Simplify

It seems like the thing to do.  Choose a word at the start of a new year and use it to form new attitudes or goals.  Kind of like New Year resolutions.  Although without using the word ‘resolution’, one doesn’t need to feel guilty when specific goals aren’t achieved.  Perfect.

Last year I chose the word focus and I think I did pretty darn well.  I looked at myself, my family, my big picture and where I wanted to be and I changed things to make it the way I wanted.  I pulled away from the scrapbooking industry a little and concentrated on other things.  It meant that I lost many very public things, like my design teams and my online presence (did ya miss me?), but it meant I had more of a presence in my family life and gained some other things – like a qualification in Sports and Fitness.  Big changes for a small town girl, really.

So now that 2011 has bought me focus, what do I want for 2012?  What do you want for 2012?  It’s not a bad time for that little bit of reflection.

My word this year is simplify.  I’m going to concentrate on making things as simple as possible.  I’m notorious for making a job harder than it needs to be. 

I am itching to get back into the online scrapbooking thing a little more.  Create more.  Share more.  Enjoy posting on my blog more often. It didn’t take me long to miss it.  This year though, I’m not going to make it hard to do.

Simplify.

Perfect example.  Braden’s birthday.  Lots of people around and not enough birthday dinner to feed them all.  Keepin things easy meant a call to the local Fish n chip shop, grabbing some fish from the smoker and hanging out together in the best Kiwi dinner there is.  Simple.  Love it.

11 Dec 28 fish n chips2

The whole gang enjoying fish n chips, kiwi style.

11 Dec 28 fish n chips

Fish caught the day before, straight from the smoker.

11 Dec 28 fish n chips3

A happy Abby with her Uncle Vaughan.

What’s your word for 2012?

Laters

Comments

40 responses to “Simplify”

  1. Shell Avatar

    Your post really resonated with me! I chose the word PRIORITIES for 2012 for very similar reasons 🙂 Happy New Year

  2. Shell Avatar

    Your post really resonated with me! I chose the word PRIORITIES for 2012 for very similar reasons 🙂 Happy New Year

  3. Shell Avatar

    Your post really resonated with me! I chose the word PRIORITIES for 2012 for very similar reasons 🙂 Happy New Year

  4. Shell Avatar

    Your post really resonated with me! I chose the word PRIORITIES for 2012 for very similar reasons 🙂 Happy New Year

  5. Janelle jones Avatar
    Janelle jones

    I too like your word simplify. I was already thinking along those lines. We are camping and as always I brought so much stuff and I thought to myself the other day “life can be so cluttered with such unnecessary stuff” so like you I want to make life more simple. When camping you can manage with just the basics. May do should try to do that at home too. I think I will need to start with the scrapbooking room first. I need to stop trying so hard and not worrying if the pages are not “perfect” but just get on, enjoy using my stash and simplify things for myself by not putting pressure on myself. I look forward to reading how you simplify your life nic. Good luck!

  6. Janelle jones Avatar
    Janelle jones

    I too like your word simplify. I was already thinking along those lines. We are camping and as always I brought so much stuff and I thought to myself the other day “life can be so cluttered with such unnecessary stuff” so like you I want to make life more simple. When camping you can manage with just the basics. May do should try to do that at home too. I think I will need to start with the scrapbooking room first. I need to stop trying so hard and not worrying if the pages are not “perfect” but just get on, enjoy using my stash and simplify things for myself by not putting pressure on myself. I look forward to reading how you simplify your life nic. Good luck!

  7. Janelle jones Avatar
    Janelle jones

    I too like your word simplify. I was already thinking along those lines. We are camping and as always I brought so much stuff and I thought to myself the other day “life can be so cluttered with such unnecessary stuff” so like you I want to make life more simple. When camping you can manage with just the basics. May do should try to do that at home too. I think I will need to start with the scrapbooking room first. I need to stop trying so hard and not worrying if the pages are not “perfect” but just get on, enjoy using my stash and simplify things for myself by not putting pressure on myself. I look forward to reading how you simplify your life nic. Good luck!

