The Art of Looking Back
It's that time of year again where your inbox is flooded with dozens of suggestions on how to make this year the best yet. You are most likely knee deep in every way to set an intention, make some goals and do MORE.
What ever happened to a long winter's rest?
I get it, the turning of the new year feels like a fresh start and we all want to feel that sense of a new beginning...and we can...any day of the year that we choose. After over a decade of tuning into the rhythms of nature, I am finally able to use winter as a time for rest and reflection.
Winter is a season for a pause, a time to rest to be still and nurture yourself and the soul of your family. Just look outside at mother nature for all the inspiration you might need to slow down.
This is a time of year that I like to look back at really notice what is aligning with our family vision, with our well-being and behold those things. Perhaps you want to look a little closer on what has come to pass before jumping into another cycle of perpetual motion.
Our family reflection plan can show you how to create a meaningful time of connection and conversation about all the important things that defined your family life in 2017.
Choose a time to gather together, you might each person to share a poem or quote to represent how they feel about your family life, or a wish or blessing. Light a candle and enjoy the conversation, keep the value on the process, not the finished product of the worksheet. Looking back at the year before, practicing the art of acknowledgement, see what comes forth.
When we offer acknowledgement, it calls forth the best in each other.
Be vulnerable, gentle and inclusive...listen.
How to fill out the family reflection worksheet:
Life lessons: This is a category for the family as a whole. It represents what you have learned which creates connection and a feeling of thriving in your family. This category may be more related to activities (or lack thereof).
For example We learned that our family needs time each week that is unplanned for puttering (just doing what we feel like in the moment with nothing on the schedule the whole day). Our family feels most connected in nature when we are camping. We also learned that all of us need to eat something before we go to a potluck or friend's house for dinner to avoid a grumpy-hunger-mood.
So our words would be: puttering, play and nourishment (more than just something to eat, and good nourishing foods are key as well).
Transformation: Represents the qualities of your family as a whole that have evolved this year. This category is more about descriptive words. For example, our family has cultivated a great sense of flexibility due to some losses, moving house and other surprises.
Travels: Take time to look back of some of your family'e favorite adventures in travel. For little ones it may be the time you went to Nana's house or a favorite restaurant. Take note of the world through your child's eyes and give thanks.
Unexpected Blessings: What surprises came through this year to remind you magic is at work all around us?
Parenting Evolution: This category is more individual. It is for you to notice the qualities and virtues that you have embodied with greater clarity. Notice, acknowledge, claim and celebrate! Well done 🙂 I can acknowledge the qualities of trusting in the process, requesting support and caring for myself have evolved this year.
Tender Remembrance: A space for remembering the times that are heavy in our hearts. A space for remembering a loved one or pet that we lost. A time to recollect a challenging time. Open the space for conversation and listen with warmth.
Be bold and share some of the gifts that come up for you here in the comments, or on social media. we will create space for sharing each Friday through the end of January on our Mothering Arts Facebook Page, on Instagram use #motheringarts
This activity is one of many guides in our Heart of the Home online learning community. I created the Heart of the Home for moms who are ready to deepen their family culture in simple ways. Each month new content is available in bite sized pieces and follows the rhythm of the seasons and its virtues. Join 100 other mothers in this self-paced community where we are all cultivating our unique art of mothering.
