We are eleven days into the new year. Perhaps, you felt as I did and this didn’t feel like the year for big resolutions, with everything seemingly unsure around us. This year, rather than setting year-long goals, I chose one word as a guide. That word is CLARITY. The past two and half years have been an upheaval; moving from our home of twelve years, living in a rental house for the last two years and experiencing all the changes associated with relocating to a new state. New jobs, new schools, building a home; it has been a busy and chaotic time.

As I begin the new year in my new home, I am grateful beyond measure. I am also in deep need of clarity. When life is unsettled, distraction seems to be everywhere.

But this is not about my quest for clarity. This is about recognizing the importance of the small steps in our lives.

We think it’s the big moments that define our lives – the wedding, the baby, the new house, the dream job. But really, these big moments of happiness are just the punctuation marks of our personal saga. The narrative is written everyday in the small, the simple, and the common. In your tiny choices, in these tiny changes. In the unconsidered. The overlooked. The discarded. The reclaimed.
– Sarah Ban Breathnach, Something More

I find relief in this; we don’t need huge sweeping changes to define us. After a season of such changes, it resonates with me that the small, often overlooked moments are what make us who we are.

Actress and author, Mariel Hemingway wisely points out, “By focusing on the day-to-day choices that you can control, you anchor yourself squarely into your life as it unfolds right now.”

I love the idea of being anchored. In the last few years, I have felt unsettled and adrift. Being anchored is comforting. To know my own choices and actions, while seemingly small and insignificant, can act as an anchor is empowering. This awareness helps me to make better choices for myself.

We are in a bewildering time – uncertain and unsure. I choose to hold onto hope, to be encouraged that the small things matter. Yesterday, one of my small choices was to take a walk in the cold, gray winter landscape. Choosing to breathe in the fresh, crisp air and clear my head for a brief walk outside. Each step, literally, an opportunity to anchor myself in the present moment. I invite you to shift your focus this new year from the expectation of huge change to that of the small steps. Perhaps it is choosing a healthier meal, making time to read in the evening, or claiming a few quiet moments to reconnect with nature.

With gratitude I welcome the new year and each small step, each opportunity to write my story.