ADVENTURE: "An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome."

I love to choose a word for the year that defines how I would like to live the upcoming 365 days. My word for 2012 is ADVENTURE! I want to fill my days with adventures of all kinds. I want to do things I might not ordinarily do, say, "yes!" when I would usually say, "no," take some chances, connect with people in different ways.

Adventures don't have to be risky but by my definition they are going to be pursuing things I want to do in my life but for some reason haven't so far. Incorporate meditation into my days, run a 50K, start a consistent yoga practice, cook different things for meals, make an effort to nurture friendships, run/bike/swim in a triathlon, publish a new book, raise chickens!

These are some things that come to mind as adventures that I want to pursue this year. I want to keep my eyes open for others that appeal to me. I will listen to that little voice inside that nudges me toward an activity or event or person and say yes to ADVENTURES in 2012!

January 1, 2012

"Forget about those New Year’s resolutions in which you decide on the first day of January how you will be conducting your life for the next twelve months. Instead, set up day-to-day goals for yourself, and then resolve to begin living with present moment awareness for the rest of your life. When you get good at living your present moments one day at a time, you’ll see yourself changing right before your own surprised eyes. Remember, anyone can do anything for just one day, so tune out the sentences that keep you locked into your old self-defeating ways and begin to enjoy each day of your bright new year.

What are some things you've wanted to do for yourself, one day at a time?"

~Wayne Dyer

I love this! Living in the present moment is all there is. The NOW. Living in the present moment for the rest of my life. Really being there for everything I do, every choice I make, every encounter I have. Soaking in the everyday moments with my daughter, sharing time with my husband and doing things we enjoy together, taking in the beauty of the trees and the smell of the air as I run, looking into people's eyes as I talk with them, savoring every bit of food I eat, appreciating the softness of my dog as I rub her belly, really listening to music, feeling my body as I move throughout my day, connecting with my soul as I seek stillness in the midst of my busy days.

Some things I want to do for myself one day at a time?

~Meditate
~Run

~Spend time with my husband

~Grow with my child

~Read books - something for pleasure, something for inspiration

~Write in my journal

~Do yoga

~Cook and bake

~Garden

~Take more pictures and learn more about photography and my camera

~Write stories

~Make time for quiet every day

~Consciously make choices

~Be present

~Have more adventures!

I welcome 2012 with open arms!

End of 2011

2011 has been an amazing year in my life. I made it through half a year with this blog! A fresh year invites me to feel inspired again and record the threads of my days in words and images.

2011 - full of love, accomplishments, growth, ups and down, laughter and tears. I have spent hours in the woods. I have run 1,115 miles I've read countless books. I have enjoyed my family and watched my child grow into an almost teenager! I planted a garden, spent time with friends, took my dog for walks, meditated, did a bit of yoga, baked, worked, rode horses, and so much more.

2011 was a wonderful year and I can't wait to see what 2012 is going to bring and what I am going to bring to it!

Under a Tree

"If you feel peaceful within, you begin to attract more of the peace you desire. Why? Because you're functioning from a spiritual place of peace." ~Wayne Dyer

I am spending a lot of time these days running, thinking about running, planning when I'm going to run. Sunday after my run, I enjoyed sitting under a tree and doing nothing.

There is a lot to be said for just sitting under a tree and not thinking. Just being. My daughter and I spent a great deal of Sunday afternoon sitting under this tree on a big blanket in the middle of a field. We were surrounded by lots of green grass, millions of tiny yellow flowers, 3 sweet horses, and lots of fresh air. We had our sketch pads, and I brought my journal along. We sat and talked and drew and wrote. We just sat at times and breathed together. It was a sacred, slow time and I treasured every moment of it. I want to build more of these moments into my life. Moments where I am outside, savoring time with my child, not doing anything, just being... under a tree.

Quiet

"There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it." ~Minnie Aumonier

After huge thunderstorms and 20 tornadoes touched down in our area, we have been without power for a week now. While it is a bit inconvenient in that we don't have food in the refrigerator, I can't wash clothes in the washing machine, and my bangs look a little crazy, I have actually really enjoyed the lack of the modern convenience of electricity. My house is incredibly QUIET. I don't think about the constant hum of the many electrical devices we have plugged in all the time, but without them, the quiet is so soothing. Quiet has a presence, a sound of its own, a peacefulness to it. I love the quiet.

Without electricity, we have filled our home with candlelight and sat outside playing games or eating or talking. We have worked in the garden and played with our dog. I like the natural rhythm of going to sleep after reading for a bit by booklight and waking with the birds and not an alarm clock. No power means no television and no computer so we've drawn and written and played and spent wonderful time outside instead.

The power folks are working 'round the clock to restore the electricity to my city, but I will really be just fine if they take a little longer to reach my own home.

May!

"I thank you, God, for this amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky, and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes." ~ e.e.cummings

It's May, and my marathon is less than 3 weeks away :) I'm excited about it. I have, for the most part, really enjoyed training and running this winter and spring. The woods are so green now. We have had a very busy spring, and I have not gotten to run in the woods as much as I would have liked. When I have gotten to spend time on my favorite trails, it has been a homecoming. I find that my time amidst the trees refreshes me and rejuvenates me like nothing else. I need that time to "fill my well," and then I'm able to carry that feeling with me as I go about my days.

Blossoming

"The living self has one purpose only: to come into its own fullness of being, as a tree comes into full blossom." ~ D.H. Lawrence

Though I love winter, I am enjoying this spring so much. The woods are filled with every shade of green imagineable! The trees are bursting with blossoms of every hue of pink, purple, yellow, and white. The mornings are cool and the afternoons are warm and breezy. Life feels rich and full and abundant.

I love the idea of following the natural cycle of life. Ebbing and flowing with the seasons. Hibernating in the cold. Blossoming and creating in the warmth. I also love the idea of running a marathon in the late spring. In my mind, these two thoughts actually do have a correlation!

I have always run a fall or winter marathon so I have always done long runs through the sweltering heat of the summer. Often, by this point in my training, I feel just about done, wondering why I thought running a marathon sounded like such a good plan. This experience has been much different. I love running in the cold weather and being able to build up my mileage during the winter months and do long trail runs in the cool woods has been heavenly. I have loved it and looked forward - for the most part - to all my runs this year. My marathon is in late May, and I really think it's the perfect time of year for me. I have been able to "ebb" or "hibernate" by doing solid running weeks, slowing building my mileage, not obsessing about running this winter. Now that it is spring, I am ready to do some really long runs, put in lots of miles in a week, and be ready to go in May. I'm ready to blossom!