Hello 2026!

We are one week into the New Year. I hope my readers have had a good start to 2026. 

Through the years I have always started my year off with a blog post of aspirations for the New Year. Those who know me know that I don't make resolutions. This way when things don't work out I don't have to be hard on myself. 

 But this year I'm going to try something a bit different. I am going to aspire to only one thing - to be "present". That's it. I have found myself rushing around, getting interrupted by a text or a call ( which usually isn't urgent)  or letting myself be sucked down the rabbit hole of social media - be it on Facebook or X or Pinterest or Instagram. Then I wonder why I feel stressed about having so much to do. 

So what does this being "present" look like for me?

I am going to focus on what I am doing at the time I am doing it. 

When I am playing pickleball, I will focus on my play not what I will be doing later that day. 

When I am walking Amber I will concentrate on my time with her. Checking on nature and listening to the sounds around me.  Not checking my phone. 

When I am reading I will try not to be distracted. Not always easy when Nick is watching TV in the same room. 

When I am speaking to friends and family,  I will keep my phone in my pocket on silence. 

When I set aside time to do my art, I will turn on some music and try to place all the other things I have to do out of my mind. And if I mess up a painting ( those watercolors mix so easily if I am not patient) so be it.  No harm in trying again. 

When I am focusing on growing in my faith - I will find a quiet spot and work on the bible study that I am doing or pray. 

When I am working on my advocacy work I will concentrate on the task at hand - reviewing grants or sharing new research results on X or Instagram. ( This one will be difficult. I start reading posts from the the organizations or people I follow on X and find myself to scrolling.  Bam ... 20 minutes go by and I've shared one post about ovarian cancer. 

When I am doing volunteer work with my local historical society, I will try to focus on my roles. 

So you might wonder how those aspirations for 2025 work out. I was pretty successful at most of them although in my cancer advocacy work I did accept a position on the State's Survivorship Workgroup and no surprise,  I still have not visited Maine. But there is always this year.  

 Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy 2026! May your presence light up the world. 

 Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!