I am thankful that my God is El Roi and that He sees me in times when I thought He didn’t. God came through for me in so many ways this year that I am still amazed by His grace.  I might not have received a solution for all situations, but the message was clear to wait or even when I was wondering if I was going in the right direction, He would give me a message through someone indicating whether I should move forward or not.

I am thankful for my gorgeous son, Sean. A young man of whom I get prouder each day as he plans his life ahead running two jobs. Although for a lot of people it might look as if he only lives for the now, I know that he is already working way ahead into his future. If I had a tenth of this young man’s determination and drive, I would have reached a lot of my recent goals a lot quicker! You rock, baby!! You are making me a proud Mamsie!

I am thankful that amidst a really challenging Covid-19 pandemic, the company I work for are kept busy with contracts – big and small, while a lot of small businesses closed shop during the past 21 months.

I am thankful that amidst a challenging pandemic I had the privilege of having enough freelance work. Those who know what this is about, knows it is my happy place!

I am thankful that each of my private bookkeeping clients is still operating even if they had to scale down a bit. I even gained an extra client or two this year.

I am thankful that my loved ones are still all healthy and strong amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and that I only lost two close friends, of which one was more like my brother.

I am thankful for good health. Being 51 in a family with comorbidities I am extremely lucky that despite being a bit overweight, I am on no chronic medication!! I raise a Hallelujah to that!!

I am thankful for a year with 365 new opportunities to choose happiness, success and positivity. I wish to see new opportunities to write about and to reach a level of success that will allow me to fulfill the last big dream I have for my life.  

I am thankful for new friendships that have a positive impact on my life without even knowing it.

I am thankful that I could replace my car this year with a cute nippy little red Spark. The red energy suits me perfectly!

I am thankful that for the past 14 months I could take regular break a ways to the West Coast of South Africa. I just love it … the ample opportunity to either visit beloved friends or spend time on my own and recharge!

I am thankful that I am able to still learn and keep busy with not one, but four courses which all will allow me to live my dream one done.

I am thankful that the Lord has laid a new business idea in me … something that I will be sure to develop in 2022 so that I can realise my dream to move to the West Coast. If I’m going to wait for a job opportunity to arise, I will wait a really long time.

I am thankful that the plan for my house is already drawn in my head, and I will have it done professionally soon.

I am thankful for the rain today … for me it is always an indication of growth and prosperity.

I am thankful to be alive, to have discovered a zillion muscles I forgot I had while dancing the night away out of 2021 into 2022.

May we all be as thankful about our 2022 as I am about 2021!

Cheers!!

The post Reflection on 2021 appeared first on Vat 'n blaaskans / Take a break.

It is 599 since lockdown was announced in South Africa.

It is 318 days since the start of 2021.

And there are only 47 days left until 2022!

… and I realised – today is 599 days since lockdown started.

• What impact did lockdown have on your life during the last 5990 days?
• What are you planning to do for the next 47 days (46 since today is almost over) before the start of 2022?
• What are you planning for 2022?

I have decided to quit doing all the things that doesn’t bring me any joy or if it does not add value to my life.

I was sitting in the office starting my sentence with “I have resigned …” and before I could complete the sentence, my colleague said: WTF? She thought I resigned my job, but I only resigned something that took so much of my energy that each time my phone rang and it was somebody from that project, I sighed deeply and felt as if all my energy was drained from me! Now the phone can ring and I gladly sort things out, because I know they won’t be stealing my joy for much longer.

The next thing is to sit down with all the things that I do or, at least, want to do every day / week / month:

• Full-time job – not negotiable
• Part-time job for publishers – not negotiable
• Part-time bookkeeping and other admin clients – partly negotiable
• Hobbies – a lot of decision-making as to which hobbies stay and which goes
• Studies – not negotiable
• Needlework group – we already discussed less time
• Various NGO’s – definitely negotiable
• CWAA – Cape Women’s Agricultural Association – negotiable
• Reading & watching movies – not negotiable on the books, but maybe negotiable on movies
• Socialising with friends and family – I need to plan quality time as this should be non-negotiable
• Church & Bible Study – not negotiable
• Walking (prepping for part of the Camino de Santiago – 300km over 3 to 4 weeks) – not negotiable, but I need a proper strategy for preparation to 2023 / 2024.
• Bible School – not negotiable, but I need to plan my time better
• Writing school, blogging, etc. – need a better strategy and better time management, as this is also not negotiable
• Me-time! – not negotiable

The sad part is that I have 46 days to decide what stays and what goes. Certain stuff like job and church is non-negotiable, some are partly negotiable and others fully negotiable.  And once I have decided what stays, I have to plan my diary properly to make sure that I allocate enough time to all that I feel is adding value to my life.

One thing I have already started … since September 2020 I have been taking ME-TIME on a regular basis by going away for weekends, either visiting friends in tranquil Aurora, West Coast or staying at gorgeous spots in the West Coast on my own … taking much needed recharging time!

So, watch this space – in 46 days I would have made up my mind as to what stays and what goes. 😊

The post 599 days and counting appeared first on Vat 'n blaaskans / Take a break.