On behalf of ReviewThisReviews, we send you positive energy and all the ingredients needed for a balanced life in 2023. Body, mind, and spirit!
The year 2022 is officially in the books. Historians have compiled their notes for future generations; some hearts have been fulfilled, while others have been broken.
Whatever your story, we're sending you a bright light of hope for a peace-filled 2023.
A Quote for the New Year:
"For last year's words belong to last year's language, and next year's words await another voice" - T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
May You Tackle Life with Hope and Bravery - Here's a little musical inspiration:
"Say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out, honestly, I wanna see you be brave with what you want to say and let the words fall out..." A Song by Sara Bareilles
With kindness, hope, and love as your guide, let this year be a year of bravery, strength, faith, and grace ... for all of us.
Happy 2023!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Hopefully you have all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and
friends! Now, we are in the last few days of 2022 and it's time to
reflect on the year past and make some plans for the New Year to come!
If you don't make plans, then maybe it's time that you started a new tradition
in your own life.
You are never too old to change paths if the path you are on no longer fits
your views of the future., But you must take some time to reflect on the
changes that you might need to make.
I know from experience that my diet and activity levels were not where they
should have been. So a few years ago I decided to make a few
changes. I had to plan my strategy just like I would have planned a big
business idea.
It started with getting more active. My mobility was suffering and something
needed to change. I started small, but made sure that I could do what I
set out to do. I started walking around the block! It doesn't
sound like much but when you have been fairly sedentary for a long time,
around the block may be all that you can do! Make sure your
goal is attainable and sustainable!
After a little while you will find that your stamina will let you walk a
little further. When it feels right, increase your distance, again
making sure it is an attainable goal.
There are many ways to help yourself with those goals and one that I have
found very useful and helpful are my
Nordic Walking Poles. Sometimes my balance isn't all that it should be and these walking
poles really help me feel much more confident when walking outdoors. They just
give me that little bit of stability and they make my walk much more effective
in distance covered and calories burned. After 2 years of walking I am
now working my way to 10kms a day. If I can do it, you can too!
The other part of walking that I love is the quiet! Sometimes you just
need to get away from everything that keeps your mind jumping all over the
place. Getting out in nature is a wonderful way to let go of the "stuff"
that keeps your mind going around and around. As Raintree Annie wrote
yesterday, getting out in nature and really observing all the changes in our
world can be very cathartic and wonderful. Check out her Review
right here!
Now if you need some help with making your plans, maybe you could use a
workbook to help you center yourself and help you create a way forward for
2023. Barbara Tremblay Cipak, another writer here at Review This Reviews
has taken a path to writing about our emotional and mental well-being.
Her book,
"I Need Help Thinking Positive" would be a great help in marking out a new path for you to follow in 2023!
A
Gratitude Journal
might be another way for you to hone in on the changes you'd like to make or
give you some direction in where your interests lie.
One thing is certain, there are unlimited ways in which to make changes in
your day to day lifestyle if that is what you are interested in doing.
The World Wide Web is a resource for learning all kinds of new things.
Broaden your horizons by learning a new language, visit another country
virtually, take a course on hobby that you have been thinking about or check
out a university and see what kind of on-line courses are available.
Many of them are free to join and you could learn about something that twigs
your interests. 2023 is unmapped territory and you can make some plans
to make the New Year a whole lot more interesting, just by preparing a
path.
Might I suggest that you take a walk, think about some things that would
interest you and then when you are back home, check out what the internet has
available. You just might find something that really adds a whole new
dimension to your life.
Happy New Year to All and may all your plans be accomplished as you
take a new step forward!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
What is your life theme for 2020? 5 Life Theme Songs
Last week I reviewed five inspirational quotes to carry you through 2020. This week's review is about musical inspiration.
Which one of these five areas in life do you feel you need to or want to focus on in 2020? COURAGE
For me, strangely enough, for 2020, it's courage. It's strange because I've always been a doer, a person who steps-out, steps-up, and gets things accomplished. I've always had the courage to fight for others, and help them with their tasks and build their goals. However, if I'm honest with myself, my weakness is in fighting for my own goals. It's scary when you're only doing for yourself! To keep myself on track and accountable, I've created a specific plan and told most of my family what it is.
More than ever before, I'm feeling a sense of independence. I can't explain it, except to say that to complete my 2020 career-related goals, I need courage and the discipline to follow the plan I've laid out for myself.