  8. Janelle jones Avatar
    Janelle jones

    I too like your word simplify. I was already thinking along those lines. We are camping and as always I brought so much stuff and I thought to myself the other day “life can be so cluttered with such unnecessary stuff” so like you I want to make life more simple. When camping you can manage with just the basics. May do should try to do that at home too. I think I will need to start with the scrapbooking room first. I need to stop trying so hard and not worrying if the pages are not “perfect” but just get on, enjoy using my stash and simplify things for myself by not putting pressure on myself. I look forward to reading how you simplify your life nic. Good luck!

  9. Deb Avatar

    I miss Kiwi fish and chips! Good luck with your word. Mine is DO as I spend too muh time thinking/procrastinating and never seem to achieve anything so I’m going to write a list/set goals and work hard to achieve some things this year.

  10. Deb Avatar

    I miss Kiwi fish and chips! Good luck with your word. Mine is DO as I spend too muh time thinking/procrastinating and never seem to achieve anything so I’m going to write a list/set goals and work hard to achieve some things this year.

  11. Deb Avatar

    I miss Kiwi fish and chips! Good luck with your word. Mine is DO as I spend too muh time thinking/procrastinating and never seem to achieve anything so I’m going to write a list/set goals and work hard to achieve some things this year.

  12. Deb Avatar

    I miss Kiwi fish and chips! Good luck with your word. Mine is DO as I spend too muh time thinking/procrastinating and never seem to achieve anything so I’m going to write a list/set goals and work hard to achieve some things this year.

  13. Linda L Avatar

    Love the look of that party! To answer your question – Yes I did miss you! You are one of my favourite creators Nic and not having you around in blog land as much was sad for me….I’m happy to read that you’re wanting to get back into it more this year….yaaay yaaay yaaaay:-)))

  14. Linda L Avatar

    Love the look of that party! To answer your question – Yes I did miss you! You are one of my favourite creators Nic and not having you around in blog land as much was sad for me….I’m happy to read that you’re wanting to get back into it more this year….yaaay yaaay yaaaay:-)))

  15. Linda L Avatar

    Love the look of that party! To answer your question – Yes I did miss you! You are one of my favourite creators Nic and not having you around in blog land as much was sad for me….I’m happy to read that you’re wanting to get back into it more this year….yaaay yaaay yaaaay:-)))

  16. Linda L Avatar

    Love the look of that party! To answer your question – Yes I did miss you! You are one of my favourite creators Nic and not having you around in blog land as much was sad for me….I’m happy to read that you’re wanting to get back into it more this year….yaaay yaaay yaaaay:-)))

  17. Ang Avatar
    Ang

    I agree totally with Linda L. Simplify a great word we all need to do that……so pleased you are going to bless us with your creativity, it made my day when I read that!!!

  18. Ang Avatar
    Ang

    I agree totally with Linda L. Simplify a great word we all need to do that……so pleased you are going to bless us with your creativity, it made my day when I read that!!!

  19. Ang Avatar
    Ang

    I agree totally with Linda L. Simplify a great word we all need to do that……so pleased you are going to bless us with your creativity, it made my day when I read that!!!

  20. Ang Avatar
    Ang

    I agree totally with Linda L. Simplify a great word we all need to do that……so pleased you are going to bless us with your creativity, it made my day when I read that!!!

  21. Susan Beth Avatar

    Yes, I missed you and your sharing of scrapbooking pages and ideas and inspiration.
    Great word!
    Super birthday party!
    And my word is “Light” as in be a light, enjoy the light, use the light to take better photos, and all sorts of other things.

  22. Susan Beth Avatar

    Yes, I missed you and your sharing of scrapbooking pages and ideas and inspiration.
    Great word!
    Super birthday party!
    And my word is “Light” as in be a light, enjoy the light, use the light to take better photos, and all sorts of other things.

  23. Susan Beth Avatar

    Yes, I missed you and your sharing of scrapbooking pages and ideas and inspiration.
    Great word!
    Super birthday party!
    And my word is “Light” as in be a light, enjoy the light, use the light to take better photos, and all sorts of other things.

  24. Susan Beth Avatar

    Yes, I missed you and your sharing of scrapbooking pages and ideas and inspiration.
    Great word!
    Super birthday party!
    And my word is “Light” as in be a light, enjoy the light, use the light to take better photos, and all sorts of other things.

