2017 in Review: Theme Word Reveal for 2018

23 days until 2018! It is always in December that I  reflect on the past twelve months and seek a theme word for the coming year. I enjoy looking back because I am so busy that I'm always onto the next big thing and what I did last week is gone from my memory. Blogging helps record that for me. When I started this blog, I had so many ideas spilling out of my mind onto the screen. When I go back and read some of my posts, my favorite blogs are about little observations along the way. This year I feel like I've lost the ability to write that way. I have a ton of excuses as to why this has happened but nothing I really want to put out there. That's what my journal is for. And, dude, my journal has many pages filled this year. I haven't blogged about a lot of things that have happened this year. There have been many joys along the way but there have been some super painful events that I am still trying to wrap my mind around. I tend towards denial as a coping mechanism for life. Alcohol and food are not an option for me. I have an even larger tendency to fold into myself when things aren't all positive and happy.

Still. Good things have happened.

• Trip to Hawaii (one week)
• Started to volunteer photography for dog rescue
• Weekend trip to Mt. Hood with wonderful women friends
• Nashville trip
• Started new eating plan for life
• Visit from my son and beautiful daughter-in-law (they gave me a car!)
• Girlfriend trip to Lincoln City (one whole week!)
• Trip to Lincoln City with the hubs (one whole week!)
• My doctor proclaimed I am no longer obese in November (lost 35 lbs)
• 4th Annual birthday celebration with hubby and good friend
• Got a standing station for my desk at work (game changer!)

Three whole weeks of vacation! When I see it in writing, it amazes me. I need vacation more often these days. Our next destination is Fairbanks, Alaska in July for a family reunion. I am very much looking forward to that.

The trip to Hawaii was the last time we'll go there. While I was able to relax and enjoy the sun, we've become bored with it.

That trip to Mt. Hood was the last time we would share laughter with a sister who lost her battle with breast cancer. I was there the day she died in May. I'm still grieving. I hope she knew how much we'd miss her. She looked so good in April that I was in total denial that she was dying. See? I think it's a super power, this denial thing. 

I've always wanted to spend a week at the Oregon coast and I got to do it twice this year. How lucky am I? Both weeks we had fantastic weather. I think we'll do it again next year. Even if it had been raining, I would have enjoyed being there. Hubby and I enjoyed it far more than the Hawaii trip.

My volunteer gig afforded me a chance to meet new people and up my photography skills. There have been some challenges with that. One word: Cats. I fall in love with all the dogs I meet. It is rewarding to see them find forever homes and have had a small part in helping that happen.

The Nashville trip holds a special place in my heart. I loved everything about Nashville and would definitely go again. People are so nice there. And, it's very green. We had some touching, raw conversations while there that changed me forever.

My new word theme for 2018 I think will be resist. It came up last week while I was journaling and it has been on my mind a lot so I believe I'm supposed to adopt it. Last year my theme word was move. I feel like I leaned into that word as much as I could. Move(ing) meant more than just in the physical sense.

 

Enough about me. What happened in 2017 for you? Do you have a theme word? If you don't, what would it be if you did? Tell me!

 

love, susan