I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I don’t really like February. January? January I like: A month filled with good intentions, positive thoughts and a curious excitement as you look unknowingly towards the potential that the new year holds.
It is a month full of feelings that I want to capture and keep. I want to wake up everyday and be excited at the possibilities of what that new days holds.
If you’ve seen the Disney Pixar Movie ‘Inside Out’, basically, I want to be the character Joy. Everyday. (But I will admit that I am definitely much closer to her co-stars Disgust, Anger, Fear and sometimes even Sadness than I am to Joy.) And, if you haven’t seen this movie – you must. It’s like therapy…in a Disney movie! Great stuff.
So in light of this revelation (and in my effort to be more like Joy), I have made 3 simple adjustments to my life in an attempt to simplify, create positivity and keep me looking & moving forward:
1. Exercise in the morning
No excuses. Whether I feel like it or not. In fact, when I don’t feel like it, that is when I need it the most. So I do. (Yoga mostly… And maybe I’ll squeeze in a weekly run… But either way, I make sure I do it.)
2. Set reasonable goals for each day
This is especially important on the days when I work from home. I start by writing a to-do list for the day, stick it on my fridge and cross off each task as I work my way through it. Inevitably, the tasks do vary in size – some big and some small – and as I was recently inspired to acknowledge even the simple things, I make sure I do acknowledge and celebrate the completion of them all.
3. Turn off push notifications (and avoid checking my email).
Working to the point of burnout is just no fun at all. So now, when I am not working, I don’t. This is easier said than done, especially when you care about what you do (that would be most of us, I hope). But now I intentionally put work aside and enjoy my downtime. Guilt-free.
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So there you have it. Just 3 small changes… but gradually and remarkably I have begun to feel more like Joy…
Today…
…is a cold day. Too cold to venture out. Better to stay inside where it’s cosy and warm.
Today…
…could be a productive day or it could all go to pot. I don’t know what today has in store for me.
Today…
…is not a big day. It is full of little things. Small moments. It’s probably not even worth mentioning most of them.
Today…
…is ordinary. Simple. Tuesday.
I am reading a book at the moment called ‘Simply Tuesday’ by Emily P. Freeman. I am listening. I am learning. She reminds me to take note of the small things. To not be rushed. To not look forward to the exciting days of the week like Saturday. To not focus on the exciting life moments but rather to live in the details of the here and now. To embrace the ordinary, the smallness and the simplicity of Tuesday moments.
Today is…
…small. Unrushed. But very necessary. And I am more than ok with that. In fact, I think I’ll embrace today as being what it is…
Simply Tuesday.
“Happy work is best done by the one who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment “as to the Lord”. It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.” – C.S. Lewis
All Photos © 2016 Anita & Benjamin Tatlow
In my last post, I looked back on the year that was.
And now here we are. In 2016. My 29th year on this earth is underway and life continues to run before me at a rate of knots. Time seems to be speeding up and there is nothing any of us can do about it. Except to embrace it. Enjoy it. And use it purposefully.
So instead of a resolution as such, I pledge to myself that 2016 is the year I will put myself out there. Beyond my comfort zone.
Let me explain..
Everybody has dreams. You have goals. Things you want to achieve. For me, much of that lies within the music I write together with my husband. And I have to say that as Ben and I sat down to review our year, we were able to see the small steps and sometimes even leaps that we have taken. The progress and, for lack of a better word, success we have seen through our music.
But it feels that much of it was indeed small steps – which is fine. But now it is time to turn those small steps into giant leaps.
But then there’s the fear…
…of rejection mostly. And failure.
For all the work you put in – no-one is interested. All those emails you sent and no-one replied. It happens. Until eventually, someone does reply. Someone who gets you. Who cares about you. Your work. Your art.
And you are encouraged to keep going.
And when I have my down moments – and they will come (usually when I feel the rejection and failure – however small), I will remind myself of these three statements… They will be my mantra (coming from the yogi in me) for 2016:
- Surround yourself with those who believe in you. Your own community. Allow them to build you up.
- “Keep your eyes on the prize” as they say. Aim for that goal – you got this!
- Pray. And the right doors will open.
So no, I don’t have a resolution as such, but I do intend to push myself beyond my comfort zone in my music, my blogging and all my endeavours to see what 2016 really does have in store for me, if I give it a chance. I will knock on those doors and trust that God will unlock the right ones.
2016 is the year! Here goes…
A New Year is a Funny Thing. At the start we make plans, dreams, resolutions. But we never know what is in store.
Looking back on the year that has past can be just as bewildering. Who knew that would happen when 2015 began?
So in the spirit of celebrating the year that has past and looking forward to the new one, I have decided to celebrate the successes of 2015.
Our music came on leaps and bounds…
Back in May, our music was used in the short independent film The Gospel Of Jon and subsequently won the ‘Best Music’ accolade at The Attic Film Festival. As you can imagine, we were pretty happy about this!
We collaborated
And we were honoured that our track ‘Free’ was remixed by the awesome CEDM producer Levi Whalen.
Yes. This happened in August. And we were overwhelmed by the kindness of friends & strangers, both near and far who got behind this project and allowed us to create…
…Our best album yet
Entitled ‘Echoes Of Wonder’. And if you haven’t heard it yet, you can stream it on Spotify or listen to the whole album here.
And were honoured by the positive comments and reviews that came from putting our music out there.
When you create music you invest a huge part of yourself and you make yourself extremely vulnerable. Working as independent musicians can also have its challenges and all of these things have been a great encouragement to us.
Travels
Aside from our music, travelling and exploring new places is something we love to do and last year, we were able to travel to some great new places including Austria, Helsinki and Barcelona (I should really get some of those photos up here) as well as exploring some more of what Sweden has to offer. We are also super excited about a big trip we have planned for April this year (more on that in the next post)…
Yoga
I am continuing in my yoga practice and am hugely enjoying what it offers me physically, emotionally and spiritually. More on this in 2016 too.
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All this reflection has left me thinking and wondering about what I want to achieve in 2016. I’m nearly there but I think I will ponder on this for another day or two and then I will put it out there. Dreams, plans, hopes… all of it. It will be here.
And Here are a few snaps from our 2015 trips to Austria and Barcelona:
(Photo Credits: Mostly (and usually) go to my husband Ben Tatlow but also to me now for the Barcelona ones (!) All photos © 2015 Anita and Benjamin Tatlow)
Lately more than ever, I feel like I have so many thoughts buzzing around in my head.
Ideas… goals… dreams… wonderings… questions…
So I am going to start on here in the hope that I will blog more regularly… to write… to record… to process… to engage…with myself mostly (as a way of organising my thoughts) but also the world around me.
We have lived in Stockholm, Sweden for almost two years and a lot has happened in this time: including big shifts in perspective and a major career change for both of us. But I still have questions… the main one being: What next?
A question that is tinged with excitement – yet lingers so very dauntingly as it reaches out into the unknown.
I feel that i should say at this point that we have no plans to not continue to be here… but I want to stay open to God’s plan for us, our lives, our music… and I truly believe that the question of ‘What next?’ is one to be embraced… and not to shy away from.
So over these mellandagarna (middle days in Sweden – the days between Christmas and New Year), this question is one i will ponder carefully…
And on that note, I will finish this train of thought with a quote that I came across recently:
“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.”
– Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the current president of Liberia and the first female head of state in Africa:
