Happy new year! I’ve chosen refocus as my word for the year ahead. I’m hoping to refocus my attentions on my family and my home, having started the year by stepping away from some of the things that have been taking up a lot of attention, and causing a fair amount of stress.
Last year’s aim was to say ‘no’ more often and to stop taking on too much. I think it took most of the year before I finally managed to put my foot down and say ‘no’ to certain things that were causing a lot of stress and to ask for the time out that I really needed. I’m hoping that this will mean I have the time and space over the next couple of months to refocus on the things that are important to me – my family, my home, and my own needs.
We’ve been doing some sorting out in the house over the last few days and putting new storage units in place in the study and the hall. It’s been quite emotional sorting out through various things, especially things connected with Jessica. This time of year is full of memories of her last hospital stay as well as all the emotions around Christmas and New Year and there have been a lot of tears, but a few smiles too over various memories.
What I’ve been grateful for this week:
- Day 362 – I am grateful for a walk around the Heath.
- Day 363 – I am grateful for a few days spent visiting my family.
- Day 364 – I am grateful that Sophie enjoyed getting to see her friends performing in panto.
- Day 365 – I am grateful that my husband got to see Sophie performing in panto and coped brilliantly with being the target of the dame’s flirting.
- Day 366 – I am grateful for another year of doing a daily gratitude project. I don’t always find it easy to find something to share each day but I’ve managed to find something each day even if it’s something very small or trivial. I’m nine years in with this now and will be carrying it on into 2025.
- Day 1 – I am grateful that Sophie has had fun helping Daddy build his new Lego set.
- Day 2 – I am grateful for opportunities to regulate and burn off energy.
Other things that have made me smile this week:
- Catching up with some of my siblings.
- Doing some crafts with Thomas.
- Looking through old videos on my phone with Sophie.
Joining in with Raisie Bay for Word of the Week.
Good on you for refocusing on you and your family! Sometimes you have to just say no and enough when things are causing you stress.
What lovely photos! It sounds like you all had fun with the panto.
My 366 grateful post was the same as yours, grateful for being grateful even on the hardest days.
Happy new year! Wishing you and your family all the best for 2025. x
Thanks Kim. I love that your 366 grateful post was the same. Wishing you and your family all the best for 2025 too x
So important to get the focus right, hopefully you’ll manage it better this year. Sounds like it’s been a nice family focused week or so. Happy new year
Fingers crossed. I definitely needed the step back. Happy new year to you too.
I remember now that for this year you wanted to be firmer in saying no to things that stress you out or take away valuable time from your family. I’m glad you are getting there. The plan to refocus is good, just to have that reminder to be kinder to yourself. I hope those around you will understand and be more accepting. All the nest for 2025 too!
Thank you, I’ve got good support around me so hopefully that should help with refocusing too. Wishing you both all the best for 2025.
Well done on making the decision to say no, it’s such a hard thing to do sometimes. January is the perfect time to refocus.
It’s amazing that you’ve been sharing your daily gratitude for 9 years, it’s been lovely to read every week.
Your poor husband at the panto! it must have been very funny though.
All the best for 2025 x
Thanks Angela. He coped well with it and gave as good as he got! Wishing you all the best for 2025 too.
Refocus sounds like it was much needed! Good for you, sometimes we forget to fill up our own cup before we can pour into others.
Sounds like you had a lot to be grateful for too.
Happy new year & here’s to Refocus!
I’ve definitely been guilty of that over the last year. Happy new year to you too.
Sometimes it’s really hard to start saying no to others, even when we know it’s the best thing for us to do. There are days when I too find it hard to find a One Daily Positive in my life that I’ve been doing for now for 11 years, but your daily gratitudes don’t have to big events.
No, you’re right, the positives can be small things. Well done for keeping going with your daily positive too.
Happy New Year! Refocus is a great word, I think I feel the same this year. I’ve spent too long worrying about how I can cope without my husband, and now I know for sure I can. De-cluttering seems to be on everyone’s mind. I have to do it because we have a damp problem that needs sorting and we have to get rid of a lot of stuff.
Good luck with your refocusing too Anne and with the decluttering.
Happy New Year!
Refocus sounds like a perfect goal for this year. I hope you can achieve it and it looks that you hit the ground running by saying no to things that were taking too much of your time.
Thank you. Happy new year to you too.