Janine Langdon-Lee
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Things do not change, we change

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There are some years I look back on in my life where not a lot happened and life just seemed cruisy, and you know what those years are nice, everything flows you are neither unhappy or happy with life. It just is! Then there are the years where it feels like all there is change and you wonder when things will go back to the cruisy days of old. The following Thoreau quote “Things do not change, we change.” Sums up the last few months of 2018 for me. What are the changes I refer to?

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Accident: When I fractured my ankle at the end of November, I had no choice but to slow down and rest. Initially, my injury was diagnosed as a sprain it wasn’t until a few weeks down the track when I started physio that further investigation was carried out.  

A few days before Christmas I found myself sporting a moon boot in one of the hottest summers on record for Wellington. I literally read a lot and slept and watched a lot of Netflix and Neon. I was put out about this turn of events as I had other plans for how I would spend my summer. However what I discovered was that sometimes these curve balls can be a blessing in disguise and sometimes you just have to go with the flow, instead of trying to resist or fight it.

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Heart Centered and Soul Based Journey: I have been quietly working away in the background on myself. One of the reasons I wanted to take a year off was to discover what I want my life to look and feel like going forward? As someone who is a planner and knows what she wants the unknown of how things would pan out could have felt scary.  While I still have no clue what is next for me or even what 2019 will look and feel like, I have embraced the unknown. Instead, this year has felt like a journey of sorts where I feel like I am coming back to myself again. Somewhere along the line I lost a part of myself. This year has seen me step into my own power, a woman who isn’t afraid to speak her truth, to be vulnerable, yet strong and independent when she needed to be. A woman who is no longer hiding her light.

New build and Renovated Home: Mike and I talked about moving in three years’ time and in the meantime work on doing up the interior of our home during that time. Towards the end of January Mike and I realised even though we are both still in our 40’s this would be the perfect time to downsize to a smaller home.  Before we knew we had found a house within two weeks put in an offer and on Feb 5 we had bought a new house which was being built and would be ready sometime in July (now August).

Since March we have been living in a house that was being prepared to be sold in July. We used this time to get tradies in to tidy up things we had always meant to do when we moved in 7 years ago. I now get why people move out when they are getting work done on their house. At the end of June, the work and our never-ending to-do list were completed. We are officially on the market with two open homes on the horizon and a tender date closing on the 24th of July.

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Creative Block: I realised that my business had left me feeling creativly burnt out, and it has been a struggle this year to feel inspired. The best thing I did for myself was read Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist Way” and complete the morning pages for twelve weeks as well as taking myself out on artist’s dates. I have since completed twelve weeks of the morning pages and have continued to do them I am now up to 15 weeks of writing morning pages. During this time I also enrolled and took part in an 8 week hand building pottery class run through Wellington CEC, our course was run through the Wellington Pottery Association. I found this class fun and relaxing and it was the perfect escapism from a house that was being done up. While I have no desire to do any more pottery I really enjoyed learning something new. Next term I am having private lessons and learning to swim.  Even more exciting I have my creative mojo back again and once we have moved I will be able to set up a creative space in the new home.

How is 2018 shaping up for you?

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Want to create a brighter future for yourself? The Want to create a brighter future for yourself? The secret lies in your daily routine!

You can unlock a brighter future with a successful routine! 👇👇👇

🐢Start small by changing one or two habits and build from there. 

🐢Consistency is key, so aim to do your new habit at the same time every day. 

🐢Keep track of your progress to stay motivated and to help you stick to your goals. 

🐢Remember, building a routine takes time and effort, but with patience and persistence, you can see big results
📸We've all become experts at curating the perfe 📸We've all become experts at curating the perfect image of our lives on social media, but what happens when we start to believe the highlights reel is the whole story? It's time to start embracing the good and the bad, and finding beauty in the messy middle. 

🎂I recently celebrated my birthday by spending a night alone in the inner city, reflecting on the past year and journaling about what I want to embrace at 54. I then spent my actual birthday with Mike in the Wairarapa, and the highlight was enjoying fish and chips for dinner while drinking champagne at home. 

