I am a Victorian Soul, who lives in a small townhouse that was built in the mid 1970's, not a huge Mega Mansion!! I just recently lost my Hubby Joe, who was a Retired Letter Carrier. I worked night shift as an RN on a Hospital based Rehabilitation( Physical Medicine) Unit for 37 years before I had Knee Replacement Surgery and officially Retired in 2019 after 41 years working in Direct Patient Care ... I am so glad that we retired at 62 years of age and got to spend that time together before he passed....I still do love Retirement!!!!

I DABBLE IN A BIT OF THIS AND THAT!!!!

" IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN"
George Eliot
George Eliot was actually a pen name for a woman named Mary Anne Evans......

BLOGGING FOR FUN AND FRIENDSHIP!!!!!!

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

NOT Choosing "One Little Word" for 2020!!!

 Welcome to Debbie-Dabble Blog!!
I am so happy you decided to stop by!!

I guess this post is a bit overdue because I usually post what my One Little Word for the year will be shortly after, if not on, New Year's Day.......
BUT, I have been doing some serious thinking after "surviving" last year which was a pretty terrible year for me, my family and a lot of people I know.......
Last year, I chose FOCUS as my One Little Word and about midway through the year, I realized I needed to change my thinking about what I was going to FOCUS on........
You can read about it HERE.........

Then it became clear that I really just needed to FOCUS on getting through to the end of the year......

I did do a post, Review of my One Little Word for 2019.........
 Click HERE if you missed it on New Year's Day......

Lots of Bloggers pick a "Word" for the New Year........

And I like to read their thoughts on why they did or did not choose a Word for the year.....

I read this interesting Blog post written by Sue, over at Sizzling Toward 60 and Beyond, about not choosing a Word for the Year......
Click HERE to read the post....

Sue's next post was about making One Change in the upcoming year, just one change to achieve one Goal.....
Click HERE to read that post....

I will be talking more about this in a future post....

In this post, Shannon, over at Home Made Lovely, writes about why she chose "Nourish" as her word for the Year....
Kristin, over at White Arrows Home, chose "Audacious" for her One Word for the Year after going on a Winter Retreat.....

So after some serious thinking .......I decided on the Word that I chose for this New Year....

A lot of life changing things happened to me in 2019.....
The nursing unit I had worked in for the last 37 years had closed......
Which left me feeling very bitter about my job and how my co workers and I were being treated....
My stress level was through the roof as we were being floated to different departments and even to a different hospital within the Health system or being called off an hour before you were to be at work!
Then I was experiencing extreme difficulty walking because of my need for a Knee Replacement causing me to no longer be able to work.......
 That in itself , I now realize, was a God Send....... being home, I was removed from all the stress and drama of what was happening at work.......
 I had put off and planned for my Knee Replacement Surgery for over 6 years and my plan was to have my surgery in October of 2019 , take my leave of absence because of the surgery and retire at the end of January when I turned 62.........
 I was only 6 months shy of this Goal.....

I had to wait until the end of April to have my surgery because of a cortisone shot that I had received at the end of the year which increased the risk of infection if I had the surgery sooner.......

 On April 29th, I had my knee replacement surgery.......
 Even though I was progressing right on schedule after my surgery according to my Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Surgeon, I still felt as if my recovery should have been a bit faster......

I do believe it was because I was not that mobile before the surgery due to the pain so I was more debilitated than I thought I would be if I had had the surgery while I was still working.....
And I guess because I was a Rehab Nurse for almost 38 years, I expected more of myself!!

Just as I was finally starting to feel "like Myself" after the surgery and was being released from Medical care, my nephew John passed away from colon cancer, leaving a wife and 3 daughters aged 10, 14 and 17 years old.....

As I have mentioned in past posts, his passing devastated and shook my family to it's core......
The way he lived the last 2 years of his life and the way his wife Renae and her 3 daughters, Carly, Caitlin and Cortney , are carrying on living their lives to the fullest in his absence has set an example of what we all should do......
Renae and her girls continue to amaze me because they are carrying on just as John would have wanted them to do.....

