over to our house, so I want to literally invite more people into our home this year. We just adopted two cats, so I'm going to start by inviting some close friends and family over individually to meet them in a really low-key way, and maybe host a couple small gatherings with friends throughout the year.
I'm working on a poetry collection and hoping to get it ready for editing soon. I've held it close for the last several months and not announced it, but I think I want to start sharing more of my poetry and beginning steps to self-publish so that I can invite more people in that way, too.
I also want to connect with nature more, which I think will be a mix of bringing myself into the world more as well as inviting it in, if that makes sense. I was walking pretty steadily with my family last year but we lost the habit and I haven't been able to start again. I'd like to make time for that again and expand to new trails.
This is giving me lots to think about. Maybe I'll journal a bit on that question: where do I want to show up in the world (be invited in) and where do I want to invite the world in?
For me, I actually sometimes say "I want to invite people into my work" - it's less about selling things but about this whole world that I feel I have available and I want to share it with others. I want to invite people in. The parallel of inviting people into one's home is sparking lots of ideas.
Inviting people in through your poetry is so beautiful!
I love these questions! And the thoughtful options. I would love to meet you for a nature hike, if only we did live near each other, that would be the actual best! And I would really love someone to do my laundry (and tidy the house if possible!) as well as time to think :-)
I would love to go on a nature hike with you, too!
Time to think - I am reading The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer at the moment and thinking lots about abundance, a gifting economy, and reciprocity. And while I don't have an endless amount of time, I do have an abundance of time at the moment and I'm always happy to gift some to you.
Side note, I just thought of you and your nature journaling questions from last spring. I attended a workshop and was left with the question: "What am I outgrowing?" - it sparked a lot of nature related follow up questions that reminded me of you.
Now... imagine all of the things we'd ponder and think and talk about on our nature hike together! Sending a hug your way!
It would be the most wonderful wander and wonder! Thanks also for the book recommendation, and I will definitely take you up on Time to Think over the next few months. Thank you xx
I'm a realist. I'm not able to answer any of your questions because the answers change every moment. I don't know if I could ever meet with anyone from the internet. Life has taken every bit of the trust I had. The weird thing is, I've experienced events I was led to believe couldn't ever happen, so no one really wants to get to know me. They hang out on the fringe, afraid to interact. I think lots of people prefer to hide behind their beliefs, whereas I wasn't able to do that, and I've had to watch my world collapse into a kind of place that's profoundly beautiful, but lonely.
I love that you shared this anyway, Ceejae, even if your answers change every moment. I hear so many contradictions in your words - thank you for sharing that. A world that is profoundly beautiful, but lonely - that sounds heavy. It does take trust, doesn't it? And that isn't easy to come by. Thank you for sharing your experience here!
That's a tall order! and an important one. I'm curious how you're going about doing that. The intention to let things go that aren't serving you well resonates so much, but then I sometimes think it's so easy to fall back into known patterns. If you're willing to share, do you have ideas for how you'll practically do that?
It definitely is haha. So far I’ve been embracing it as more of the idea of “releasing.” Then I think about it as “I’m releasing what isn’t serving me” or “I’m releasing the need to fix what I can’t control.” And I already know a few things in these buckets already that apply so I just am trying to focus on really just being ok with those things not carrying such a weight in my life if that makes sense?
I haven’t yet figured out tangible actions on some things yet, but I feel like I’m at least at a starting point! Haha
You know what- that makes sense to me! I have been trying to spend less time on my phone (oh haven’t we all?!) and I am also trying to focus on noticing. And that mindset shift is subtle but it’s a shift! Even just asking the question “do I want to release?” Or “what can I let go of today” is already a change, isn’t it? I wonder how you’ll know when you’re ready for more. For now - keep noticing!
The thought of community seems to be a very strong one amongst the people that I engage with, whether here or on other platforms. I feel that when we are together we can achieve a lot more than alone (even though I do like working alone!). Even a short talk at Tim Horton's can achieve a lot - that's my coffee shop of choice!
As for my wish - I'd honestly like to see more emphasis on public transport. I would like to be able to traverse my local surroundings any time I wish, without having to wonder whether or not my area will have any coverage from bus routes. This shackles me quite a bit when it comes to job opportunities.
I mentioned this in A. Wilder Westgate's stack - my word this year is "execution". I finished 2024 with a good bit of momentum, now I need to push through and do meaningful action, in order to advance in life.
The community aspect is so interesting! It really stands out to me that we seem to be craving community and are trying to create / find it in places like this, but then when I look at my poll questions, 87% of people (granted, small sample size, but still) would want to meet up in person - in nature or at a coffee shop. I was honestly surprised by that response.
I wonder if we're all actually craving in-person connections?
I also love your comment on public transport. It connects to community, too, doesn't it? The infrastructure needs to be built in a way that allows for connections to happen.
Execution - I can feel the drive and action focus. Let's go! (and also: please remember to rest in between when you can.)
My words of the year are community and connection, and I really want to become more connected with the people in closest to as well as my larger community. I loved how you said you want to bring more of yourself into the world. I want that too, and I also really want to invite the world in a bit more. I'm starting slow and resting a lot here at the beginning of the year, which feels good.
