Well, 2019, it’s been a ride. I’m not one to paint an entire year (or decade) with a single palette, but if there’s one word to describe how my year ended, it’s “tired.” One mammoth work project, an (unexpected) apartment move, a federal election, and countless volunteer hours later, and I’m looking forward to moving into the new year with personal sustainability in mind. Easier said than done – and that’s where this blog comes in.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term “flow state” to describe the act of being pleasurably immersed in an activity. It facilitates greater creativity and generally makes us happier with our jobs (or hobbies… even relationships). Many of us tend to think about stress and burnout as the result of doing too much, but often it’s what we’re doing and how we’re engaging in life’s demands that makes all the difference. By engaging in activities we find meaningful, even challenging, and providing ourselves with the space to really focus our attention and efforts, we find ourselves living in a happier, more sustainable way.
I’m so lucky to work for a charity where I can feel a sense of purpose everyday, but those of us in the nonprofit sector are particularly prone to working beyond our limits, and sometimes accept less-than-ideal conditions because we care so much about the work we do. My goal for the next year is to bring focus to other areas of my life that provide a sense of purpose and joy. To be intentional in how I’m spending my minutes and my days. I want to feel like I’m not just sustaining my life, but experiencing it abundantly.
Who am I exactly? I’m an avid cook. You can frequently find me in a dance or yoga studio. On the weekends, I’ll be in a theatre audience or meandering through a museum. I’m a political volunteer and activist. I’m also a writer.
What I’ll be sharing here is an attempt to bring a little more focus and clarity to how I spend my time and to what infuses my day with joy. There’ll be a lot of recipes, because I know many of us find solace and restoration in the kitchen or around the dining table.
I hope you’ll follow along, and I wish you an immensely fulfilling 2020.
with abundance 