OFF WITH THE OLD AND ON WITH THE NEW
We're more than halfway through the year already and it's been a doozy! I’m not sure where the last 6 months or so have gone but I am sure of one thing – they've given me a greater appreciation for what life is all about, and for the things of the heart that really matter.We've been living in strange and unsettling times with pandemics, protests, politics, and social media throwing it all in our face every time we take a look. I'm hoping that we're on our way out of the tunnel and that life for the remainder of the year is going to be more positive and more enriching.
MY 3 WISHES FOR THE REST OF 2020
In light of that, I wanted to share a couple of "New Year" quotes that I think we could apply to the remainder of the year (let's call them "Rest of the Year" quotes) and we'll start afresh in July! I'd also like to make three wishes for the remainder of 2020.1. AN OVERFLOWING HEART
We all get so focused on an overflowing bank account, or an overflowing refrigerator, or an overflowing wardrobe. These are all lovely, but we've seen what panic buying, hoarding, and stock market plunges can do to the physical things we often place too much importance on. I've also seen on the other hand, generosity, connection, positivity, and hearts overflowing with kindness and compassion. What I wish for the remaining months of the year, is that we'll also be overflowing with love, laughter, goodwill, gratitude, and goodness. No pandemic can steal that away from us.2. A DESIRE FOR PEACE
So much of the news has been full of disease, death, confrontation, rioting, protests and demands. The world has been in upheaval and is calling for change, but it feels like everywhere we turn someone has an opinion on politics, race, religion or whatever and it seems to get more strident every day. My wish for the rest of 2020 is for peace, a time where we don’t confront and demand, where we look for ways to compromise and care about others as we work towards change and acceptance.3. TO TRY SOMETHING NEW
After months of lockdown and isolation, I think a lot of us have become stuck in the rut of doing the same thing and playing safe - and maybe we're all becoming a bit dull, colourless and boring (I know I am!) Perhaps during the remainder of the year we could take a risk and try something new. Take up a new hobby, make a new friend, learn a new skill, become a volunteer, go somewhere we haven’t been before – the list is endless. My wish is for us to charge our batteries and start stepping out of our comfort zones that sheltering at home might have created for us, it's time to start living life to the full again.LIFE IS SHORT
The blessing in the quote above concludes with the message of my #WOTY (SYMPHONY) and that message is that life is short - and we should be living it by being the best we are capable of being. I don't know about you, but that's something I aspire to every day.
BRING ON THE REST OF THE YEAR!
So my hope for the rest of 2020 is that by the end of the year we can look back and smile and say that it was a great year after all, and we are all the better for having lived it. It might have gotten off to a crazy and unexpected start, but we still have plenty of time to turn things around and make sure that it will be a year to remember (and not just for pandemics and protests!) Let’s start living again and making the most of what remains of the year before any more time slips through our fingers.WHAT ABOUT YOU?
How's 2020 looking for you? Do you feel like we could start our New Year's resolutions over again and make a few positive changes? I hope the rest of the year brings you amazing opportunities, beautiful moments, and joyful experiences.
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I like the idea of a redo on the New Year's resolutions!! Or for any goals we may have set for the year. This first six months of 2020 has given so many of us time to reflect on what is truly important in our life. All of a sudden some of the things I thought I needed to do just to be doing don't matter near as much as loving my family does!!
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie - I feel exactly the same way about what the pandemic showed us - the importance of relationships, family, friends etc far outweighs anything else we spent our time on. I feel like the re-set button has been pressed and I'm ready to get on with life with a new perspective.
DeleteHi, Leanne - I love your wishes. I think that I counted four, but either way, they are spot on. Can you imagine the difference to our world if we each regularly practiced just one of these wishes? Thank you for this inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - I probably had another half dozen wishes I could have added in given the time - it's just been such a great time to stop for a moment and to think about how we want the rest of the year to go as we come out of lockdown and start reclaiming parts of our life back again isn't it?
DeleteLeanne, I love your attitude to this. I'm all for a redo. The thing is we can sit on our butts and complain about what is no longer normal or we can make the most of what is normal... I know which one I'll be choosing.
ReplyDeleteI'm right with you Jo - so many people lost a lot, but there was also a lot of positivity and help available. I feel like our government really stepped up to help out and I'm so grateful to live where we do and to see how far we've come out the other side - and hopefully we learnt a lot along the way.
DeleteHi Leanne - You are spot on. In spite of all the depressing tidings of this year, there were so many bright sides. I am looking forward to slight relaxations of all the restrictions that we have tied ourselves into. One thing I am sure, I don't want the world to go back to the bad old ways again. Instead we all should retain the positives we have found during the past six months.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - I know some countries are still doing it hard with new infections and still a high rate of covid, but here in Australia it's pretty much under control and it just feels like things are starting to get a little more normal - I've certainly learnt about what's important to me and what I do (and don't) mind giving up if needed. It's a nice feeling to start to see light at the end of the tunnel again.
DeleteLeanne, I agree how the last 6 months have been a “doozy” and a blur. I appreciate you sharing “New Year” quotes. I like the concept of ‘If I had three wishes.’ “Playing it safe” resonates with me. I think I have been playing it too safe, recently. Something I am working on. An inspirational and thought-provoking post, as always. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Erica - I just feel like the first half of the year disappeared into grey ether and now we're slowly putting our feelers out again and we're ready for a fresh start. I saw the quotes and thought they were so applicable to right now - not just to January!