  25. LeAnne Avatar

    Love all the comments, and am so happy you are going to be blogging more as you inspire me so much!
    My word is ‘energize’ so far it has made it to the art journal and made a guest appearance in my life, am going to try and make it feel comfortable enough to stick around all year 🙂

  26. LeAnne Avatar

    Love all the comments, and am so happy you are going to be blogging more as you inspire me so much!
    My word is ‘energize’ so far it has made it to the art journal and made a guest appearance in my life, am going to try and make it feel comfortable enough to stick around all year 🙂

  27. LeAnne Avatar

    Love all the comments, and am so happy you are going to be blogging more as you inspire me so much!
    My word is ‘energize’ so far it has made it to the art journal and made a guest appearance in my life, am going to try and make it feel comfortable enough to stick around all year 🙂

  28. LeAnne Avatar

    Love all the comments, and am so happy you are going to be blogging more as you inspire me so much!
    My word is ‘energize’ so far it has made it to the art journal and made a guest appearance in my life, am going to try and make it feel comfortable enough to stick around all year 🙂

  29. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    My word? Do-it. As in I want to turn my January “gunnadoes” into December “dunnits”! I usually don’t but so far I have done garden jobs that have not been done for years, am collating stuff in an orderly fashion for the “book” I am doing on my genes, ie family history and am not sweating the teeny weeny stuff.

  30. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    My word? Do-it. As in I want to turn my January “gunnadoes” into December “dunnits”! I usually don’t but so far I have done garden jobs that have not been done for years, am collating stuff in an orderly fashion for the “book” I am doing on my genes, ie family history and am not sweating the teeny weeny stuff.

  31. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    My word? Do-it. As in I want to turn my January “gunnadoes” into December “dunnits”! I usually don’t but so far I have done garden jobs that have not been done for years, am collating stuff in an orderly fashion for the “book” I am doing on my genes, ie family history and am not sweating the teeny weeny stuff.

  32. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    My word? Do-it. As in I want to turn my January “gunnadoes” into December “dunnits”! I usually don’t but so far I have done garden jobs that have not been done for years, am collating stuff in an orderly fashion for the “book” I am doing on my genes, ie family history and am not sweating the teeny weeny stuff.

  33. Lara Avatar

    love your word, was one I was considering too. Finally decided on ‘content’ though as for me it’s about being satisfied with what I have, about finding joy in the everyday and making the most of what this life throws at me.

  34. Lara Avatar

    love your word, was one I was considering too. Finally decided on ‘content’ though as for me it’s about being satisfied with what I have, about finding joy in the everyday and making the most of what this life throws at me.

  35. Lara Avatar

    love your word, was one I was considering too. Finally decided on ‘content’ though as for me it’s about being satisfied with what I have, about finding joy in the everyday and making the most of what this life throws at me.

  36. Lara Avatar

    love your word, was one I was considering too. Finally decided on ‘content’ though as for me it’s about being satisfied with what I have, about finding joy in the everyday and making the most of what this life throws at me.

  37. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    Love your word too Nic and I did miss you as you are my favourite scrapbooker ever. Pleased to hear of your online plan so I get to see your work more. Your online classes just inspire. I also love your blogs….I just agree with your philosophy on life and family. Family are so precious and I can tell you from experience they can be your lifeline as mine has been to me after I lost my lovely Barry. May 2012 be a “simply” wonderful year for you and your family. xx

  38. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    Love your word too Nic and I did miss you as you are my favourite scrapbooker ever. Pleased to hear of your online plan so I get to see your work more. Your online classes just inspire. I also love your blogs….I just agree with your philosophy on life and family. Family are so precious and I can tell you from experience they can be your lifeline as mine has been to me after I lost my lovely Barry. May 2012 be a “simply” wonderful year for you and your family. xx

  39. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    Love your word too Nic and I did miss you as you are my favourite scrapbooker ever. Pleased to hear of your online plan so I get to see your work more. Your online classes just inspire. I also love your blogs….I just agree with your philosophy on life and family. Family are so precious and I can tell you from experience they can be your lifeline as mine has been to me after I lost my lovely Barry. May 2012 be a “simply” wonderful year for you and your family. xx

  40. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    Love your word too Nic and I did miss you as you are my favourite scrapbooker ever. Pleased to hear of your online plan so I get to see your work more. Your online classes just inspire. I also love your blogs….I just agree with your philosophy on life and family. Family are so precious and I can tell you from experience they can be your lifeline as mine has been to me after I lost my lovely Barry. May 2012 be a “simply” wonderful year for you and your family. xx

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