I turned 60 in 2018. It was a year stuffed with satisfying activity, but also involving cataract surgery, business challenges, and more limited leadership roles.
I reached my goal weight after several years of effort. I went on the local steam train, something I had been meaning to do for years. I also made a triangular lace shawl, another thing I had planned to do for years. I had my DNA tested and made quite a bit of progress on my family history and genealogy, another longstanding intention. I organized my yarn stash. I did two “collections” with the Seamwork process and achieved a respectable wardrobe. I made three out of state trips, plus one in-state by myself. I cooked and baked new things, including sourdough bread, English muffins, macarons, doughnuts, fancy tarts, and chocolate mousse.
In short, I did quite a few things I had been meaning to do, tried a lot of new things, and had some gentle adventures. Are those accomplishments? They seem small. Small but satisfying.
Yet it was a year of creativity. A year of supporting bigger accomplishments among my family members. A year of habits good for aging.
Maybe 2018 was the year I became old. The year I actually embraced the third act of my life. I seem to be doing it well, actually.
To age well, we need to exercise four times a week or more. We should give up processed foods and eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, fiber and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids but less salt and no processed meats and trans fats. We should keep our brains lively with study, creative activities, social connections, new experiences, and time in nature.
There wasn’t much in the way of professional accomplishment in 2018. I need to step that up in 2019. But I have a lot of finished objects. Some are shown below.
What were my accomplishments in 2018? My word was “Journey,” so maybe it’s as well that I made progress along roads already begun rather than identifying accomplishments. I think I need to keep track better in 2019, though.