"December 2010 was memorable. Alongside Gwen Bell and Cali Harris, I poured my heart into a passion project we called Reverb 10. It was an online community initiative with daily prompts for the entire month.
The month’s focus was on sharing stories, featuring inspired authors, and diving deep."
Things are different this year; Gwen, one of the founders of Reverb 10, has chosen not to participate this year. The initiative is in our hands. I am going with a lady called Meredith's prompts (below) to make this December a time of reflection, completion and diving deep as I love to do.
I would love it if you'd join me.
So, here they are: the 31 prompts I'm using this December... (thanks to Meredith!)
- Reverb: How did your 2011 shape up? Did it meet your expectations? Did your words manifest during 2011?
- One Word (Written by Gwen Bell): Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you?
- Community (Written by Cali Harris): Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2011? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2012?
- Book (Inspired by Gwen Bell): What was your favorite book this year? Why?
- Blog Find of the Year (Inspired by Gwen Bell): Share the love — which blog did you discover this year?
- Local Love: Tell us about a local business you discovered this year. What makes them stand out from the crowd?
- Project (Inspired by Gwen Bell): What project did you start this year? How did it go? What will you start next year?
- Map: Imagine a map existed, guiding you towards your dreams. Try to envision the route. How are you going to map out your dreams for 2012?
- What Matters Now (Inspired by Seth Godin): Think about the here and now. What matters most to you right now? How are you going to nurture what matters in during 2012?
- Reframing (Inspired by Patrick Rhone): How are you framing yourself and your life? Could you reframe things going into 2012?
- Time: Time is a valuable resource. Did you spend 2011 wisely? What can you do to maximize your time during 2012?
- Health: How did you treat your body this year? You only get this one vessel one time around. How will you treat your body next year?
- Path (Inspired by Patrick Rhone): Patrick Rhone tweeted “some times the best path chooses you.” What path has chosen you?
- Follow Your Heart (Inspired by Teresa Deak): Where will you follow your heart to in 2012?
- Travel (Inspired by Tara Hunt and Gwen Bell): Think of a place, trip, or event that really resonated with you. Tell us about it, how you felt, what you did, who you were with, etc.
- Foodie Friday, Reverb Style: Food nourishes us. Some foods give us more enjoyment than others. Share your favorite food moment of 2011. Describe the food, where you got it, and/ or how you made it.
- Wisdom (Written by Susannah Conway): What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
- Action (Written by Scott Belsky):When it comes to aspirations, its not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?
- Appreciate (Written by Victoria Klein): What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?
- Lesson Learned (Written by Tara Weaver): What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?
- Healing (Written by Leoni Allan): What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2012?
- Beyond Avoidance (Written by Jake Nickell): What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)
- Achieve (Written by Tara Sophia Mohr): What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.
- Photo (Written by Tracey Clark): Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.
- Gift (Written by Holly Root): This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?
- Defining Moment (Written by Kathryn Fitzmaurice): Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.
- Stories (Inspired by Molly O’Neill): What stories touched your heart this year? How will you find and cultivate the stories of 2012?
- Insightful Peace (Inspired by Kate Inglis): Describe a moment in which you felt at peace, gained insight of your situation, and/ or realized everything would be okay.
- New Friends (Inspired by Martha Mihalick): Tell us how a new friend changed your life or perspective this year.
- Letting Go (Inspired by Alice Bradley): What do you need to let go of to move forward in 2012?
- Resolution: Did you stick to your 2011 resolution(s)? What’s your resolution(s) for 2012?
Where did 2011 begin? (Wrote this and then chose different prompts to follow.. from tomorrow I'll be using the ones above)
2011 began in a working men's club, dancing to 'Time Of My Life' from Dirty Dancing as Nige concluded a great night of DJing. There were firemen, there was a broken arm or leg (I can't remember which) and there was dodgy dancing galore. We went for a New Year's kebab and fell into bed full of hope and expectation.
At the start of the year, I was working for Think Productive as their Public Workshop Manager and Finance Administrator - a job which came out of me asking if I could intern with Graham Allcott and which saw me become CEO in a matter of months. I starred as a vampish Temple Maiden in a local pantomime, "The Pompeii Panto" and had my first proper crash on my mountain bike, injuring my neck and putting me off of off-road mountain biking for good.
I was still lodging at the time and was itching to move in with Nige - who had just proposed! On 1st January then, I was a fiancee for the third day in my whole life. It was a magical, heart-fluttering experience and I beamed from ear to ear for days.
I set intentions for the year (which, surprise surprise, I didn't entirely stick to - except for the intention to spend time with my gorgeous - and very funny - friend Liz at least once a month. That one we have stuck to. Love you Liz.)
All in all, 2011 shaped up to be a pretty massive year.
Here are some key highlights:
- Got made a CEO. Then quit my job.
- Became Editor of a quarterly international personal development magazine, The Ripple.
- Starred in Annie! as a baddie alongside Nigey :)
- Started a women's circle
- Assisted on a life-changing workshop
- Got a road bike
- Went on my first proper two day cycling tour with Nige
- Rode 45 miles and hour downhill - aaaaarrrrrrgggggghh!
- Watched - and fell passionately in love with - Le Tour de France
- Returned to English Teaching
- Moved in with my beautiful soul mate
- Got a stunning engagement ring
- Got paid to write for the first time in my life
- Witnessed a birth
- Became a Godmother
- Saw family every month
- Did the Best Year Yet process (amazing)
- Took singing lessons and sang a solo in a concert
- Finished a diploma in Life Coaching
- Got careers coaching
- Started gardening
- Started weight training consistently
- Said Yes to choreographing a musical in 2012
- Gave blood, found out my bloody type and started eating right for my type (A, the vegetarian type, if you're interested)
- Did the Screw Work Let's Play 30 Day Challenge
- Made amazing new friends (Lian, Anna, Helene.... you rock)
- Strengthened and deepened other friendships (Brooke, Julia, Liz, Alia, Nige, Lisa Marie)
- Let go of other ones... Sending love your way
- Rode my bike a LOT
- Was angry a lot, sad a lot, joyful a lot, in love a lot, fearful a lot, alive A LOT
- Started to slip again around binge eating
- Grew my hair from a crop to shoulder length (but I think I might get it all chopped off again... ssh!)
All in all, not a bad year at all :)
Love,
Elloa xx
No comments:
Post a Comment