Here’s to 2022
To new beginnings! From our new porch NYE 2021. We finally moved into our new home!
After 2020, 2021 felt like a blur and 2022 has officially begun. Where did all the time go?
This week has been a great time to reflect on the past year, as we look forward to a new one. A new year of hope, in anticipation for something better. Something brighter. And a new beginning.
I don’t typically write New Years resolutions. Instead, I reflect the the blessings of the past year, and let the new year play itself out. This year, I decided to do something different and write a stop, continue, start list of things I’d like to either change or continue doing, and a wish list of things to try.
Most of my continue list involves other people and connections. Virtual game nights. Video chats. Phone calls. Charity work.
Most of my stop list involves my evening routine. Working past midnight. Eating after 8 at night. Going to bed too late (because of work). Letting go of that stress will be a major challenge but one that I’d really like to focus on this year. The continue and stop lists feel like a good examination of the past year to identify what’s working, what’s not, and what should be changed.
Then there’s the start list. This became the “what I want for my future self” list and I wrote it filled with hope and excitement.
Live healthier. Work out 1-3x a week (baby steps).
Live greener part 1 - use solar where possible. This means outdoor solar lighting. Solar kettle. Solar oven. Solar battery station (until we get solar panels). And eventually solar panels and car. I’m aware of my high (energy) maintenance, so it’s important to me to minimize my impact where possible.
Live greener part 2 - learn to freeze dry food. There is such an abundance of incredible produce in the NE summers and autumn but scarcely anything around during winter and spring that didn’t travel from thousands of miles away. So we decided if we’re going to eat more produce seasonally and locally, food preservation will be a great skill to have. Particularly since freeze drying preserves 90%+ of nutrition in foods, versus other traditional methods, and it’d be incredible to have small packs of instant nutritious GF meals for traveling.
Live greener part 3 - learn to garden and (try) growing some vegetables. (I have a black thumb, so the only expectation is to try). I’ve believed I have a black thumb all my life, and 2022 is the year to challenge that belief (or confirm it once again lol)!
It became obvious to me that most of my “start” list revolves around food and cooking. Which means I will absolutely look forward to sharing more of my cooking and food growing adventures in 2022!
Whats on your continue, stop, and start list for 2022?