Thrive

• Jaime
• January 14, 2021
• Challenge, Happiness, Inspiration, Juggling life, Mindset
• 3

Happy New Year! I asked all of the ladies on Team Juggling Normal to come up with a theme word for 2021, and we covered all of those last week in our Group Q&A. My word was THRIVE.

I want to live life to the fullest this year. I want to do all the things. I want to ramp my business back up into a rousing success. I want to have fun with my kids.  I want to thrive!

Hindsight is, truly, 2020.

2020 was quite a year. We had some ups and downs, and certainly some major life changes – between the global pandemic, remote school, 6 months of spring break, and a major work transition for my husband, it was a year.

There was so much good last year too! All of the family togetherness took some getting used to (for sure), but our kids rolled with everything. Everyone had their meltdowns and frustrations. And we tried to give when it all became too much at different times.

For us, lockdown after the first two months was just not something we could keep up. Both sets of grandparents decided they would rather take the risks of being with us and being around other people than staying home and not interacting with anyone. Both sets of our parents still work, and in positions that include public interaction. And all four of them missed their grandparent time. We continued to be careful for the second half of the year, but we also added family cookouts, hanging out on the patio or front porch, and expanded our “cohort” if you will to include our parents.

After the school year ended in the Spring, I came up with ways for my kids to start playing with friends again. Riding bikes, sprinkler parties, sidewalk chalk and basketball. We did a lot, and my middle son lived his best life all summer long, being able to ride his bike around the neighborhood and have a little more freedom. Our youngest still struggled a bit, not having as much freedom as her brother, but she also loves to walk between our house and the grandparents’ and play with as many friends as possible.

2020 brought us extra time at home, and we cherished it (for the most part). We were used to traveling, a lot. We also really like our house, and had time to do a few Home Improvement Projects that we had contemplated for awhile.

As I look forward to this new year, I am excited. I am ready for new things. I want to thrive!

What does that mean? Thrive, according to dictionary.com is:

to prosper; be fortunate or successful.

to grow or develop vigorously; flourish.

I want to flourish! We should all strive to do so, each and every year.

Do you get bogged down in the day to day? I know I do.

One of the things I want to do this year is to take some time each week (as I know I won’t each day) to sit back and make sure whatever I am working on is something that fulfills me. I want to make sure that I evaluate myself as I go, and if I do get stuck in a rut, to correct that and not let it last long!

Above all, I want to help people. I want to work on things that are fun. I want to make sure as I move back into more work projects that I take time for fun with kids and don’t get distracted by the noise of things that don’t really matter in the grand scheme.

Isn’t that a challenge all of us have, all the time? To live life to the fullest, all the time, and do more than just getting through each day?

I am a big fan of living – of taking life by the reins and going out there and doing all the things. Living each and every day intentionally is something I truly strive for. And while I don’t always get there, I think all of us are a work in progress, right?

So, to THRIVE. My challenge to myself this year is to do that intentional living, to go out and find things to work on that make me happy, that are fulfilling, and to have fun along the way. To take vacations (please…anywhere) when we can get them. To go out and show my kids the fun in each day at home. To have patience – and all of us lose it sometimes – and stop myself before I lose my temper after I’ve repeated myself 20 times asking the kids to do xyz thing.

It won’t be easy. I am not going to delude myself into thinking that. And I am the first to admit that my life is far from perfect. All we can do is strive to be better, all the time. As I said last year, None of us are Perfect. So, no judgement. Just a goal to be intentional, to live my life and embrace all the things. To thrive.

What is your goal this year? I’d love to hear it.