I’m not the kind of person who has trouble looking back to review a year that’s over. I enjoy the process. I’m thankful for my calendar which records the appointments, dinner plans, travel dates, to-do lists, phone numbers, and any other random thing I don’t want to forget. I must write things down, or I never remember what or where I’m supposed to be or do. I don’t think it’s a result of accumulated birthdays, I’ve always had a partial sieve for a memory.
It’s been two years since I released Hello Nobody: Standing at the Door Alone - What to Do When Everything Changes. It’s been 11 years since my husband lost his long battle to cancer.
Even though I wrote my grief, the one thing I still miss about my late husband is how gifted he was at keeping memories. I could always rely on him to know the date, location, directions, birthday, or name of any person, place or thing that filled our days. He just remembered.
He also had impeccable geographical memory. We could drive to a venue to attend some random event and he always had the big picture of where we were going and how to get there. Most amazing was his gift to know the same information, years later! Directions were in his head and stayed there.
If that describes you: you are blessed. I missed that sign-up sheet. I’m what is called “directionally challenged.” My phone app is very bossy and tells me to ‘make a U-turns’ regularly.
Looking at last year through the rear-view mirror…
I see some successes from 2018 and some things I will keep on the list for 2019. I struggled (but got better) with the same time management issues as always. I didn’t eat as well as I should have and I never drank 8 glasses of water a day. My exercise was hit or miss, and I sat more than I walked. Last year the promise to lose weight seemed to backfire, now this new year I have even more to lose.
But I enjoyed myself! I drank wine with friends (and by myself), created fancy dinners and simple suppers to share with comrades. I was brave to travel to far away places and try new things; like a Ukulele Retreat in Italy and a Food Memoir writing workshop in France! and I finished my second book!
Life was enlarged by allowing myself to laugh more and compare less. I climbed a little higher on the brave-scale.
So What’s Next for 2019? (New Book!)
I’m looking forward to sharing my newest book, Write Your Way Through Change, a 21-Day Devotional Journal Workbook. It’s ready for publication soon! I’ll include you in my book launch and will be giving way free e-book editions for 3 days.
More soon. Stay tuned!
~ Janet