As 2018 was coming to an end, I found myself scrambling to understand where the time had gone. Did I accomplish what I set out to do for the year? Did I spend my time the way I intended?
It was hard to say exactly if I accomplished what I intended because quite frankly, I lost sight of what my heart was after about halfway through. Sadly, I couldn’t even remember what my word of the year was.
But that’s not to take anything away from 2018, because it was most certainly a year full of celebration, a year full of good company and a year full of memories I never want to forget. It also held some pretty big moments including transitioning our business completely and then conceiving our first baby! And I think it was right after both of those things happened, my mindset began to change.
All of a sudden, time was of the essence. Time spent with others, time spent caring for myself and time spent building a business with purpose became increasingly more important to me. But not so much as to when I was carving out time for each of those areas of my life but HOW I was spending that time. Was I fully present in those moments?
Ironically, my word for 2018 stemmed from me wanting to spend my time more wisely, however, it became clear I wasn’t always aware of how it was being spent. And with that, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend 2019.
2019 will be a year of mindfulness for me.
Mindful (adj)
conscious or aware of something
Marriage
If you’ve ever met my husband, then you understand when I say, to know him is to love him. He is one of the most selfless people I have ever met, and I often wonder what I ever did to deserve him. And I’m not just saying that to fluff this up, because he really is one of the most considerate people I know. But sadly, as often as it goes, I’m not always fully present in his presence.
Most days we work side by side punching away at our computers because our careers are both very important to us. And that’s ok. But this year, I want to be more mindful when he walks in the door from traveling on business or working out at the gym, instead of finishing whatever I’m tending to. I want to be more mindful when he’s helping to tidy up the house for company, instead of becoming hyper focused on whatever I’m cleaning. I want to be more mindful during those nights we’re sitting side by side on the couch instead of scrolling through and refreshing social media feeds.
This year in my marriage, I want to be more mindful because all too often I allow the small moments to get lost in the daily routine, and I don’t want to miss out on anymore opportunities to connect.
Pregnancy & Motherhood
2019 will be a year of many firsts for me because this year I will become a mom! While I continue to navigate my first pregnancy and am not quite sure what motherhood will be like, I do know time will seem to pass quickly. And friends, I don’t want to lose myself in the beautiful mess I’m sure it will be.
I want to be mindful of every little moment this new experience brings me, so I can cherish them for many years to come. I want to be mindful of the sleepless nights rocking my baby back to sleep because I know they will be short lived in the grand scheme of things. I want to be mindful of the noise and mess our little one will bring with him because I know one day it will just be me and Bobby again. I want to be mindful of even the smallest milestones because those are what make this life meaningful.
Relationships
Relationships tend to get a little trickier as we get older because we often let our own lives get in the way. More than I would like to admit, I am guilty of allowing this to happen with my personal relationships. Easily consumed by the big things like building a business and regularly preoccupied by the endless to-do list, too many weeks and sometimes months pass by before realizing it’s been too long since I’ve seen a loved one.
But for 2019, I want to work on strengthening my relationships. With that, I want to be more mindful of the time I have to spend with family and friends and subsequently more eager to let go of tasks that can be completed another time. I want to be more mindful when others reach out and not wait too long to respond. I want to be more mindful with how I spend my personal time, so I can make more time with those who give meaning to my life.
Business
2018 was a pivotal year for The Busy Bee. We made some of the biggest decisions (aka changes) we’d made since embarking on this endeavor which will require lots of attention and intention this year. I know it will require much of our time to get to where we’re going, and with two little ones on the way and keeping space for our personal lives, I know how I spend my time building this business is more important than ever.
This year, I want to be more mindful of how I spend my time working on and in the business so I can maintain a healthy work-life balance throughout. I want to be more mindful of how I manage my work days so I can dedicate more time to loved ones. And finally, I want to be more mindful of the decisions we make, so we continue to build a business with purpose that serves others to the best of our ability.
Overall, being more mindful this year means taking more moments to pause and placing priority on the things that truly matter. It doesn’t require adding anything new to my life or changing anything that is. It simply means becoming more aware of all the many blessings that already surround me.
So, tell us. Did you choose a word for the year? If so, we’d love for your to share in the comments below and how you intend to live by it. Something tells us, 2019 is going to more beautiful than we could ever imagine.
Also, if you haven’t had a chance already, you can read Jenna’s word of the year here and how she intends to make the most of it.
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