Celine Dion's new song 'Courage' is about her new life without the love of her life, her husband, Rene, and the courage needed to step out of her own comfort zones. However, there are lyrics within the song that speaks to exactly how I feel:
"Courage, don't you dare fail me now,
I need you to keep away the doubts
I'm staring in the face of something new
You're all I got to hold on to
So, courage, don't you dare fail me now"
BELIEF
Whether you're trying to achieve a dream, accomplish a goal, or want to believe in the power of good, Rascal Flatt's Olympic Version of Unstoppable is your song. A few New Years ago, I wrote about this being a choice song to start fresh.
Belief gets us to where we're going. It's hard to hold onto, especially when things come crashing down around us. That's when we have to dig deeper, and believe that there's sun on the other side. Mastering self is the hardest battle we'll fight.
Belief for me begins with realizing that the only person I can control is myself. We can't change other people, we all know that, yet we spend so much mental energy trying to. Letting go, in my opinion, that's the road to self-belief.
HOPE
Is 2020 all about holding onto hope? If so, you'll want to add Natasha Bedingfield's song 'Hope' to your new year's playlist.
Holding onto a positive outlook isn't always doable, that's why we have music. The right song, with the right message, can wake us up and help us see things from a different perspective.
My word is Hope. What's a personal word? It's the word that you choose to govern your life by. My children have even selected their own life words. I'm wearing a necklace with the word Hope written on it; it was a gift from one of my closest friends. I never take it off.
KINDNESS
Is kindness your major theme for 2020? Are you planning to seek out more of it? Or are you going to lead by example and be the best person you can be? I imagine most of us think of ourselves as mostly kind anyway. Maybe resisting those moments we want to be unkind is a way to stretch that kindness goal a little further. Most of those tests are within families, and sometimes online.
If you're looking for a song for 2020 that can help stay within the margins of kindness, add Tim McGraw's gorgeous song, 'Humble and Kind' to your playlist.
GRATEFUL
Are you choosing 'Grateful' as your theme for 2020? Get the tissues out and listen to Josh Groban's song 'Thankful.' The lyrics remind us that each of us must find our truth and that it's so long overdue.
As we look into the face of those we love, and smile, we don't always grasp that, that alone is enough. Appreciating all that we have, it's as easy as that isn't it? Would you agree that understanding the concept of being grateful comes more into focus with age?
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Will you be tapping into the power of one word in 2018? One word, carefully chosen, can make a real difference in living more purposefully in the new year. Debbie Macomber, beloved author of millions, shares with us, in One Perfect Word, how her chosen words have changed her life in profound ways.
For most of us, focusing on one significant word is much more realistic than wrestling with those pesky New Year's resolutions. Over the years, I have set hundreds of resolutions. It would be humiliating to tally up how many of those well-intentioned resolutions I have actually kept. After reading One Perfect Word, I feel confident that I can, and will, experience meaningful growth in 2018. There's no time like the present to begin. Let's get started!
You may be wondering how to select your word. As a Christian, Macomber's process is done prayerfully. Some of her words over the years have included: passion, desire, balance, purpose, seek, wisdom, surrender, trust, believe, and hope. Some people don't have to search very hard for their words. The right words seem to find them. Is there a word that keeps popping up in your life lately? Perhaps that word is trying to get your attention and is saying 'choose me... choose me.'
So once Macomber has her word, what then? Over the course of the year she reads, reflects, journals, meets with friends in her One Word weekly breakfast club for discussions, and enjoys creative Wordplay activities. By giving yourself a whole year to slowly digest the gleanings of your word, there is plenty of opportunity to nourish your spirit without the rush or anxiety of looming deadlines.
It's not just Christians who delve into the One Word system of growth. Individuals of all backgrounds have found this to be a powerful means of achieving desired outcomes. Due to the popularity of this process, there are one word themed books in many different genres. Each of you can choose the method that best speaks to who you are and what you are seeking. Perhaps you will develop a whole new personalized system to share with others in your circle.
This is the second time I have read One Perfect Word. Macomber's book continues to inspire me to become all that I was created to be. For me, it was the perfect way to start my new year. I believe Christian book clubs, Bible study groups, and individuals of faith will find this to be a worthy read.
Have you ever selected a word for the year? Do you have a word in mind for 2018? I would love for you to share in the comment section below.
Happy New Year! May 2018 be the Year of Abundant Becoming.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
