…EMBRACE 100 days…

I have a conflicted relationship with the 100 days project. I’ve vaguely sort of considered the idea for many years, and given it a half hearted attempt. In 2020, in the depths of that long first lockdown, when life revolved around pressers and zoom and wiping down the groceries before they came in the house and setting up outside hand washing stations, the 100 Days Project became my anchor. It gave me a rhythm after three weeks of floundering.

It became the start of a seismic shift in my entire creative process.

It was wildly successful. I finished two crochet blankets (one of which had been in progress for years), started a third, and watched six seasons of When Calls The Heart. I came out of the 100 Days Project inspired by and enamoured with my newly found ability to follow through and finish a project. I then went on to clear out my entire WIP box by the end of the year.

The downside, I discovered in 2021, was it set such a high bar. In 2021, I chose a project just for the sake of choosing a project, and the wheels fell off quite spectacularly. I failed 2021 almost as well as I had succeeded the year before. I gave up on day one. I didn’t even have time to blog my plans before I was blogging about giving up.

I’ve been back and forth about joining in this year. I have multiple daily projects already, that I am behind on for all of them. There was nothing really jumping out as a project that both excited me, and would be able to be broken down into bite sized daily chunks I could manage in a tiny house. Then, last week, as I moaned yet again, about having no idea and no mojo, my very helpful offsider suggested I lean into my word for the year. Why not EMBRACE 100 Days, whatever they might bring. EMBRACE the little moments of joy. A single photo, or a line in my day book, would be enough to count. If I was inspired to more, then go ahead, but if not, just the simple act of noticing was enough.

It was perfect. It is exactly right for this project, in this year, where life once more feels uncertain and transitional. One hundred days of celebrating the magic in the mundane, of documenting life in the messy middle, of honouring the everyday miracles that are there just waiting for our attention.

One hundred days to EMBRACE this wonderful, enchanting, inspiring world. Let’s do this.