There is something I really love about the week between Christmas and New Year. I usually get at least one space purged, and with the crazy excitement of Christmas worn off I can start dreaming about the next year. I don’t set a lot of goals because my ability to get side-tracked is amazing, which means my ability to follow through isn’t so amazing. I used to view it as a weakness but I don't anymore. This ability I possess is the reason I’m able to set intentions or dreams for the year but not feel extremely discouraged at the end of the year if I haven’t met some of them. I just add them to the following year or scrap them all together. Grace is such a beautiful gift.
I do love reflecting on the previous year. I also love when other people reflect on their years and share about them. Usually someone has done, listened to, or watched something I haven’t but I’d like to so I add it to the next year's intentions and dreams. Maybe you’ll find a favorite for next year here on my best of 2022 list.
Best Tv Shows- The Bear, Ted Lasso, and The Big Brunch not in any particular order but these were shows I couldn’t quit watching and/or talking about.
Best Movies- I’m having a hard time recalling any movies that I couldn’t wait to tell people to watch besides Top Gun: Maverick. I don’t even like Tom Cruise (usually I boycott movies he is in now for some odd reason) but I went because Brent wanted to see it badly and I’m extremely glad I did. It was a really good movie.
Best Songs- I had any song by Jordan Davis on repeat. Lost by Sebastion V, and A Man Named Job by Ryan Proudfoot were favorites as well. And the entire Midnights album by Taylor Swift. I am not a Swiftie in the slightest but man can she write a song.
Best Books- This one was hard to narrow down because I read a lot of books I really enjoyed this year.
Nonfiction- Big Magic, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Rhythms of Rest, Gluing the Cracks, Bird by bird, Holy Hygge, Mother Noise, Different.
Fiction- I loved reading The School for Good Mothers, The People We Keep, The Maid, Book Lovers, Lessons in Chemistry, and I really enjoyed listening to books by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen and Everything Sad is Untrue.
Best Fashion Finds- Neuflora Wardrobe (obsessed with the overalls), Not Perfect Linen, and these polymer clay earrings from My Elle Belle Co.
Best Beauty Finds- Freck. I keep it real simple with my makeup routine but I love my faux freckles so much.
Best Recipes Tried- Ohhhh man. I discovered a SERIOUS love for being in the kitchen this year and tried SO many new recipes. This feels really hard to narrow down. We made this Gf Tuscan Pasta A LOT, and I started obsessively making the no knead bread from this Half Baked Harvest cookbook. I spent a lot of this year experimenting in the kitchen, figuring out how to make healthy baked goods that still taste delicious, and adapting my favorite comfort foods to be gluten free. I’m very much looking forward to next year in the kitchen.
Best rhythm or routine- Honestly this year, the best rhythm or routine was the lack of them. I experimented with a lot of different ones but none of them felt like they suited our family well. I can tell you I do plan to begin waking up early again and sitting my butt in the chair to write, and read my bible. I started out 2022 so strong but I let life pull me from Jesus instead of toward Him, and well the effects are evident and need a bit of change. I am following this bible reading plan if you are looking for one to do!
Best creative accomplishments- I am a hat knitting pro. Seriously, I passed out hats like Oprah this year and I feel very proud of this. I hosted a photography workshop for moms with my friend Chelsea called Momtography 101 and I was TERRIFIED but I’m attempting to just do things scared and I’m so glad I did. We’re hoping to host another one in 2023!
Best yeses- Therapy. I used to think therapy was only for people in major crisis or dealing with Big T trauma. I have never been more wrong about something and I’m so glad I said yes to therapy. I won’t say it is making me a better mom, wife, friend, or person but it is giving me a safe space to process LIFE and that is priceless. Substack. Already enjoying reading and writing here more than I did on instagram most of 2022. Exhale workshops. I joined exhale in 2021 but took my first workshop in January of 2022 and have participated in a few others focused either on writing, photography, or both this year. I have already signed up for this one from two of my favorite writers/authors to begin 2023.
I didn’t get it all right in 2022. I am fairly positive I got a lot more wrong than I did right. I could easily make this same list of worst instead of best but I plan to head into 2023 fresh. I’m leaving behind what didn’t work, focusing on what did, and looking forward to seeing what is next. Here’s to a new year friends, full of joy, sorrow, good, bad, and all the grace.
Thank you to Ashlee Gadd and her Best of 2022 post for inspiring this. I will forever love how creativity inspires creativity.
Well I loved this.
Okay I got that half baked harvest cookbook for Christmas and haven’t made anything yet -- I gotta find that no knead bread recipe! Loved reading through your list, Dani, and so thankful for the ways our paths have crossed this year! Looking forward to reading more from you in 2023 ❤️