Aaahhh!! Only MARCH and I’m posting my first One Little Word video update for the year. You can see my 2014 updates here, or on my YouTube channel.
The Maya Angelou quote I mentioned is actually a Zora Neale Hurston quote (oops), and is from Their Eyes Were Watching God: “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” You can find more Zora Neale Hurston quotes here (and quotes that are actually from Maya Angelou here).
One of the first places I ever heard the idea of time as currency was from a writer and thinkers who greatly influenced me as a young mother: Amy Dacyzyn. She writes about frugality from a practical perspective, but what I loved about her books most were the essays where she tied the idea of monetary frugality into a wider context of stewardship and value and investment and family (and she does it all with a self-deprecating humor and sense of adventure that make spending less sound super fun). I refer back to her ideas again and again, and can’t recommend her books highly enough. A short article where her work is discussed is here and a longer article with more background is here.
Read more about the idea of stewardship here. A broad interpretation of this definition forms the basis of the list I’ve created to work through during 2015, specifically by looking at the ideas of ownership, responsibility, accountability and reward (and because it’s me, I’m always working to see where these ideas fit into my life in the least lame, self-righteous way possible. There is no room at my house for a high horse, so we’re talking about the FUN kind of stewardship, where no one has a stick up their behind). The segments or topics I’ve already been examining this year, and which I’ll focus on in my monthly updates, include:
- time
- health (fitness and food both)
- relationships (in my marriage, with my children, with friends)
- home & housekeeping
- intellect
- emotions
- spirit
- money
- work & career
- environment & the world beyond my home
And if you got an earworm, you can listen to I Would Walk 500 Miles on YouTube. You’re welcome.
Next post coming next week: segment #1, TIME. See you then!
Shalini
March 28, 2015 at 2:21 amDear Deborah,
What a gorgeous video. Love that you are just a crazy as always (meant in the nicest way) 😀 Love your word STEWARDSHIP.
My words last year were SLOW AND EASE. This year it’s PRACTICE. Practicing centering, calm, being PRESENT, feeling fully into the moment and falling back asleep when I wake at 3am, brushing my teeth nightly instead of falling into bed exhuasted, cleaning as I go. Practicing bringing my thoughts back into ones that serve me, practicing mindfulness as I go through my day. Practicing giving myself graces and permissions.
Last year the slow and ease helped me say YES to what I actually want, which was like you clearing the decks to make SPACE and this year its filling it with all the goodness and gratitude I feel in it.
Look forward to your videos.
Warmly,
Shalini
Deborah
March 30, 2015 at 12:27 pmI love these words. I love how they carry the idea of taking care of you so you can take care of others, and how you’re using them in all their meanings. Can’t wait to hear how this year’s word goes for you!! 🙂