📃I created a list of 23 things to do in 2023 as an alternative to setting goals. One item on the list was to write to other women living overseas. I took part in InCoWriMo in Feb & now have penpals from Italy, the UK, & Australia.

📚I spent the last few months reading fiction for pleasure & managed to read 37 books, after feeling mentally tired from reading a lot of nonfiction in 2022.

📵I stopped using the WW app & program after four years because I was tired of tracking. I have embarked on a new part of my wellbeing journey. At the time WW gave me the structure I needed, Now I am experimenting with what works best for me now.

🏥A family member had an extended hospital stay, this led to comfort eating, & withdrawing from life. Later on I recognised the impact of stress and created a list of things to look out for in the future to better recognise stress to improve my overall wellbeing.

🐌In 2023, I chose "Savour, Slow & Simplify" as my word of the year. After a stressful few months, I decided to declutter my home and donate items to the Hospice shop. I am trying to be more intentional with my consumption and breaking up with my attachment to "stuff".

🧎‍♀️I have been dealing with a knee injury since January, which has prevented me from taking walks around the neighbourhood. Despite previously disliking walking, not being able to go out 3 to 4 times a week has been a challenge for me. However, I am a solutions-focused person and decided to hire a treadmill, which has been helping my knee slowly improve. I am now enjoying using the treadmill.
April commitments: Simplifying my space, diving in April commitments: Simplifying my space, diving into my TBR pile, and nurturing myself with slow moments and seasonal rituals 🌸📚💆‍♀️ 

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Embracing mistakes as learning experiences, practi Embracing mistakes as learning experiences, practicing self-compassion, celebrating progress, and sharing our stories are all important steps in cultivating resilience and growth. Just like Kintsugi pottery, we can use our imperfections and challenges as opportunities for transformation and empowerment.

✨️Embrace mistakes as learning experiences: Just like how Kintsugi uses gold to highlight and enhance the cracks in pottery, we can use our mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve ourselves. Instead of being ashamed of our mistakes, we should embrace them and use them to become better versions of ourselves.

🙏Practice self-compassion: When we make mistakes or face challenges, it's important to be kind to ourselves. Just like how Kintsugi treats broken pottery with care and respect, we should also treat ourselves with compassion and understanding. By showing ourselves the same kindness we would show a close friend, we can build resilience and bounce back from tough situations.

🎉Celebrate progress, not just perfection: Kintsugi celebrates the beauty of imperfection, but it also celebrates the progress made in repairing broken pottery. Similarly, we should celebrate our progress and growth, even if we're not perfect. By focusing on progress rather than perfection, we can build confidence and motivation to continue moving forward.

🎤Share your story: Kintsugi pottery tells a story of resilience and transformation. Similarly, sharing our own stories of overcoming challenges and embracing imperfection can inspire and empower others to do the same. By being vulnerable and sharing our experiences, we can create connection and support for ourselves and others.

How do you celebrate progress in your personal or professional life?
Taking a pause from the hustle and bustle of daily Taking a pause from the hustle and bustle of daily life is essential in rejuvenating your mind and body. 🧘‍♀️ Pause and find your slow moments that help you relax and slow down. 🌅

Create your own list of activities that bring you peace and make them a part of your weekly routine. 📝 Whether it's taking a stroll in nature, reading a book, or simply enjoying a cup of tea, make time to acknowledge and appreciate those slow moments. 🔆

Remember, to be intentional with your time and prioritise activities that bring you joy and inner calm. Don't feel guilty for taking time to slow down and recharge. 🙏 Share in the comments below what activities you enjoy to find your slow moments!
Choosing a word of the year has been a game-change Choosing a word of the year has been a game-changer for me since I discovered this 12 years ago.

This year, I have three words &, I am focusing on savouring, slowing down, and simplifying. These words act as my North Star and remind me of what truly matters.

What's your word of the year for 2023?
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