The glow of a new year and infinite possibilities…
“Celebrate endings – for they precede new beginnings.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie, author.
First published in 2016, this sketch was completed in one of my many sketchbooks, the Strathmore Visual Mixed Media Journal.
(Mixed media including watercolour, acrylics, pan pastels, in Strathmore Visual Mixed Media Journal.)
Beginnings hold the possibility of renewal in many forms.
Teachers know that each semester begins with the possibility of enthusiastic, energized, disciplined students, supportive parents, better preps, fewer administrative tasks. Of course, within a week, a teacher is well aware which way the wind is blowing for the remainder of the semester. She has to re-evaluate her approach many times during a semester.
Similarly, there is nothing wrong with taking stock of resolutions or goals more than once a year. Questions that I ask myself every now and then:
- Am I spending enough time doing the things I like?
- Is one endeavour preventing me from accomplishing other tasks?
- Is it becoming a factor of stress in my life?
For example, if I spend more time on social media sites, it diminishes the amount of work I can accomplish whether it is working on my art, or getting enough exercise, or even meeting with friends. I am always trying to achieve a balance and not allow one aspect to overtake my life at any given moment.
Ultimately, when I take stock of my achievements, I ask the question: Am I happy with the road I have taken?
For smack dab in the middle of these monthly, or yearly assessments( or recriminations) is the knowledge that time waits for no one.
So do whatever makes you feel most alive while finding room for other interests and possibilities that will enrich your life.
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” – Harvey MacKay.
To all my friends and followers, I wish you time to take care of yourself and your health and your happiness in 2023. Thank you for being there!
Louise
Happy new year! Beautiful painting, I can see why you keep coming back to it.
Thank you Amber!
I have learned that to promise myself something rarely succeeds, but to make a promise to another always comes to fruition, why is that I wonder? Maybe I know I can be lenient with myself and never make any demands that cannot be dealt with.
Sally, the lessons I have learned about setting goals is to 1. break the large goal into several smaller, achievable pieces, 2. set myself time limits to achieve each smaller goal 3. and not be too hard on myself if the goal is not met but rather to continue working towards that goal. Generally, this strategy has worked for me as long as I am reasonable and don’t go overboard! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I loved how she turned out!
I have promised myself to find a new adventure each day… no matter how small or big.
I see wonderful art for you this upcoming year. I feel privileged to watch you grow as an artist!
Thank you Linda. Maybe you should have a blog in which you tell us about your daily adventure! A blog certainly helps with accountability even if I am sometimes feeling like I am sending text and art out into the void! If not the blog, then commit to writing in a journal each day. I think it really helps to document in some fashion. Let me know what you think. Happy New Year!
My new resolution and that i never make resolutions. I am happy with whom i have become but still need to work on certain aspects of my life. But that continues until you pass on. So i wish you the best for2017 and just have fun, travel and paint. Maybe we will see each ither in 2017????????????????????????
Thank you Anne. I completely understand that idea and before I had this wild notion of being an artist, I often didn’t follow through with my new year’s resolutions. I don’t know why we feel we have to start dieting, or exercising or whatever just because we turn the page on a calendar. Nonetheless, I would have some sort of goal in mind in January. But I feel differently about art and I think that through my work I have learned how to succeed at reaching some goals anyway. I feel like time is short and I want to try so many things and I get excited about learning and producing art that I like and that others might like too. So I do have goals but they are not tied to the new year and turning the page on a calendar.
It would be great to see each other again. At least now we are connected so it makes it that much easier to know what is happening in our lives. Cheers and best wishes for 2017.