A day before the new decade - Family time in Volendam

It was such a beautiful clear day yesterday and the misty next morning felt too grey after that. The first day of the year was a bit emotional. After a great last day of the previous year and a lot of family time during the christmas holiday, stepping to the new starting point felt like starting the same circle again. It made us think: did we learn from the experiences last year, did we grow as human beings and partners and did we enjoy enough our precious time together? My answer is yes and no. 

How to make the most of it and how to learn to give the good support and energy - how to let in the love there is - how to see the good intentions and efforts more clearly? Breaking the wrong circles and creating some new paths. It is so challenging to try to understand what is happening in my own mind and inside the minds of the other important persons in your life. I want to appreciate every day from now on and be kind in my thoughts and actions when the hard day hits every now and then.

I often search for the harmony and beauty to calm my mind and reload my batteries. The habits and routines of everyday life are our guiding lines, but stepping over one line can open the horizons and make us proud of having the courage and the curiosity to learn something new. There has to be time for the balance and for the side steps.

 After a grumpy first day with one of those habitual misunderstandings, this first evening of the year is showing compassion, understanding and flexibility. Communication is the key for connecting and learning from each other. Watching all these pictures from a sunny walk in Volendam is pointing out how important it is to have time for each other and be outside. I am thankful of these moments!

It was wonderful to see the water views in Volendam and admire the old architecture near the harbor. This small town about 20 kilometers north from Amsterdam is the best well known fishing town in the Netherlands. It is also a touristic place, but we chose a perfect day for our visit. Often people have other plans in the last day of the year than looking for sights and eating fish n waffles!

Too much choice!!

Delicious waffles near the harbor. 

The New Years Eve was a marathon of Monopoly. Four hours we were competing agains each other and in the end there was no official winner. The midnight and the fireworks were mixing our concentration and we left the game on the table. Next morning no one didn't want to finish the battle. The material was packed in and stored in a closet. 

I guess we do the same now with the memories from the last year. We have the experiences packed in our mind and with some suitable new keys we can always find them and use them for learning, reflecting, comforting and bringing us joy.

I am positive, so much potential we all have. I want to think out of the box and have a good year. Wishing you the same! 

Feet in the water

roses, wood and a dog:)

I wish I would have dipped my bare feet in the cold water on the first day of January, the day I took these pictures. It is easy to be brave and spontaneous in theory, but often we need a few inspirational examples before the great ideas are landing to our consciousness. 

my children are often my biggest inspiration

A wind beaten walk at the beach of Castricum was like a wake up walk  after the silent christmas holiday. The Sea is a powerful force of Nature, the changing elements like the wind and the huge waves pointing out the challenge of life. It is a yearly tradition for many dutch people to go and swim in the cold water on the first day of the year. A ritual of washing the old days of previous year and starting a new fresh year like this has become a big event for many people. In 2016 over 51 000 people joined the new years dive in the beaches of Netherland. Originally a small group of people started this tradion in 1960's and somehow it grew to a big happening during the decades. Maybe the challenge and the shock of the cold water is pushing ones boundaries and makes it feel like a clear start for the next coming seasons. 

A brave dutch woman having a new years swim.

The challenge is pushing the human mind further. It can be easier if you have clear goals and a directions you want to work on. The motivation and the reason for this motivation are the keys for being able to focus on the performance with a long time commitment. It can be easier to listen to what other people are saying than really start to listen to yourself - making steps and choices of your own. The reality hits of course in many ways, because we always have to think of other people as well. A good planning can make miracles and make us more happy. Making space to personal goals, connections and plans - giving time to ourselves and giving time to others in a decant balance. 

We need the silence every now and then to really stand on our own feet. The noise is everywhere and so are the mysterious or direct expectations, the motives and needs from the other people. To be able to trust to one another in all human connections, we need to be honest and trust to ourselves first. In the best conditions we can trust in life and we feel there is a meaning in our existence. To be  able to grow and feel this vital force of life, making ethical choices and choosing a direction are needed. The best inspiration can be having other people around and getting impulses and ideas from this interaction. We have to let that interpersonal light to reach our mind and soul, but at the same time be able to separate the unnecessary weight of the individual, personal process that someone else is going through. We can help, listen and live along the journey...but sometimes we have to let go and focus on our own path. We all have a "work called life" here to do :). With all respect, we have to focus on the good process and make better choices for ourselves, for the loved ones and for our environment. It is never too late to say something better than the last time and do a better choice than the last time.

Sometimes I feel I repeat myself with all the silent talk made loud in these written notes. Then I comfort myself: we need endless repetition on the skills to be masters of something. Being a master of our own mind could be a helpful skill, but learning to make more  honest and better choices is good enough for me. 

Oud en Nieuw - Old and New

I wish you a Happy New Year! I did not have any time to write lately, but tomorrow the first empty paper of the year 2016 will be waiting for us. There will be time to write again and see everything in a new light. Days will be getting longer and brighter. The outdoor living will be blooming again sooner as we think. This is a funny winter, I already see some little flowers at the park...the winter really never seems to come. I would like to see some snow, but for that I would have to travel back to North Europe to my hoods or to the Alps.

Our dinner has been in the oven for hours and I can hear the fireworks at the park already. It is hardly 5pm and it sounds like midnight. Our quests for this evening are here. Time to have some fun and say goodbye to this year. 

Once more Happy and Healthy new year 2016!

Starting the eve with little salty snacks and some wine...and as usual playing games with our friends.

Toast for this year and thank you for reading my blog!