Your words of the year and community and connection!!! Knowing this makes me feel connected to you.
What does it mean to you to invite the world in a bit more? I'm genuinely curious.
I've always really struggled with inviting people over to our house, so I want to literally invite more people into our home this year. We just adopted two cats, so I'm going to start by inviting some close friends and family over individually to meet them in a really low-key way, and maybe host a couple small gatherings with friends throughout the year.
I'm working on a poetry collection and hoping to get it ready for editing soon. I've held it close for the last several months and not announced it, but I think I want to start sharing more of my poetry and beginning steps to self-publish so that I can invite more people in that way, too.
I also want to connect with nature more, which I think will be a mix of bringing myself into the world more as well as inviting it in, if that makes sense. I was walking pretty steadily with my family last year but we lost the habit and I haven't been able to start again. I'd like to make time for that again and expand to new trails.
This is giving me lots to think about. Maybe I'll journal a bit on that question: where do I want to show up in the world (be invited in) and where do I want to invite the world in?
For me, I actually sometimes say "I want to invite people into my work" - it's less about selling things but about this whole world that I feel I have available and I want to share it with others. I want to invite people in. The parallel of inviting people into one's home is sparking lots of ideas.
Inviting people in through your poetry is so beautiful!
I love these questions! And the thoughtful options. I would love to meet you for a nature hike, if only we did live near each other, that would be the actual best! And I would really love someone to do my laundry (and tidy the house if possible!) as well as time to think :-)
I would love to go on a nature hike with you, too!
Time to think - I am reading The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer at the moment and thinking lots about abundance, a gifting economy, and reciprocity. And while I don't have an endless amount of time, I do have an abundance of time at the moment and I'm always happy to gift some to you.
Side note, I just thought of you and your nature journaling questions from last spring. I attended a workshop and was left with the question: "What am I outgrowing?" - it sparked a lot of nature related follow up questions that reminded me of you.
Now... imagine all of the things we'd ponder and think and talk about on our nature hike together! Sending a hug your way!
It would be the most wonderful wander and wonder! Thanks also for the book recommendation, and I will definitely take you up on Time to Think over the next few months. Thank you xx
I'm a realist. I'm not able to answer any of your questions because the answers change every moment. I don't know if I could ever meet with anyone from the internet. Life has taken every bit of the trust I had. The weird thing is, I've experienced events I was led to believe couldn't ever happen, so no one really wants to get to know me. They hang out on the fringe, afraid to interact. I think lots of people prefer to hide behind their beliefs, whereas I wasn't able to do that, and I've had to watch my world collapse into a kind of place that's profoundly beautiful, but lonely.
I love that you shared this anyway, Ceejae, even if your answers change every moment. I hear so many contradictions in your words - thank you for sharing that. A world that is profoundly beautiful, but lonely - that sounds heavy. It does take trust, doesn't it? And that isn't easy to come by. Thank you for sharing your experience here!
Very much looking to let go of and release a lot of things that aren’t serving me as well as trying to show up as my full self too
That's a tall order! and an important one. I'm curious how you're going about doing that. The intention to let things go that aren't serving you well resonates so much, but then I sometimes think it's so easy to fall back into known patterns. If you're willing to share, do you have ideas for how you'll practically do that?
It definitely is haha. So far I’ve been embracing it as more of the idea of “releasing.” Then I think about it as “I’m releasing what isn’t serving me” or “I’m releasing the need to fix what I can’t control.” And I already know a few things in these buckets already that apply so I just am trying to focus on really just being ok with those things not carrying such a weight in my life if that makes sense?
I haven’t yet figured out tangible actions on some things yet, but I feel like I’m at least at a starting point! Haha
You know what- that makes sense to me! I have been trying to spend less time on my phone (oh haven’t we all?!) and I am also trying to focus on noticing. And that mindset shift is subtle but it’s a shift! Even just asking the question “do I want to release?” Or “what can I let go of today” is already a change, isn’t it? I wonder how you’ll know when you’re ready for more. For now - keep noticing!
The thought of community seems to be a very strong one amongst the people that I engage with, whether here or on other platforms. I feel that when we are together we can achieve a lot more than alone (even though I do like working alone!). Even a short talk at Tim Horton's can achieve a lot - that's my coffee shop of choice!
As for my wish - I'd honestly like to see more emphasis on public transport. I would like to be able to traverse my local surroundings any time I wish, without having to wonder whether or not my area will have any coverage from bus routes. This shackles me quite a bit when it comes to job opportunities.
I mentioned this in A. Wilder Westgate's stack - my word this year is "execution". I finished 2024 with a good bit of momentum, now I need to push through and do meaningful action, in order to advance in life.
The community aspect is so interesting! It really stands out to me that we seem to be craving community and are trying to create / find it in places like this, but then when I look at my poll questions, 87% of people (granted, small sample size, but still) would want to meet up in person - in nature or at a coffee shop. I was honestly surprised by that response.
I wonder if we're all actually craving in-person connections?
I also love your comment on public transport. It connects to community, too, doesn't it? The infrastructure needs to be built in a way that allows for connections to happen.
Execution - I can feel the drive and action focus. Let's go! (and also: please remember to rest in between when you can.)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Dylan!