Visualizing a New Year

I’m not big on the typical New Year’s celebrations and I’m not one much for making resolutions that ultimately fall apart a few weeks into January.  I do like ritual, though.  I’ve got a big pot of black eyed peas soaking on the stove, I think we’ll open all the windows wide again this year to shoo the old stuff out and I always like to take the time to do something reflective.  Last year, I wrote Through What Lens Do You See the World? modeled on the NPR series "This I Believe."  This year, I decided to finally complete a project I’ve had planned for quite some time: create an ever present, concrete representation of my vision of a life well worth living.  I love the finished result.

Though you could do this any number of ways, I like this layered plexiglass frame for several reasons.  First, it captures a variety of my many interests/goals and makes me think of a patchwork quilt where all the pieces are independent of one another but when combined create a beautiful, satisfying design.  Sounds like a good life, eh?  I prefer that, unlike a collage, when you put the pieces in they are not permanent.  You can easily slide them out and put new images in their place as your needs or interests change.  I like the layering effect that allows you to place more important things in the foreground.  Lastly, the images are large enough to have an impact but the whole thing is compact enough that it doesn’t dominate a space.  I purchased this from a big box craft store near us and with a 50% off coupon it was only about $10.

I got the frame and then spent some time thinking about what I wanted to make sure I was weaving into my life in the coming months.  I then went in search of images that created a feeling in me and that were aesthetically appealing—things that I would be compelled to look at.  The final product is composed of a few of my own photos, magazine clippings and Google images.  For me, they represent staying in touch with my dreams--even those that seem less practical but continue to call to me (there was a time that I really wanted to be an alpaca farmer), continuing to stretch myself physically and creatively, creating balance and regularly making time for self-care, taking time to play my new recorder, getting back to frequenting my local farmer’s market to buy and eat fresh and local, incorporating more enjoyable physical activity into my routine, further simplifying by adding more handmade and pure products to my home, walking with my husband and doggie, expanding my garden and preserving more food with my family and continuing home and creative projects.

My current ideal life vision, which is pretty, inspiring and flexible, hangs right in my line of vision just above my desk where I type right now as a constant reminder of what gives my life meaning and pleasure.  I’m ready for the new year!  If you don’t have the time or the desire to represent your vision in this way, try a collage or write a series of “I will…” statements or pull out your journal or a piece of construction paper and create a mind map or a quick sketch—anything that you can put In your line of vision or refer to often.

What special traditions or rituals do you have to make the transition to a new year meaningful?