I love January!
There, I said it…
I sincerely believe January (not December) is the most wonderful time of the year!
December is usually chaotic for our family. It starts with the kids’ exams, and keeps us crazy busy with all the events and corresponding practice schedules.
But then the new year dawns, and it kind of presses a reset button on our lives.
I enjoy the fresh start January brings – new planners and journals, new hopes and dreams, new goals and resolutions!
It’s also the time when I look back over the year that was and see how far I’ve come personally.
In some ways, looking back has received quite a lot of flak. Just look at what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back!
While constantly analyzing the past and dwelling on it can be detrimental to our mental health, a certain degree of good can come out of reviewing a past season and learning from it.
I’ve done a lot of “year in review” posts (here, here and here).
I did the same this year in my journal, but went a step further and did a decade in review as well!
I’m not entirely sure if the new decade begins this year or the next. But considering we’re entering the 2020s, it seemed monumental to document how far I’ve come since January 2010.
In January 2010:
I was a young, constantly exhausted, stay at home mom of 2 year old triplets.
I barely had time for God or myself.
I hadn’t discovered my call to write, and my blog was non-existent.
Neither my husband nor I were able to actively serve in church.
I had a lot of unresolved baggage that I’d been carrying over the years which affected my mental health.
In January 2020:
I’m a part-time, work at home mom of 12 year old triplets and life is physically not as exhausting as it used to be.
I have sufficient time to study the Bible and grow in all areas of my life.
I’ve embraced my love for writing and launched my own website (something I had noted in my 10 year plan, way back in 2014).
My husband and I are privileged to serve through our local church, and bonus, the kids hang out a lot at church too.
I’ve learned to identify the triggers that lead me to despair and take proactive action.
10 years is a long time and our family has grown and matured over the past decade. Journaling about it in the beginning of January filled me with gratitude, and I was in awe at how far the Lord has led us.
The overwhelming joy I felt when I did this 10 year comparison was well worth the time I spent on it.
Not only did it bring me peace about the decade that was, it’s also given me hope for the decade that will be.
Sometimes, looking back will give you just the momentum you need to propel yourself forward.
If you haven’t done it yet, take some time to review your decade and see how far you’ve come.
Chances are, you’re proud of who you’ve become.
The God who led you this far will carry you forward to greater things by His grace.
Have a blessed 2020!
Marching ahead