DeleteAbsolutely agree Leanne, move forward to accepting that there is nothing surer in life than change. Well, that and taxes! Caring for my elderly parents I have seen a stop in their activities due to aging but also being scared to go out. Hopefully, with more coaching they will. Trying something different to boost your confidence and love of life is another good point you made.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne - I think this pandemic has been quite scary for our parents' generation - even my fun loving mum has pulled back and is less social. She was very concerned about getting sick and the risk of it escalating - she's slowly resuming a lot of her outings etc, but with an eye on those around her and keeping her distance.
DeleteWith the Torshlusspanik list, we're always trying new things, and this month is pottery....but with NSW on a knife edge, it's still a little hard to make the most of life...however, we will get there. And even from home there are plenty of discoveries to be made!
ReplyDeleteI love that you always have something new to try Lydia - I struggle to find things that interest me enough to commit to learning the skills needed to do them well. A lot of things are quite expensive too - and I'm such a cheapskate!
DeleteI love your idea of a restart to this dreadful year and your wishes. Unfortunately I can see us still being in isolation for the rest of the year, here in Victoria. But even so I’m planning for the rest of the year to be better than the first half. #MLSTL Sharing
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer - I feel so sorry for you in Victoria, but I think we've all realized that we're one selfish, inconsiderate idiot away from it happening anywhere (look at those two young women in Queensland - just beyond belief!) I think though that we're more "comfortable" with the idea of living in this new normal and maybe that has taken the edge off it a little and allowed us to find some happiness in amongst it all.
DeleteHi Leanne, I love this and hope your wishes are fulfilled. The first one for me rang true. I haven't had any income for weeks while I've been on long-term leave but I realised how little I really need to spend money on. I'm happy without needing a lot of excess stuff. Regards Christina
ReplyDeleteHi Christina - I found the loss of my salary quite confronting when I stopped work last year, but as I've settled into living without it, I'm finding that the joy of living life on my own terms without the stress, far outweighs any treats I might be missing out on. Not needing my income is a godsend - one not everyone can have unfortunately. I hope your return to work turns out to be a happy one.
DeleteSuch lovely quotes Leanne and sentiments. I do hope that the second half of 2020 is better than the first half. I feel that so many of us have had our mental health affected by the constant bad and frightening news. There's a lot of fear. There's been good things come of this time too - a reality check and new found appreciation for what is important and a renewed sense of gratitude for all those things we've been able to do for decades that we have no longer been able to do. On a personal level, I've tried a few new things - watercolour painting for instance. Thanks for your lovely post full of hope and positivity. xoxo
ReplyDeleteHi Min - yes it's been a rollercoaster hasn't it? I think I feel more positive about the rest of the year because our covid cases are so low in WA. Seeing those two selfish, inconsiderate girls bringing it into Qld this week has also made me aware of how quickly things can take a turn for the worst - but we can't live our lives in fear, and I still have faith that the majority are pulling together and looking for the positives is always the best way to approach life. And I love your watercolour efforts - very arty (I'm a little jealous!)
DeleteI do love these quotes. Hard to feel like we're going to get a reset though, when in my state, things just keep getting worse. I feel like I'm hiding out in my house as I work from my dining room table and plan trips for next year.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a horrible situation Jennifer - where I am covid cases are almost non-existant (the few we have are from those returning from overseas and they're quarantining). Once covid gets hold of a community it seems to be very difficult to turn the tide - our govt is being constantly vigilant, but there are still the idiots who don't give a toss about others who make me really cross.
DeleteLeanne, I like your positive outlook. I agree life is short and I do take steps to make the most of every day, including try something new. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie - it's all about positivity for me - being weighed down by the worries does nothing - so finding things to appreciate makes a huge difference. So does finding interesting ways to fill our days and you do that so well!
DeleteYes Leanne, bring on the start of the year from now! I love reading your wishes and thoughts for the rest of the year. Thanks for sharing your positive attitude and wisdom with us. Shared for #mlstl
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - I think we all deserve a bit of a do-over for 2020 and now seems to be a good time for those of us in Australia to start living well again. I think there'll always be the worry in the background that there'll be a covid resurgence (especially when the idiots don't care!) but we can't live in fear, we need to embrace what we have and make the most of it don't we?
DeleteHi Leanne, thanks for such great thoughts! I love the point about an overflowing heart. Wouldn't it be great to just be giving and receiving kindness all day? My main one is to do volunteering for the local community where I live as many have been badly affected financially. I'm just looking into it and hopefully I can start soon. Thanks again for your thoughts x
ReplyDeleteHi Anne - I've always volunteered at something since I was 16 and taught a Sunday School class. I've tried my hand at lots of things along the way and it's so rewarding because you're doing it purely from the heart and so less expectations or disappointments.
DeleteGreat perspective. I don't think we will ever forget 2020 and for those affected by the fires leading up to 2020 I am so concerned for them. We are not far from summer again...and are those people, who are still not housed, face another worrying year. What I do try to do more as these uncertain times are present, is to centre on gratitude and the 'haves' in my life. Hope that we do have a better time ahead, though for us in the eastern states COVID is not playing nice at all. Stay well and safe, Leanne. Denyse #mlstl
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - I am so saddened by the resurgence of covid in the East - and that we're all only one inconsiderate idiot away from having it in our own backyards again. I'm choosing to not think about that too deeply because it just makes me anxious and I'm tired of feeling put out by all the rules and regulations that we have to abide by (while the idiot few flout them and make it all less effective). Roll on the good times again!
DeleteI tend to always wish for contentment Leanne. Not happiness, as it's fleeting but to me contentment combines the sense of being appreciative of what you have even if it's not everything you want. And not constantly desiring more and more!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right Deb - if we could all learn to be content with the many blessings we seem to take for granted, the world would be a much better place. Add in a little kindness to others and we'd have a winning formula.
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