Midyear Reflections

This journal entry was inspired by Sara Avant Stover's The Way of the Happy Woman.

1. From my list of what I longed to see, be or experience this year, being in Scotland on June 23, 2014 for the 700th Anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn did indeed come to fruition.  Although I was not at Bannockburn on the actual day of the battle, I was there shortly before and it was very meaningful.  Also, I did get my acceptance letter to my program of choice at the University of Victoria!  However, I quickly realized that I was actually heading down the wrong path with that program and have yet to replace that goal.  I celebrated this by enjoying my time in Scotland to the utmost and by honouring my own wisdom in checking myself before I started down a path that was not right for me.
2. Of my top three spiritual goals for this year, I have been expanding my collection of spiritual texts written by other women.  These include The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, The Way of the Happy Woman by Sara Avant Stover, Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay, Poems of Passion by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Walking on Water by Madeleine l'Engle, Here If You Need Me and Beginner's Grace by Kate Braestrup, Leaving Church: a Memoir of Faith by Barbara Taylor Brown and many others.  I would still like to spend time in nature in a cyclical, ceremonial way.  I am slowly becoming more compassionate to others and myself.  I will celebrate my progress while reading my wonderful new books while I have all this free time.
3. Of my top three professional goals for this year, I have ended my time with my wonderful previous employer and I hope that I did this in a very professional, classy way.  I am still considering whether I would like to return to school.  I celebrated this by saying good bye to my dear colleagues in a number of nice little ceremonies.  (I would typically resist good bye rituals).
4. Of my top three personal/family/community goals for this year, I would still like to do some bone-gathering about my mother's family.   I will celebrate this by honouring my mother's family and connecting with my Acadien heritage.
5. Of my top three health goals for this year, I would still like to master crow and headstand (headstand tones the uterus, apparently) and take one health class a month, for example yogic sleep or nutrition.  I am still doing my best to tend and befriend my anxiety!  I will celebrate my progress by sharing my experiences and incorporating these new ideas into my life.
6. Out of all my aspirations for this year, I'm realizing that I may need to let go of becoming a candidate for Calgary Greenway because it looks like a lot of work and I am not qualified to be a candidate.
7. Out of all my aspirations for this year, I'm most interested in realizing learning more about my mother's family (I may have a unique opportunity to do this).  I will need the support of my mother to help me do this.