Balance.

Balance.

(Before I begin my yearly blog post, I have to mention what a hoot it is that every year, as I log in to WordPress, I have to relearn how to use it, since its interface changes from year to year. So I apologize that it’s not very “polished”!) 🙂

If you’ve been reading my yearly blog posts for the past half-decade or so, you know that I choose a year that I want to utilize as a reminder. Last year’s was “fulfillment”, and I got that in copious amounts. This year, I’ve chosen “balance”.

Lots of things happened this past year that made me realize it IS possible to work too much, even when that work brings you ridiculous amounts of joy. When my mom died in June, my sister and I took the week off, which is unusual for both of us (we had a strong work ethic instilled in us from both parents). We did things “our Mom” would’ve loved, if she would’ve been able. (She died of complications due to her dementia, congestive heart failure, and COPD.) We actually had fun, as weird as that is to say. And I realized that week that the world didn’t end when I stopped working.

Of course, the week later, and subsequent weeks leading up to Mom’s memorial service in August, I didn’t leave much time for thinking or grieving. Part of it was the fact that I had obligations I needed to fulfill, but I was also keeping busy to maybe stop thinking about things I didn’t want to think about. When that day in August rolled around, and I could be fully present, it was one of the best days of my life, seeing how much my mom was beloved. (Grief is complicated.)

Right after that weekend, I had some major classes to prepare for, art fairs to work, and multiple exhibits looming – right up until the end of the year. It wasn’t until two major migraines in mid-fall utterly sidelined me that I realized – I have to build some downtime in my life!

So therein lies the balance – my “one word” for the year. I want to make more time for my dear family this year (my sister and I have a dollhouse to build!). I want to take day trips with my husby, Brian. I want to not feel guilty for spending the whole day with dear friends, doing the things we love to do.

I say this with the knowledge that I have MAJOR projects in the works this year – I’ll be debuting those projects in next week’s newsletter. But a life without breaks – what is that? That’s burnout, waiting to happen. So I’ve already got some really fun things planned with my friends and family in the early part of the winter. And I’ll also be hunkering down, ready to work. I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings!