New years resolutions tend to part people a bit ā there are those who love setting themselves goals for the new year (and sometimes never really reach them), and then there are those who believe, that if you want something to happen you shouldnāt wait to the new year; just do it now. I donāt exactly know which side Iād place myself on, but I do believe that the end of a year is always a good time to look back and reflect for a bit. And I thought Iād share these reflections (or disguised new yearās resolutions if you like) with you all today!
…
NytĆ„rsfortsƦt deler lidt folk i to lejre ā der er dem som elsker at sƦtte sig selv nogle mĆ„l ved starten af det nye Ć„r (og som mĆ„ske alligevel aldrig indfrier disse), og sĆ„ er der dem som mener, at hvis man vil opnĆ„ noget sĆ„ bĆør man gĆøre det nu og ikke vente til det bliver nytĆ„r. Jeg ved egentlig ikke helt prƦcis hvilken lejr jeg ville sƦtte mig selv i, men ikke desto mindre sĆ„ synes jeg altid udgangen af et Ć„r er et godt tidspunkt, at reflektere lidt over det hele. Og disse refleksioner (du kan kalde dem forklƦdte ānytĆ„rsfortsƦt hvis du vil) tƦnkte jeg, at jeg ville dele med jer i dagens indlƦg.
The beauty (and art) of self-ironi
Itās no secret that I am somewhat of a soft and sensitive soul who sometimes take things a bit too seriously. Especially if itās something Iām really passionate about ā my blog, my new secondhand webshop or simply the fact that Iām a smalltown girl to the core, just to name a few examples. My brain tend to spin stories that are not even real sometimes, and even if someone were to really question or criticize my job or the way I live my life, Iād love to handle it with much more self-ironi. I know Iāve gotten so much better already (we have an ongoing joke in my family that Iām the one who always has a new job and that I donāt have a ārealā job) and Iāve always admired people who handle both criticism and wondering from their surroundings in a calm way with lots of self-ironi. I donāt know, I just think it makes things a lot more informal and I love that.Ā Of course itās a balance because you should never under-estimate yourself but Iāve always admired people who acknowledge the fact that weāre different and itās okay that we donāt always agree. Everything will be fine.
…
Det er ingen hemmelighed, at jeg er ret fĆølsom sjƦl der somme tider tager ting ret nƦrt. IsƦr nĆ„r det er noget jeg brƦnder for eller gĆ„r op i med liv og sjƦl ā bloggen, min ny-lancerede secondhand webshop eller det faktum at jeg er en sĆønderjysk āsmalltown girlā ind til benet, for at nƦvne et par eksempler. Min hjerne kan nogle gange spinde ting op til noget de ikke er, og selv hvis der er nogle som rynker pĆ„ nƦsen eller sƦtter spĆørgsmĆ„lstegn ved det job eller liv jeg har, sĆ„ gad jeg virkelig godt praktisere selv-ironi noget mere. Jeg synes jeg er blevet langt bedre til det (fx har vi en on-going joke derhjemme om, at jeg er hende der altid skifter job eller hende der ikke har et ārigtigtā arbejde) og jeg har altid beundret folk der tager bĆ„de kritik og undren fra omgivelserne i stiv arm med en omgang selv-ironi. Det gĆør alting lidt mindre hĆøjtideligt og ophĆøjet, og det synes jeg er sejt. SelvfĆølgelig er det en balance for man skal heller ikke nedgĆøre sig selv, men jeg har altid holdt af de typer, der tager alle bump pĆ„ vejen med et smil pĆ„ lƦben og med en bevidst ro omkring, at vi alle tƦnker forskelligt eller ikke altid er enige og det er ok. Det hele skal nok gĆ„.
Less fear; more doing
The other day I read a quote on the backside of a magazine on a colleagueās desk. It said ādonāt wait for an opportunity to arise, create itā. Iām somewhat a sucker for clichĆ©s and quotes like this, haha! Nonetheless this quote made me think about the importance of just doing things, even those that you are afraid of doing. Iāve mentioned this a couple times before (also in THIS rather personal video), and Iāve often declared how Iāve felt this exact thing on my own body and soul. We all know (again quite clichĆ©) that what doesnāt kill you makes you stronger, but from realizing that to actually DO something about it are two quite different scenarios. Again itās all about balance, but when I look back at the year of 2018 I feel kind of proud of myself for having challenged myself, and this is something Iāll continue doing next year. Grow myself a pair of freakin’ balls, you know. Without losing my soft and kind spirit though. That’s one thing I’d never change about myself.
…
Den anden dag lƦste jeg et quote pĆ„ bagsiden af et magasin der lĆ„ pĆ„ min kollegas skrivebord. Der stod ādonāt wait for an opportunity to arise, create itā. Jeg er lidt en sucker for klichĆ©er og quotes som disse, jeg Ʀder dem simpelthen rĆ„t, haha! I hvert fald fik dette quote mig til at tƦnke pĆ„ det her med, at hoppe ud i at gĆøre nogle ting, selv nĆ„r man er bange. Det har jeg vƦret inde pĆ„ fĆør (bl.a. i DENNE ret personlige video), og jeg har ofte givet udtryk for hvordan jeg har erfaret pĆ„ egen krop, at man bare bliver stƦrkere af at gĆøre de ting man er bange for. Det ved vi jo alle sammen godt, og det er nƦsten ligesĆ„ klichĆ© som det fĆørnƦvnte quote. Men fra at vƦre klar over det til rent faktisk at praktisere det kan vƦre noget af en udfordring. Igen handler det hele om balance, men det er i hvert fald noget jeg klapper mig selv pĆ„ skulderen for nĆ„r jeg ser tilbage pĆ„ det forgangne Ć„r, og ogsĆ„ noget jeg vil fortsƦtte med. Grow myself some balls, I ved. Uden at miste min blĆøde side selvfĆølgelig. Det er Ć©n af de ting jeg aldrig ville Ʀndre pĆ„ mig selv.
The offline world
The discussion about social media and whether they are good for us or not is something that will always be ongoing, and I still strongly believe in my own theory about how we do have a power to declutter and part with channels or personas that donāt have a positive influence on us. We just need to use this power more actively (read more HERE). I think itās such a shame that social media is constantly set out to be purely bad for us, when in fact Iām one of those people who wouldnāt have lived without them at this point. It was through social media I learned about minimalism, about sustainable fashion and about eating less meat to mention a few topics, and Iāve been connected with so many wonderful people all around the globe too. I will admit though, that itās gotten a little out of hand lately ā even for me. Iām not as good at just leaving my phone behind as I used to be just last year, and I also think I need to do a good round of app and social media platforms declutter soon. I totally get the debate when it comes to how much we compare ourselves with each other, get jaloux or misleaded and in that way we end up feeling like we are not worth as much as those people whoās lives we tend to compare our own with. And because most of my work is surrounded by social media, it can be very hard for me to tap out sometimes. I need to sort that out in the new year. This basically means that I need to work a little bit harder on that infamous work/life balance again, because to be totally honest with you Iām just not always the best version of myself when Iām caught up in my little work-bubble. I wanāt to be more present in real life.
…
Diskussionen om hvorvidt de sociale medier skader os eller vil ingen ende tage, og jeg holder stadig fast i min egen teori om, at vi jo altsĆ„ selv har magten til, at styre hvis liv vi vil fĆølge med i og hvornĆ„r (lƦse mere HER). Og jeg synes det er synd, at man konstant holder fast i, at det er bedst at afskƦrme sig selv fuldstƦndig fra sociale medier, for jeg hĆører helt klart til Ć©n af de personer, som ikke ville have vƦret foruden. Jeg er blevet inspireret til at leve mere bƦredygtigt og simpelt gennem de sociale medier, og jeg har desuden opnĆ„et bekendtskaber jeg ikke ville have vƦret foruden. Jeg er dog nok blevet lidt for fasttĆømret til min telefon det sidste Ć„rs tid, og jeg vil gerne indrĆømme at det er kĆørt lidt af sporet. Jeg er ikke lƦngere sĆ„ god til at lƦgge telefonen fra mig som jeg synes jeg har vƦret, og jeg skal ogsĆ„ endnu engang have ryddet op i hvem jeg fĆølger og hvilke sociale platforme jeg Ćønsker at vƦre en del af. Jeg kan sagtens forstĆ„ debatten som gĆ„r pĆ„, at sociale medier har en negativ effekt pĆ„ os fordi vi sammenligner os selv for meget med hinanden, bliver misundelige pĆ„ hinanden og pĆ„ den mĆ„de kan fĆøle os som mindre vƦrd. Eller ganske enkelt bliver fejlinformerede! Og fordi mit arbejder langt hen ad vejen foregĆ„r pĆ„ de sociale medier, sĆ„ kan det vƦre svƦrt at tappe ud nogle gange. Det skal jeg blive bedre til i det nye Ć„r. Heri ligger altsĆ„ lidt lidt mere kontrol over min work/life balance, for jeg er ā indrĆømmet ā ikke den bedste version af mig selv, nĆ„r jeg er for meget inde i min arbejdsboble. Jeg vil gerne vƦre lidt mere til stedet i det virkelige liv.
Listen up and be present
I put so much time, effort and worries into my work, that I have trouble tapping out at the end of the workday (which basically never really ends for me, but you catch the drill). I think thatās one of the downsides to being self-employed. Iāve said out loud all along, that the reson why I love being my own boss and why I wanted to be in the first place is so that I have more freedom; more freedom to be me, to make my own independent decisions, to not be tied up in one certain position and to be there for the ones I love with more flexibility. But because my self-employed job has been so intense this year, I got to admit Iām not proud of the wife, sister/daughter or friend Iāve been this year. I actually had this listed as a goal I wanted to sort out at the beginning of this year, so it hurts a little bit extra that I didnāt reach that goal at all this year. I know my nearest would probably say Iām being too hard on myself, but I know deep down that I have been a little too much up my own butt this year. And Iād love to change that, because that is not the type of self-employed person I want to be. I think I might have this secret mission proving that you don’t have to be that kind of person to be self-employed at all. But that’s another post some other time.
…
Jeg lƦgger sĆ„ meget liv, sjƦl og bekymringer i mit arbejde, at jeg kan have svƦrt ved, at lƦgge det fra mig nĆ„r jeg har fri (hvilket jeg i og for sig jo aldrig rigtig har). Det tror jeg er Ć©n af āulemperneā ved at vƦre selvstƦndig. Jeg har hele tiden sagt, at den stĆørste grund til jeg gerne vil vƦre selvstƦndig er friheden; friheden til at kunne vƦre mig selv, tage mine egne beslutninger, ikke vƦret bundet af et bestemt job og vƦre der for dem jeg elsker allermest. Men fordi (isƦr) mit selvstƦndige arbejde har fyldt sĆ„ meget i Ć„r, sĆ„ er jeg sgu ikke stolt af hverken den kone, sĆøster/datter eller veninde jeg har vƦret i Ć„r. Faktisk stod lige prƦcis dette ogsĆ„ pĆ„ min liste over refleksioner sidste Ć„r, sĆ„ det gĆør lidt ekstra ondt at jeg nu kan se, at jeg slet ikke fik indfriet dette mĆ„l om at forbedre mig i Ć„r. Jeg ved mine nƦrmeste ville sige det ikke har vƦret sĆ„ slemt, men jeg ved alligevel med mig selv, at jeg ikke rigtig har vƦret tilstede i sĆ„ meget andet end mit arbejde i Ć„r. Og det vil jeg virkelig gerne lave om pĆ„, for det er ikke dĆ©n type selvstƦndig jeg havde forestillet mig, at jeg skulle vƦre. Faktisk tror jeg lidt jeg har en hemmelig mission om at bevise, at livet ikke behĆøver vƦre sĆ„dan bare fordi man er selvstƦndig, men mĆ„ske det er noget jeg skal komme nƦrmere ind pĆ„ i et seperat indlƦg.
Mental workouts
A thing Iāve managed to hold on to all throughout this hectic year is a healthy diet and regular exercising. On an overall scale anyway. It just gives me another type of energy, that is incomparable to anything else, and itās so important to remember even when youāre busy. Maybe especially there actually. But one thing Iāve forgotten all about this year is prioritisingĀ mediation. I donāt even remember the last time I really prioritised it to be honest. I mean I use mindfulness tools every single day like looking up from whatever Iām doing and taking a few deep breaths, but I used to be better at doing regular meditation sessions during the week. Itās just as important to practice as physical workouts!
So that was a quite heavy one, but if felt good getting all of those thoughts out of my mind. Have you guys made any similar reflections based upon the year of 2018?
…
Ćn ting jeg har formĆ„et at holde fast i hele dette hektiske Ć„r, er sund kost og motion. I hvert fald sĆ„dan generelt set. Det giver mig energi som jeg slet ikke fĆ„r lignende andre steder fra, og det er sĆ„ vigtigt selv nĆ„r man har travlt. MĆ„ske isƦr der faktisk. Men Ć©n ting jeg har fĆ„et droslet lige lovlig meget ned pĆ„ er antallet af meditationer. Faktisk kan jeg slet ikke husket hvornĆ„r jeg sidst har prioriteret det. AltsĆ„ jeg bruger mindfulness redskaber stort set dagligt, som fx at holde en pause fra hvad end jeg laver og tage nogle dybe vejrtrƦkninger, men jeg har vƦret meget bedre til virkelig at prioritere meditations sessions i lĆøbet af ugen, og det er jo ligesĆ„ vigtigt at holde ved lige som fysisk trƦning.
Det blev et lidt langt og teksttungt indlƦg, men det var rart at fƄ alle tankerne ud af hovedet! Har I selv gjort jer lignende tanker om det forgangne Ƅr?
Really love your posts, Signe. Love the way you write and how honest and personal you can be. But I agree, don’t be so hard on yourself. Thanks for sharing your thoughts š
Thank you so much! <3 x
Signe your so good at what you do! I’m thrilled to flow your journey and you are an inspiration to others. Keep being you. That’s the best part, you honestly!
Thank you Vicky! I really needed that. Much love to you <3