Renae posted this message on Face book on New Year's Day......

"As I left 2019 surrounded by friends and family I realized that it was not all bad! It was one of the most challenging and heartbreaking years I have ever faced, however it was also a year of Great memories that I will hold near and dear to my Heart. Loosing my Best friend and sole mate was by far one of the hardest thing I have ever faced. This year has taught me that I am stronger than I thought I could ever be. I owe that strength to years of Love from John as well as my wonderful parents. The girls and I have made a pack to face this new year as John would want us to. We have so much to look forward to and so many memories to make. I will not stop living or dwell on the fact that John is not here, for he still is and lives within my girls. They hold his sprirt and I am enjoying him through them. I will be enjoying my family or friends. I Love you all for the support that you have given me and my girls this past year!!
Happy New Year !!"
 What can I say after reading that??????
 There were also other incidents like Health Scares and Loss of other loved ones that happened ....

So after much reflection and realizing how NEGATIVE I had become because of the circumstances of 2019........
I decided I needed to change my whole Attitude for the New Year and the New Decade!!!

After all, I had finally RETIRED which was something that I wanted to do for the last 41 years!!!!
All the Stress and Drama that went hand in hand with work and my job was GONE!!!!!
I was grateful for how everything turned out with my surgery and that I had had my Knee Replacement surgery earlier than I planned because that enabled me to decorate for and enjoy both the Fall, Halloween and Christmas Seasons with family and friends......

Which I would not have been able to do if I had had the surgery in October as planned......
So now, I am looking forward to making the most out of my Retirement and what the future holds in the New Year and the New Decade......
Okay, so since I was feeling very "Negative" in 2019, I decided in early December that My One Little Word for 2020 would be.........
POSITIVITY!!!!!!!
pos·i·tiv·i·ty-
the practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude.

 After reading different Blog posts and other articles, I decided NOT to go with a "Word" for the Year.......
 
I decided that POSITIVITY was going to be my THEME for the Year, 2020!!!!

This year, no matter what is in store for me and my family, I am going to try to look at the bright side and be POSITIVE!!!!!
This year and this decade is going to be MY TIME.......

 I have said many times before that I never wanted to be a Nurse, that my Mother forced me into it because my sister was a nurse and my Mother thought that it was a "respectable" profession......

Now that I am no longer a Nurse, I can finally decide, on my own, What I Want to Be!!
 Even though I am not quite sure as to what exactly that is.......

Now that I have recovered from my surgery and I feel good physically, I am still working on the Path that I want my Retirement to take......
 Even though I have chosen POSITIVITY to be my THEME for this year.......

I have also decided to Chose One More Word........

I read this interesting Blog Post written by Kim, over at Exquisitely Unremarkable. about why she won't pick a Word for the Year.......
 Click HERE to read this great blog post......

After reading this, I decided to join Kim and choose a Word for the Month instead of one for the year......

For January, I have chosen "Productivity" for my Word.......
After experiencing Mobility issues for most of last year and feeling very stagnant, I need to be Productive again.......
 I am still working out a Time Management program because once you are retired, you suddenly have all this time on your hands .....

And I have a huge tendency toward Procrastination!!!!

I want to use my time wisely and not squander it.....

But that is going to be a future post.....

At the end of 2020, I want to be able to look back on the year and be grateful for everything good that happened......

So I have decided to do this....
 I don't want to look at another year with such negative feelings like I looked at 2019......

So this year, POSITIVITY is going to be my Theme for the Year.....
 How about you????

Did you pick a Theme, a Word for the Year or a Word for the Month????

I truly hope that you and your family and friends have a fantastic New Year!!!
 And I hope you will stop by to visit again soon!!

Thanks to those who took the time out of their busy day to spend a little bit of time with me!!

If you do not have a blog, PLEASE  give me some way to reply to your comment, maybe by including your email in your comment.  If I can not find a way to reach you, I will reply on the post where you commented so please check back......


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25 comments:

  1. Julie's Creative LifestyleJanuary 8, 2020 at 7:19 PM

    This is a great blog post and I think that your word is just perfect. Positivity is something we can all work on!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Graça GamitoJanuary 8, 2020 at 7:21 PM

    Hi Debbie! I really enjoyed reading your post. I think Debbie is a strong woman in every way. Since your persistence in always having your home with the ornament you want (and I think it will give you a lot of work ...), supporting your family, accepting the problems you had with the end of your career as a nurse (what an important job for society ...) to have the strength to recover from your knee operation!
    For all this I wish God to give you much strength for the new year 2020. Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  3. JeanieJanuary 8, 2020 at 10:13 PM

    Good words, all. I didn't do this last year, though I had in the past. This year my word is Home. We'll see how it goes!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sandi MagleJanuary 9, 2020 at 8:11 AM

    Dear Debbie, Yes, we need to 'reorganize' our thoughts at times. Knee replacements can be a BEAR...growly or hibernating....lol. At 71-going to be 72 soon, I know 10 years makes a big difference in recovery. After 11 weeks, I have finally hit 102 degrees flexion....yikes! But, at least I know now I will be able to drive, do stairs, walk, ride my bike and be active. I embraced every one of your 'sayings' and yes...my word for 2020 will be to "MOVE". I may do a post on that!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JunkchiccottageJanuary 9, 2020 at 9:17 AM

    Good Morning Debbie. I think choosing a word or phrase is a great way to think about starting out the new year. My word would be Present. Every day is a gift and I think you need to be present in your life. Take each day one day at a time. Life events teach us so much about ourselves and our purpose. Great blog to get us all thinking about how we will approach the new year.
    xoxo
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  6. CynthiaJanuary 9, 2020 at 1:43 PM

    That's a great way to start 2020, Debbie! Thinking and being positive can be a challenge, but once you get used to practicing it, becomes easier to find the good things amidst the bad...I am the same age as you, and when I turned 60, I decided that I would not grow into being an older person who was bitter or resentful. Holding onto negativity is bad for one's mental and physical health. Positivity is so important if one is to grow old gracefully!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Christie HawkesJanuary 10, 2020 at 7:55 AM

    Hello Debbie. I truly enjoyed reading about how you came to your theme for the year and your idea for a word a month. The quotes were great too. I saved several of them. I found your blog through a comment you made on Sue's Sizzling Toward Sixty blog. I just lost my mother the day after Christmas, and while that's different from losing a younger person (which I know, as my younger brother was killed almost 5 years ago), it was devastating and I am still feeling pretty much cut adrift--an orphan at 58. I am sending love and healing to you and your family. May we all bring the positivity for 2020! Of course, there will be sorrow, but there can also be much joy. If I were to choose a word for the year, perhaps it would be peace or ease. Thanks again for a lovely post. Enjoy your day!

    ~Christie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble ChristmasJanuary 10, 2020 at 8:46 AM

      Christie,
      I could not find any other way to get in touch with you so I am doing so here... Thanks so much for your kind words and for reading this post. I am so very sorry to hear of your Mother's passing.... And especially during the Holiday season, it must be so difficult. y Dad passed away suddenly at 67 years old, 32 years ago and my mother suffered for 8 weeks before she passed way at the ago of 84, 17 years ago....So I have been an "orphan" for quite long time now and I will be 62 years old very soon....It is an adjustment for sure , realizing that you are now the oldest generation that is still living in your family...I am also sorry to hear of your brother's traumatic passing...I know it is hard but I truly feel that we have to go on living our lives to the fullest because that is what our loved ones would have wanted and we are doing so to honor their memory...I hope you have a great weekend!!
      Hugs,
      Deb

      Delete
    2. Christie HawkesJanuary 10, 2020 at 3:32 PM

      Thank you for your warm response, Deb. It is strange to be the oldest generation. Of course, I was prepared for the pain of separation when my mother passed, but I was not expecting the strange emotions mixed up with being in that position. I've never been able to get my URL and email to show up on Blogger. I'd love for you to visit me at https://christiehawkes.com.

      Delete
  8. Joanne January 10, 2020 at 4:52 PM

    That is a wonderful theme for the year; and something we could all work on! I try so hard to keep a positive attitude.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Karie's Chic CreationsJanuary 10, 2020 at 11:12 PM

    Debbie, I love your word for 2020. I need to follow in your footsteps and be more positive in my thoughts and actions. And i also like the idea of choosing a word of the month. You are an amazing woman. Thank you for all of your posts on your blog. You spread a lot of goodness and positive energy throughout the world thru your blog. Thank you my friend, for being the person you are.

    ReplyDelete
  10. handmade by amaliaJanuary 11, 2020 at 1:31 AM

    Beautiful, Debbie. I've given up on new year resolutions and words, I never manage to keep them :-) Will just do my best.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  11. Deb J. in UtahJanuary 11, 2020 at 9:18 AM

    Hi Debbie. This is a great inspiring post. I hope 2020 is a good year for you! I am a new reader and follower and will be back to read more soon!

    ReplyDelete
  12. ConniecrafterJanuary 11, 2020 at 10:35 AM

    Positive is the only way to go, when we are stuck in negativity it will continue but when we choose to be positive even on those rough days it is easier to get through, hope it is a great year!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Kim January 12, 2020 at 8:43 PM

    Debbie, I was nodding all the way through your post! I was so surprised to see my own post quoted here, thanks for sharing! I'm so glad it spoke to you. I loved reading everyone's "word" posts, too. I need a new mindset for 2020 and positivity sounds perfect...even on the tough days. Perspective is everything. All the best in 2020!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lisa notes...January 13, 2020 at 5:21 PM

    Positivity is such a wonderful word, especially after having so many difficult things happen to you and around you in 2019. How wonderful to have a new year to start fresh. My one word for this year is "linger." I want to consciously choose to linger in moments instead of always flitting from one thing to the next.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lisa notes...January 13, 2020 at 5:21 PM

    Positivity is such a wonderful word, especially after having so many difficult things happen to you and around you in 2019. How wonderful to have a new year to start fresh. My one word for this year is "linger." I want to consciously choose to linger in moments instead of always flitting from one thing to the next.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Debra@CommonGroundJanuary 13, 2020 at 8:00 PM

    Debbie, this is such a wonderful post, full of wisdom and positivity. I think I pinned most of your images!! thanks for the great reminder to put our circumstances into perspective and God's perspective. Praying you have a year blessed and full of good things that God sends you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Michele MorinJanuary 15, 2020 at 7:43 AM

    Negativity is my default, but I'm working on it! Thanks for sharing your year and your energy!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Amanda @ Healthy Motivated LifeJanuary 16, 2020 at 7:38 AM

    Hi Debbie, thank you so much for sharing the story of your 2019, and your hopes for 2020. Congratulations on your retirement! 2019 was a tough year for me and my family too, so I with you on the positivity for this year. I look forward to learning more about your journey through retirement and finding what you truly want to do.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Creations By CindyJanuary 16, 2020 at 11:38 AM

    Enjoyed reading this post Debbie. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fluster BusterJanuary 16, 2020 at 12:09 PM

    We didn't pick a word for 2020 either! Thanks for sharing with us at the Creative Muster. Looking forward to seeing what you’ll be sharing next week. Pinned!
    Robin

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnnJanuary 17, 2020 at 7:32 PM

    I gave up on resolutions and words for the year. I'm just looking forward to new adventures in 2020. Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJ's!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Charlene@APinchofJoyJanuary 17, 2020 at 9:45 PM

    2019 was indeed a challenging year at our house as well and we are glad to be looking at a new year. Love your choice of positivity -- and the word of the month, too! Glad the knee surgery is behind you and you can begin to LIVE your well-deserved retirement.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Create With JoyJanuary 18, 2020 at 11:16 PM

    This is SUCH an inspiring post Debbie (and what a year you had!)
    Congrats for being one of my Featured Guests of the week at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy
    (and praying 2020 is an AMAZING year for you!) xoxo

    ReplyDelete

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