2017 | A Year in Reflection
Another year coming to a close, I find there is heightened energy around this time. People can feel more rushed with Christmas or perhaps it creates a bit of anxiety for some. Expectations weigh on people as the 'New Year Resolutions' that were made perhaps didn't exactly stick. Energy can definitely feel heavier. When really, why does it have to? Every night when we place our head on our pillow, this is a refreshing start. We can experience reawakening & evoke change, if we so choose.
Instead of putting ourselves through this turmoil, I prefer to simply reflect. What did I learn, how did I morph as a human, what acts of kindness imprinted on my heart the most, what milestones did I reach & how did I explore this life of mine. This opens up a space of wonder & curiosity, rather than feelings of regret, dissatisfaction or expectation. Making mistakes, falling down, taking wrong turns & learning how to get back up & navigate again is so powerful & is a process that could be cherished & celebrated.
This opens up a space of wonder & curiosity, rather than that of regret, dissatisfaction or expectation.
This year I have learnt a multitude of things & I have immersed myself in environments of learning & education, that were at times uncomfortable. Whereas in 2016, the thought of taking in anymore data seemed overwhelming. This year I feel that I have been a sponge for information, always absorbed consciously. I feel there is such a thing as taking in too much or being to inspired, which can lead to high expections or feelings of unworthiness; another reason why I am conscious about the media I consume. This year also saw me re-learn my first language, Italian & starting to work with a tutor has been so incredible to allow reconnection to my heritage & culture. I have also placed importance on reading a varying array of books as I can tend to stick to the self-development topic.
2017 saw me open myself up to my innate creativity, in such an untouched & unfilterd ways. Creating in whatever form I felt called to & not attaching to how it looks, but rather how it feels. This has had a poignant impact on how I work within YCL, how I spend my down time in my home studio, how I view the world & how I witness beauty within my daily life. It's created an immense appreciation around something as simple as a word I might connect to in a book or the form a flower takes, that I see on my morning walk. It has opened up a space of safe creation & now I could not imagine my process as a designer, or my life, without having cultivated this space. It's allowed me to shed the stories we tell ourselves, one of mine being 'I cannot be a designer because I can't draw' & simply create.
I would love to invite you to also think abought what you explored this year, & how you may have navigated through adverse situations. Shine a light on all those moments you made someon smile by a kind word you spoke or by something loving you may have done. For it is these small acts that carve out the magic in your daily life & the person you are, rather than what you may or may not have acheived. Allow all that 2017 was to be & be open to the wonder & possibilities not only 2018 has for you, but that everyday is presented to us. We experience, when we open our eyes & see.
