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Monday, January 03, 2022

New Year, New Focus

Happy new year, friends! We arrived back home midday yesterday, and I haven't been able to fully warm up since. I guess I got very used to the warmer temperatures of southwest Florida over the two weeks we were there. We had a nice New Year's celebration with my parents, my brother, and my sister-in-law. On New Year's Eve, we made a spread of appetizers/snacks and watched the Orange Bowl (well, the first half, anyway -- we were rooting for Michigan and were disgusted enough by the first half to turn it off after that). We all went to bed before midnight, though I was probably still awake because people were setting off fireworks and the noise was giving Rainbow trouble as she was trying to fall asleep. On New Year's Day, we slept in and then made a big brunch. I went for my first walk of the year and decided to make it extra long (7.5 miles). Dinner was fancy -- a whole beef tenderloin and lobster tails -- and we had prosecco to toast the new year.

Being in Florida again at the new year brought back some memories from when we were there last, when we started 2020 not knowing what was to come. On New Year's Day that year, I sat down with a new notebook and resolved to start writing in a journal regularly again. It was also the day I settled on a word for the year for the first time. I didn't write in that journal again until March, when things started getting scary, but at that point it turned into a regular practice for me. And now that we've started a new year, it's time for a new word! My One Little Word for 2022 is ...

Something I realized last year, especially through a lot of my reading, was that I was getting a lot of satisfaction from stretching myself and challenging myself. And I'm not talking about stretching physically, though I did that, too; I'm talking about making myself uncomfortable by examining my privilege, forcing myself to choose the perspectives of others who are noticeably different from me, and considering the ways I impact others and the world around me. I have always considered myself to be someone who loves to learn and who never stops learning, but I want to make that more of a concerted effort this year. I want to always have personal growth in mind when I choose what to read, what to make, what to cook, and how to spend my time this year. I want to work on being a better parent, a better partner, and a better citizen. Even with things that I've been doing well for a long time (like knitting), I want to challenge myself. I fully believe that one of the ways we stay mentally healthy as we get older is to learn new things, so I'm hoping that by putting an emphasis on this focus this year, it will become central to my life for years to come.

While I plan to try some new things in knitting, for January, I'm focusing on finishing up WIPs from 2021, specifically the two sweaters I have on the needles:


and my combo spin, which I'm hoping I can finish this week or next, as this is all I have left to spin to finish the singles:

I'm looking forward to hearing all about your word for the year, if you've picked one, and your crafting plans for 2022!

12 comments:

  1. Sorry that you had to leave those warm temps behind but it seems like it was a great time for this break. Growth is another very good word. So many good words!

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  2. Being in warmer temperatures would be a great way to start the new year! There are so many great words for 2022 and I look forward to following your journey through your OLW.

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  3. I always think of you as someone who is open-minded, willing to learn, and grow, so I'm sure focusing on growth will be a wonderful journey! I haven't chosen a word, and don't know if I will this year, but my crafting plans include finishing my Antler cardigan this winter, knitting Hunter Hammersen's new "feather hat", and starting a Musselburgh hat. It's so gray and cold here that I wanted some color, so I just wound a skein of Colorwheel and hope to cast on soon!

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  4. Welcome back to the northeast! I'm so glad you got to soak up some sun and warmth... I'm sure it will radiate from you for a long time! :)

    Growth is such an interesting word. I can't wait to grow with you in 2022!

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  5. Growth has so much potential, it's a wonderful OLW. And warm Florida temps sound wonderful right about now!

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  6. Growth! That is an excellent word choice, Sarah! I love it! I think that you will have an amazing year with growth! XO

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  7. That is such a great word to start the year with - especially during/hopefully after the pandemic when we had to focus a lot on being inside, both physically and mentally. Good luck with your word, I'm curious how it will manifest for you, I hope you have a fantastic time with it! :)

    I really love both of the sweaters. I saw the bright blue on on ravelry and here, and it will look fabulous on you! (I also think that's true for the shifty, and I'm looking forward to see how that one goes on colourwise).

    Have a great year!

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  8. What a good mind set to start a new year. I love the idea of growth and like you I believe one way to age gracefully is to try and learn new things. Growth sounds like it will be an interesting journey. Best of luck on those sweaters. I plan to get back to the sweater on my needles this month.

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  9. What an excellent word for you, Sarah. I'll be eager to watch you "grow" into your word all year. ;-)
    And Happy New Year! I'm so glad you were able to spend the time with your family -- and warm your soul for the cold winter ahead.

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  10. Welcome home! It sounds like Florida was nourishing, and celebratory, and relaxing. All the good things. I'm so glad you were all back there, together, this year. And I'm excited to read about Growth in '22! (I love your visual for that.) Our words have some things in common this year (not a match, like Savor, but definitely some common intentions.) Wishing you a wonderful start to it all.

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  11. What a nice choice for your 2022 word Sarah. I will look forward to seeing where GROWTH takes you!

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