Year End Review – part three

Here we go again, continuing where I left off – are you following along with me on Reverb10.com?

December 16 – Friendship.

How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?  (Author: Martha Mihalick)

My best friend Nazima has snapped me out of a funk or “mood” a few times this year.  She’s always there for me, doesn’t let me wallow any longer than necessary, and reminds me to be grateful.  I’m so thankful you are my friend!!   Love you!

December 17 – Lesson Learned.

What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?  (Author: Tara Weaver)

I learned I can head off into the great unknown without concrete plans and still be okay.  Have some fun even!   6 months in an RV, with two cats and a new husband (having never been out in the thing before no less) is a whole heap of lessons!  We often didn’t know our plans for the next day and flew by the seat of our pants, including a few overnight stays at the local Walmart parking lot, on quite a few travel days.  That is against my normal plan ahead, put it all in stone personality – but it always seemed to turn out fine.  I will endeavor to keep that in mind and forge ahead with new unknowns in 2011 in the same manner.

December 18 – Try.

What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?   (Author: Kaileen Elise)

Having been a long time fan of Yoda and Stars Wars I like his attitude on trying.  “Do or do not, there is no try” really says it all.  Can you try to hold a pen?  No, of course not you are either holding it or you aren’t.   So what that in mind, what do I want to DO in 2011?  I want to teach photography and share my knowledge and talents with others.  I mentioned teaching classes with McBain Camera already, I’ll also be teaching with Metro continuing Education.    I’ve also been asked by more than one person to give them individual photography tutoring, so I will do that also should the opportunity arise.

As for what I tried in 2010, well back to the 6 month RV trip.  That was radically different.  Spending the winter away from home, family and friends.  We did go for it and we wanna do it again!

December 19 – Healing.

What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?  (Author: Leonie Allan)

I think getting home and getting into a regular routine actually helped start my healing process, including my part-time job.  It gave me some structure to get moving every day and motivation is a good thing.  I also found myself stuck and didn’t know what to do with myself for a while so I started doing volunteer work twice monthly with Bissell Center.   That really gave me perspective on how much I had, even though I was in scarcity mode.

Looking to 2011 I’d like to be healed more in the emotional, spiritual, and physical realms.  Do do that I will focus on getting moving again, get to the gym, yoga, etc – and doing things for my soul like reading, meditating, and just hanging with my niece and nephew and being silly.

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance.

What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)  (Author: Jake Nickell)

Oh man, this list is too long.  It includes:  getting our financial data entered and back into balance and recording things again (catching up); our own wedding album;  redoing my blog (as you can see that’s a work in progress now); catching up on the Young Snow Birds blog – but biggest thing I avoided was TAKING CARE OF DARLENE!   I will do it!

December 21 – Future Self.

Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)  (Author: Jenny Blake)

Do I have to?!  Staring down 50 is a bit scary, yikes!  Advice, well – I’d tell myself to remember all the things I learned and not just remember them but actually DO them!  As in taking time for me, eating properly and taking care of my physical body.  I forget to do that and then the emotional suffers too, as does my poor husband.  Same advice for 2011.

What I tell my 10 year younger self is to put happiness first.   Life is too short to be unhappy, at least for too long.   That and that I deserve all the good things I want in life.

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Only 10 more days left in this review.  I’ll do a few more tomorrow and then finish them up at the end of the week.  See you later!

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About Your Tutor

photography tutor in Edmonton

Born and raised in Edmonton, Darlene has had formal training in photography at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. She enjoys portraits, fine art, and travel photography. She is a seasoned traveler having spent time in Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Peru, Thailand, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Cuba and Australia. Darlene loves exotic locales, exotic food and experiencing different countries directly through the local people and the cultural arts. Her vision is to share her artistic talents through teaching “the art of seeing”, and to spread love and tolerance through the experience of truly connecting with and understanding people of different cultures.