Humility Jar 2015

You may have heard of the trend of picking one word to define your year. Officially, One Little Word. I haven't done it in the past, and neither am I doing it this year, but if I had to settle on a theme for 2014, it would be the struggle between happy and whole. I started the year with a Happiness Jar that I eventually treated as more of a Wholeness Jar. Month to month (week to week, day to day even) I went back and forth between what was more important in my life--being grateful for what made me feel happy and free, or for what made me feel whole, regardless of emotions. It was a fine line and delicate balance that I didn't always feel harmonious with, but as they say, it was a growing year.

In 2015, I'm continuing the Happiness Jar practice (it's original purpose as created by Elizabeth Gilbert, see here and here for explanations) with humility as my centering theme. After going through last year's jar, I realized that my favorite memories of happiness/wholeness were usually the happier ones. I know that happiness isn't my life's goal, per se, but happiness is harder to remember. The slips with things that made me whole (a person with strengths and faults) last year--my bike getting stolen, getting called on my shit by a friend, not getting a job--I could remember without having written them down. It was the "happy" slips that I needed reminding of.

Not only were the happier ones more fun to read and good reminders of moments I had forgotten throughout the year, they were usually more concrete and simple. They weren't grand, they were just right. They were the little moments that made my days, and consequently, my year. They were the sun shining in my window, the smell of a summer breeze, making something new for dinner, or a positive conversation. They didn't require anything more than me living my life and being open to good things.

That's the spirit I want in 2015--a spirit of being open to good things and letting them happen (while also not expecting great or grand things--because sometimes good is really good enough).

Today's entry is easy: SNOW DAY. Or rather, Cold Day, because it's too cold to commute today. But it's just the right temperature for baking granola, reading under a blanket, and drinking copious amounts of tea.