As the Earth makes another lap around the sun and seasons turn over once again, patterns reemerge reminding us to reflect on the year that has passed. We measure changes over time relative to the milestones and landmarks that we explore and encounter on our life’s journey. Where was I this time last year? How did I grow or stay the same? How did I want to change last year and did I meet that challenge?
Last New Year’s I was just starting a new adventure traveling around the country and my goals were to simply live authentically and take head-on any challenge that life throws my way. I wanted to travel and farm and be present. I’m happy to say that I definitely accomplished all that and more. I learned to trust my intuition so much more deeply and to have the confidence to do whatever I set my mind to. I developed new friendships and relationships with people, animals, myself, and the Earth. My priorities have shifted and I feel more on track to live a fulfilling life than I did last year. I went on an unexpected journey and came out stronger on the other side. I found a renewed home in Gainesville and couldn’t be more satisfied with the small yet thriving community I get to call home. I can now take more time to notice the little things and relish in the beautiful moments that are all around.
One way I have grown into myself more is that I finally feel at peace with the times I find myself alone without plans, perhaps on a weekend, when in reality the rest and alone time would be supportive and nourishing. I have always tied up my worth with how many people want to hang out with me, yet these days I have been wanting to spend the most time with myself (including making the most of my mornings by not sleeping in as much!!), getting to know myself even deeper and learning to love all my complexities and flaws. Being surrounded by a supportive community where most of my needs are met has helped tremendously with this endeavor. In other times in my past I have struggled with loneliness and missing a community where I feel connected to people and the land around me. Since moving back to Gainesville I have been able to slow down and breathe deeply again as I welcome all the community love and support that exists here. I have been relishing in the local farmers markets, close friends to cook with, a new nannying job that brings me so much joy, biking in cool weather, visiting nature and sitting in stillness with wildlife and trees. I’ve been focusing a lot on sourcing my food from local respected sources which has brought a lot of meaning into my life here, something which I carry from my time living on various farms this past year. I am grateful for the community supported farms that invite volunteers for work-trade in exchange for bountiful produce! It’s a lot like wwoofing but locally and once a week :D
I love trading my efforts for delicious, fresh organic food rather than spending lots at the grocery store, and this abundance will not go to waste due to friendly neighbors that offer community composting. I’ve been able to plant my roots in these ~fertile, well-drained soils~ of north-central Florida which have accepted me and allowed me to flourish in this stage of my life. I feel free to dance in delight, run barefoot, cry laughing, tell my friends that I love them and hear it in return. I am a regular again at my local vegan cafe where I smile at the familiar faces I see each time I come in. I can bike here on my “new” retro miyata which I can’t wait to learn how to fix up on my own.
This new year I see so much potential for myself to expand even deeper into self love and continue following the path of least resistance, just as water can’t help but flow in specific patterns down a river like the veins in a leaf or tree roots into soil. I feel like my fate in being held in trusted hands as I cannot picture the way my life will unfold yet my gut knows that as long as I continue trusting my instincts and choosing what feels right in the moment then I shouldn’t stray far from where I’m meant to be, and any hard times or failures are not to be feared, yet rather embraced as acquired wisdom from which to learn life lessons.
In this new year I hope to continue being community oriented, sharing food and meals, gathering to sing and dance, bike on new roads, and try many more new things and learn a lot along the way! Maybe I will travel internationally and visit farms in different countries to engage in cultural exchanges and new ways of life. I hope to strengthen connections already made in the past and continue prioritizing my health and well being in mind, body, and spirit. There is so much to be grateful for and I feel so honored to feel it all with such great magnitude. In 2023, the year of WWOOFing, I grew so much that it’s hard to picture myself before this transformative year which only highlights how much can change in a relatively short period of time. If you’ve been apart of my year’s journey, thank you so much for all of your wisdom and generosity, it has been so enriching and inspiring.
Cheers to the New Year! May your year be filled with endless joy and gratitude.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself so beautifully, Carly. Sending much love from one of your greatest supporters from afar, Your Aunt Mel❤️❤️