31 December 2023

Five Things for January

A fond farewell 2023 and Welcome 2024!

Endings and beginnings are a pile of mixed emotions but what's important is that we always overcome the messy parts and find encouragement in the joyful ones.

Dear friend, whether you're a regular visitor to this blog or just stumbled upon it, THANK YOU! I appreciate that you're hanging out with me and I hope you'll discover different ways to turn blah to TADA!

Here are a few things that fit that category:

Moleskine notebook, planner, journal, journaling, pencil, stamps, acrylic block, blah to TADA, photo by Claire Mercado-Obias

A Bullet Journal...TADA!

One of the ways that has helped my productivity is a bullet journal. It's based on the method developed by Ryder Carroll. I  customize the pages to include my appointments for the day, my To Do List, a Gratitude List, and lots of room for thoughts, reflections, and notes. It is a system that I've used for years and I love that I can flip through my old bullet journals to look back on my memories. 

gratitude journal, journaling, notebook, thank you, Museum of Contemporary Art gift shop, blah to TADA, photo by Claire Mercado-Obias

A Gratitude Journal...TADA!

Maybe you have a different method to track your days like a digital calendar or an analog planner. May I suggest having a gratitude journal? A simple notebook or the notes section on your phone will do. Start or end your day with at least five things you are thankful for such as: (1) a warm bed, (2) the scent of freshly brewed coffee, (3) the bus that always comes on time, (4) all who keep us safe, and (5) living a life of purpose. Roald Dahl has a saying, "Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Notice them." I couldn't agree more. 

clock, timer, Ikea, productivity hack, blah to TADA, photo by Claire Mercado-Obias

A Clock Timer...TADA!

There are times I cannot help but multi-task such as getting some writing done while dinner is cooking on the stove. I always set a timer so I don't forget to check on the food! A timer is also helpful when I want to break tasks in small intervals. For example: tidying-up for 15 minutes or creating art in 20 minutes. When the alarm sounds, it's time to move on to the next item on my list.

socks, cozy socks, warm, cozy, blah to TADA, photo by Claire Mercado-Obias

Cozy Socks...TADA!

I got these as a Christmas present and I'm relishing the softness and warmth on chilly evenings. Do you have a similar inexpensive indulgence?

poem, poem about life, Kate Baer

A reminder to fully live this one precious life...TADA!

May grace, goodness, and gratitude fill your 2024!

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