Rewind

Stop. Pause. Rewind.

Remember those all-familiar buttons on those Sony Walkmans we used to keep on our hips for music portability? Of course, there was the all important Play button we used most often to keep those cool tunes floating into our headsets as we hung out in our rooms or walked the streets of our towns.

When we stop, we decide what song we will listen to.
When we pause, we want to hold the song in that very spot so we don't miss a beat no matter what may be interrupting us.
When we rewind, we just want to play that song again since it was so good the first time.

It is the same with life.
We stop what we're doing to decide what comes next.
We pause when we want to relish the moment rather than run right past it in our haste.
We rewind in order to go back to a previous time to rediscover our experiences and consider them with gratitude.

I'm ready to rewind the tape of my life that I've experienced in the year 2011 to ponder, pause, and consider with gratitude all that has come my way. I decided I wanted to share my musings with you, my dear readers!

Since my life is multi-dimensional, I thought I would approach my Rewind with these in mind:

First off, on The Herring Home Front, we welcomed our first grandchild, Jacob Lee, into the world, thus making me a first time Grandma! It has been a whirlwind of an occasion that has calmed to a very busy, active day-to-day experience, with lots of loving, burping, cuddling, talking and walking time as I interact with this new boy, this new person in my life. And the best part is he is always glad to see me, with those bright eyes and kicking legs showing his excitement. Oh, and then there's the conversation which seems to grow more interesting every day. He has so many stories to tell Grandma, and I am very eager to hear every one. What a blessing and joy he is. Indeed.

Next, is the Journal Writing leg of things.
For my personal journal writing practice of 27 years, I've recently added some new approaches that have really worked for me. I introduced Morning Pages (which you can read about in Julia Camerons' books), which is essentially a stream of consciousness approach to writing first thing in the morning. I also write my goals for work and home each day, clarifying with my Critical Six, the six things that will truly help me get where I want to go in all dimensions of life. (See James Ray's book, Harmonic Wealth.) I also added writing with alternate hands, first with my right, which is my dominant hand, and then with my left. This enables me to initiate the activation of both right and left brain, both logically and emotionally/creatively, in my journal writing practice.

Now for the more public side of journal writing. In addition to posting journal writing links each week, Monday through Friday, on Twitter, in June I began to host #JournalChat Live, a live chat for all things journaling on Twitter with a new topic to discuss every week. In conjunction with that, I introduced the #JournalChat Pick of the Day, which essentially is the post I choose from each day's links posted on Twitter (through my @JournalChat account and some on my @DawnHerring account), which I consider the one that resonates the most with my journaling experience or one that I feel has the most take-away value. Of course, there are days when I have several that I think are just fabulous, so I pick one or two others that I label "Runner UP" before posting the Pick of the Day.

In conjunction with #JournalChat Pick of the Day, I started the all new #JournalChat Pick of the Week which I select from all the picks I have chosen in the 4 days I post links on Twitter. Out of those four, I  choose one that has the topic I decide we will discuss on #JournalChat Live, which takes place each Thursday at 5 EST/2 PST on Twitter.

In association with #JournalChat and all things journaling, I also launched my e-journal, Refresh Journal, for all things journaling and refreshing. Included are links for Pick of the Days, a special section for Pick of the Week to inform those who plan to attend the live chat what our topic is with a suggested prompt for a journal entry as well as highlights from the previous live chat. I also enjoy sharing refreshing tips for home, work, kids, and yourself.  A column for The Artist and a song to listen to to get your week musically motivated are also included.

On the Social Network front: I have enjoyed connecting with all of my journal writing and writing friends through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as we share encouragement, our points of view, our accomplishments, and our dreams for the future. I have found myself smiling, laughing, and relating as I read Tweets, Statuses, and conversations/discussions in the social network sphere.

On the Blog front: It has been such a blessing to me to have subscribers and readers of this blog, JournalWriter Freelance~Refresh with Dawn Herring, where I have posted my musings, lessons learned, and point of view of daily life and what it all means to me. I have also enjoyed encouraging others to refresh themselves on a daily basis, which often initiates positive change in our lives when we take the time to nurture, validate, and appreciate who we are and what we're here for.

On the Creativity front: This year I decided it was time for me to venture into new artistic territory. I have been an artist since childhood, and there are things I have never tried before. So I immersed myself in reading books and trying out watercolor for the first time; boy, am I glad I did! It is my favorite medium, hands down. I have worked in pen and ink, acrylics, pencil, charcoal, and colored pencil up to this point. But watercolor is so vibrant and fun to use! I incorporated it into my new art journaling venture in mixed media which I started on January 1st and also have painted with just watercolor.

I also use and recommend that practice of collage, through image, text, journaling, and mixed media on the page. It has been eye-opening, resonating, and down right fun!! I look forward to my art journaling and watercolor on the weekends. I do hope to do much more of it in 2012.

This year has been a busy, active and learning time for me; I have so enjoyed connecting with artists, journal writers, and writers and other friends this year. You have been such an inspiration to me. Thank you.

I look forward to all 2012 has in store for me, connecting with my true self, my family, my friends, and my Creator.

Have a Super Fabulous, Most Refreshing Year Ever!!

© 2011 by Dawn Herring