#Cultivate2012 Gift

Gift: We cannot deny that December seems to hold a great many gift-giving holidays. What’s the best gift you gave to someone else this year?

The best gift I gave was a small, motorized car for my youngest son. He showed an interest in our neighbor’s daughter’s car, and he’s been so happy to go outside. and “drive” along the road. He sits in it with such a content smile.

The best gift I received was the money to pay off one of my smaller student loans and fix our van. My grandmother really saved the day for us by doing so, and it’s freed up funding to pay down other debts. I can’t express enough how happy I am to have two important things handled. We only have our van, and it means the difference between managing our lives and being stranded in a rural community.

The best gift I gave myself was this Cultivate project. I’ve explored so much within my psyche, and I’ve opened lots of doorways for myself to heal my wounds. I wouldn’t have achieved this state of peace if I hadn’t taken the initiative to change my life.

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#Reverb11: Gift

Gift (Written by Holly Root): This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

The best gift was offered to me ten days ago by a very dear friend. She’s my blog buddy and has been for quite some time now. Nicki of Suddenly Not So Single Journey gave me a copy of her newest book, Live the List. Live the List is one part narrative, one part self-help, and one part inspiration. At a time in my life when the ups are fewer and farther between and the downs are crushing, soul-shattering moments of hopelessness, Live the List reminded me that everyone needs to find moments of happiness in even the toughest situations. It reminded me that spring always follows winter — that spring is coming, and I need to bundle up just a bit longer before the new blooms of opportunity and hope begin to appear once more. Live the List inspired me to gather my family together on New Year’s Day for some good family bonding over listing our goals and intentions for the year. I want to remember to “find my happy,” just like Nicki does. Even now she’s still finding her happy, even while on bed rest — life or death bed rest that could result in not only the death of her unborn baby girl but also the death of herself. If she can find happiness while doing her very best to fight for her daughter’s survival, then I should have no trouble at all finding happiness. And while I’m almost 36 hours late on this post, I’m glad I’m writing this review today because I’ve once again remembered that I must work extra hard to be happy. I can’t just flop on the couch and bemoan my woes. I have to get up, dust off the misery, and find the nearest opportunity for a smile. And so should you. Grab a copy of Live the List and get inspired to start living for those moments of happiness. Start living with the intention of being happy, even when the line seems ten miles long. While you’re waiting, you just might find a good reason to smile, giggle, or have a belly laugh.

*Note: I decided to skip the Defining Moment prompt. I reread it and realized I was about to give myself the same headache as I did last year — only this year I’d get the headache of attempting to determine a defining moment. Let’s leave obscurity out of this process of reflection and manifestation.


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Reverb 10: Final Batch

So, I read @whollyjeanne’s advice about writing the reverb10 posts, and I’m going to heed her words to send backlogged prompts out in a batch and not to write a book about them. Admittedly, I don’t quite have the photo I want for the photo prompt, so I suppose that’s just going to have to wait. Anyhow, on with the prompts….

12/24 Prompt: Everything’s OK. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

I actually had a moment of that, although I cannot remember the date, time, etc. I had made mention of it to Brian, that I had a calm sense of being at peace with the impending move. During 2011, I intend to try and remember that I had a sense of peace with this change, knowing it was the right thing to do — even when I doubt it.

12/27 Prompt: Ordinary joy. Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

Much like the previously stated “moment,” I really can’t remember one explicit time, place, etc. However, I can say that any moment in which the kids were all calm, getting along, and being unusually angelic provided me with ordinary joy. Any moment in which my husband and I enjoyed together doing anything or nothing at all provided me with ordinary joy. Ordinarily I can enjoy even the simplest of life’s pleasures, even in the toughest of times when it feels like the whole world wants to see me fail miserably.

12/29 Prompt: Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

It’s funny how a lot of these prompts essentially kept forcing me to reflect on the same painful memory that I’ve tried so hard to block out — getting fired. However, it really did define the rest of my year. The only other competitive moment was the moment in which I accepted that job in the first place. I never felt comfortable with that decision, and I do still beat myself up over ignoring my instincts.

12/30 Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

I was given the gift of more time. Time is a glorious thing.

12/31 Prompt: Core story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

What’s at the core of my story? Could it be struggles? Overcoming obstacles? Fighting through things? Learning lessons? I read through my reverb10 posts and remembered the pattern I began to see as I reflected upon 2010 — as well as life in general. I’m an emotion individual with strong convictions about life and how to live it. I can be incredibly hard-headed, even when I know it’s time to change course. In fact, it took me five months to realize I needed to let go and relocate. I don’t always give myself enough credit. I’m new school and old-fashioned all at the same time. I’m sentimental and enjoy traditions. I dream big. I set a lot of goals. I take on a lot of projects — self-assigned and otherwise. I can only be myself.

***

We’re already halfway through January 2011, and thus far I’ve been much more introspective than anything else. I believe that once I complete the chores and business I have with 2010’s lasting effects, I will move forward a little more lightened. I also suppose I will eventually get to that photo prompt, too.

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