FINDING DELIGHT IN THE YEAR AHEAD

cresting the hill

THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR

Well, Christmas and New Year's Day have been and gone and it's time to settle into the year ahead. I feel like each year somehow is a little better than the last. I'm not sure if it's Midlife that gives me such contentment, or whether I've just found my groove and I'm genuinely happy with the life I have. Whatever it is, I'm grateful every single day for this age and stage.

That being said, it's the beginning of 2025 and time to choose a new Word of the Year. I've tried New Year's Resolutions, and Bucket Lists, or ignoring it all and just getting on with another year, but none of those really resonated with me until I came across the idea of choosing a Word that feels right and helps guide me through the year ahead.
Read more »
Posted by at 44 comments
Labels: , ,

CHRISTMAS AND THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR

cresting the hill

IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

I can't believe that it's going to be Christmas in a couple of weeks - where has the time gone? There's a saying that says "the days go slow but the years go fast" and I can certainly relate to that. My life goes quietly and calmly along each day, the occasional challenge, but on the whole it's just a slow and gentle meander. I find slow living to be such a joy - no hustle and bustle, just a pace that I set and adjust as I need to. I am finally fully in charge of how I spend my days, and I am so in love with that.

So..... two weeks until Christmas and three until the end of another year....
Read more »
Posted by at 32 comments
Labels: ,

MY YEAR OF CULTIVATING INNER EQUANIMITY

cresting the hill

LOOKING BACK AT A YEAR OF EQUANIMITY

I chose Equanimity as my Word of the Year for 2024 to remind myself to be less impacted by the world around me and more centered and grounded within myself. It turned out to be a good choice because I had a few glitches in my Matrix during the year that made me question my loyalty and commitment to who and what I thought was important in my life.

Nothing too big or upsetting, but little upheavals that were determined to undermine my sense of calmness and surety. I find it really interesting how choosing a Word for the Year plays out over time and how it's often been really helpful in guiding my thoughts and responses.
Read more »
Posted by at 18 comments
Labels: ,

TEN YEARS OF BLOGGING - LOOKING BACK AT A DECADE OF SHARING MY JOURNEY

cresting the hill

TEN YEARS AGO....

Back in November 2014 I was at a bit of an impasse. I was in my early 50's and felt a bit lost and unsure of what middle age had to offer. It all just seemed a bit grey and dull, with very little to recommend it. Work was tedious, my life was a little blah, the kids had left home and were happily settled and independent..... Who was I now? What was there to look forward to? How do I process it all?

I had this idea that I needed to write it all down somewhere to work it through, and hopefully I'd figure things out. But where do I do that? Completely out of left field, I decided to start a blog. I didn't know anyone who blogged, I didn't really even know what blogging was, but I googled it (as you do) and I was off on a new adventure.....
Read more »
Posted by at 24 comments
Labels:

LOOKING BACK AT A SUBLIME SPRING

 
cresting the hill

LOOKING BACK AT THE SPRING THAT'S BEEN

I love Spring - I think I even prefer it to Autumn. It's so nice when the cold, rainy Winter days start to slide into warmer, sunny times. It's wonderful to get up on a Spring morning and to take a stroll around the neighbourhood, seeing more people out and about, flowers blooming, and the sun shining - it just feels joyful.

It's been three months since I wrote my last update and today I wanted to share a few of the highlights from the family, the blog, and life in general - I hope you'll enjoy them too.....
Read more »
Posted by at 20 comments
Labels: ,

4 THINGS I WILL NEVER DO AGAIN NOW I'M IN MY 60'S

cresting the hill
 

A TURNING POINT WHEN TURNING 60

When I turned 60 I wrote a post about the things that don't matter anymore. That was a couple of years ago and I've realised that I've become even firmer in my boundaries and expectations since then. I've always been prone to accommodating other people and putting my own needs second, but now I'm drawing a much deeper and wider line in the sand when it comes to what I'll accept and what I will never do again.

Today I'm sharing a few areas that I've noticed I've become stronger in and more committed to.....
Read more »
Posted by at 28 comments
Labels: , ,

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY - AND HERE'S SOME GIFTS I'M GRATEFUL FOR

cresting the hill

ANOTHER YEAR OLDER AND MORE TO BE THANKFUL FOR

I can't believe that another year has glided by, it feels like I'm in a stream that keeps flowing and taking me along with it. Every year brings with it some new lessons, some thoughts, and some changes in perspective. I truly believe that the first third of life is about discovering yourself, the second third is about establishing yourself and your family, and the third third is about introspection, gratitude, creativity, and investing into others.

So, as I sit here with my morning coffee and think back over the last year, I thought I'd share a few things I'm grateful for.....
Read more »
Posted by at 30 comments
Labels: ,

YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE YOUR AGE, BUT YOU DO GET TO CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE

cresting the hill

AGING IS INEVITABLE

No matter whether we feel our age or we feel a couple of decades younger, the reality is that we are aging and there is a process that we need to come to grips with. We can accept it, we can fight it, we can deny it, we can resent it, we can complain about it.....or we can choose to make the best of it.

I've passed the 60 milestone and my mind sometimes finds that hard to believe. I don't feel "60" and I don't feel like I'm heading rapidly towards becoming a senior citizen, but it's a fact that I can't change or reverse - I can only accept it and decide what I want to do about it...
Read more »
Posted by at 22 comments
Labels: , ,

LIVING LEAN AND LIVING CLEAN - HOW TO LIVE A CLUTTER FREE LIFE

cresting the hill

LIVING LEAN AND LIVING CLEAN

I'm not sure why, but I've never been a big spender and I don't tend to get caught up in wanting to buy the newest gadgets, fashions, or fads. I guess I'm a bit of a "less is more" kind of girl, and that's been a bonus when it comes to keeping down the clutter in our home and maintaining a tidy environment.

What I've noticed though, as the Western world has seemingly become more and more affluent, is that many people with spare cash tend to spend it on possessions. They fill their homes with furniture, gadgets, clothing, shoes, beauty products, and so much more. I think "less is more" has been replaced with "more is more" these days, and it all takes time to maintain and organize. Recently I received an email from one of the lovely women who read my blog that said (in part):
Read more »
Posted by at 32 comments
Labels: ,

THE ERAS, SEASONS, AND CHAPTERS OF MIDLIFE

cresting the hill

MIDLIFE CHANGES

Midlife brings with it so many discoveries, challenges and changes. I can't believe how much I've learned about myself (and others) over the last decade or so, it's like the blinkers came off at 50 and I've just found more and more layers to peel away or develop.

I've come to see that it's not a switch that gets flipped, but a series of stages that we grow through - different eras (a Taylor Swift reference there if you missed it) that link together to create a new way of being. Today I thought I'd share some of those eras, seasons and chapters.....
Read more »
Posted by at 22 comments
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)