The last two years have been a constant state of uncertainty and change. After a massive shift in my own creative process in 2020, coming into 2021 I wanted to continue to solidify my new routines and habits. Here in rural Australia, life was almost “normal” – no lockdowns or masks in the first half of the year – and real life was business as usual, for the most part. The pause and reset that 2020 had offered now had to co-exist with kids sports and weekly outings and all the things that make up life as a homeschooling mum.

A key part of that was setting myself manageable goals. My word of the year for 2020 – RISE – ended up being exactly perfect for the year, and was reflected in my growth and activity in that year. Coming into 2021, I knew I needed to be more intentional about my word –DIVE – and how I used it. I decided quite early on, I would DIVE into monthly mini goals. These mini goals would help me focus each month on how to actually implement my word. We chatted a bit in our last episode about how we use our words to replace New Years resolutions. It’s good in theory, but only if the words linger in our consciousness longer than the resolutions would.

The mini goals, and the reflection they inspired at the beginning and end of the month, gave me the focus I needed. I would often write a blog post detailing my goals, why I picked them, and what I was hoping to achieve. Sometimes, I didn’t. They always made it to instagram though, and that alone offers a visual point of reflection as I scroll my grid, looking for one post or another. I can see what I had hoped to achieve, and then in my grid, whether I did or not. Sometimes the fun can get lost in the mists of the everyday, and that visual record is a great way to pull myself out of “uh I’ve done nothing this month” funk. Conversely, I might have be half way through the month and have five photos since my goals post, two of which are the SNCA graphic. It’s a reminder to get my butt into gear and reassess both my goals and my diary.

For me, I found it so helpful, I continued to EMBRACE the process in 2022. There have been moments this year where I’ve found it hard to come up with three goals that I feel comfortable sharing. Some of my goals or focus areas are more personal. Some are just boring adulting stuff that don’t make sense to talk about on a craft blog. It isn’t great from a content creation perspective, but even when I’m scrambling to come up with something shareable, it’s a helpful exercise in goal setting and growth.

This week has been particularly busy, and it’s been a good reminder of ensuring I keep a holistic view of my word. It’s not there to encourage me to EMBRACE new projects and new hobbies. It’s also to remind me to EMBRACE the process of building a house in all it’s frustrating slowness. To EMBRACE the fact for some bizarre reason I’ve ended up with sporty children. To EMBRACE the good in the things that have me bouncing from event to event to event.

It’s a reminder that this is only a season. I can get stressed and frazzled and moan about it, or I can EMBRACE the busy and the mess. In the same way 2020 saw me RISE from the doom scroll to instead beat my to-do list into submission, my word this year applies even when life isn’t shiny and productive and full of content-worthy projects.