The Awesome Jar 2017
Do you guys remember at the first of 2016 I saw a post on Facebook and had decided to bring in 2016 with an Awesome Jar of my own? It showed up just a few days after I had packed my things and parted ways with the McConnell household. I wasn’t feeling super happy about my situation and was wondering what I was going to do with myself.
Despite how 2016 ended, I had a LOT of great times, plenty of smiles, did a bit of traveling, and was able to get back to me again. Overall, it was a pretty amazing year for me. I was ready for it to be over though.
2017 has so many wonderful things in store for me and I could not wait to get this new year started.
I found my pretty music box jar on a trip to some antique shops with my mother a few years back. It sat in the china cabinet at the house with kiddo and my ex for the longest time – doing nothing. Now, it’s doing something. Something very special.
Starting January 1 when something awesome happens or I feel like I have something to be thankful for, I am going to place that on a piece of paper and put it in my jar. On New Year’s Eve I am going to sit down with my awesome jar and remind myself of where I was when the year started and how far I have come by the time the year ended.
The directions are a bit different from what I am doing, but that is okay. Take your jar and make it what you want.
So, what did my Awesome Jar contain for 2016?
- Thankful for crossing paths with my (no longer) friend D. For she gave me Stevie Nicks.
- Thankful for crossing paths with ‘book boy’ even though we are no longer friends, because he gave me strength and courage. He believed in me when I couldn’t.
- Thankful for that moment when I realized I no longer need to be afraid.
- Finding my strength.
- Having my 1st ex husband back in my life. He’s been an amazing supporter and friend.
- Reunited with an old friend and having the best of times.
- New and old penpals.
- Getting to a really good place with my ex and kiddo.
- Awesome support of all my besties, near and far.
- Getting back in to therapy with the best therapist I have ever had!
At the end of the year there will be an update on the Awesome Jar and then we’ll start again next year!
Yes! Yes and yes to this idea. I love the initiative and this is something my husband would enjoy putting together as well.
You guys really should!
I think that is an AWESOME idea! I should make one of these. It’s so important to focus on what’s good in our lives, but most of us really don’t do that.
You should Stacie! A great blog post idea 😉
That is such a fantastic idea. What a great way to ensure that we remember the good things we have in our lives.
I absolutely love this idea! I think it’s a great way to keep yourself motivated and your family motivated and just honestly feel loved.
I love the idea of the awesome jar. There is a lot of stuff I could put in mine for 2016. Hopefully 2017 will be the same.
I LOVE LOVE this idea!!!!! This is something my family should do! I can’t wait until the end of the year to see what is in the jar!
I have yet to make an Awesome Jar, but I love the concept. It is a great way to remember those special times throughout the year.
I’m loving your awesome moments from 2016. You should definitely save them. I hope there are many more coming your way. This is such a nice way to keep track of the good things!
My daughter loves doing this every year. I ended up making her a custom Peter Pan jar to keep all of her “happy thoughts” from the year in.
I love this idea – I think it is a great way to remind ourselves of all the good out there, and not to take the good things for granted, no matter how small. I would love to do this with my family.
This is such a great idea! It’s always good to find something to be thankful for and writing it down makes it even better and more memorable.
I started an Awesome Jar of my own. I am excited to look at it next New years. I think it is a great way to remember all the awesome memories from the year.
that is an awesome jar! great idea and I hope others decide to do the same… it’s so important to be thankful and content in our lives… great work!
I have never heard of an Awesome Jar before. I think it is an amazing idea. I will have to get started on mine asap.
I like the idea of a jar full of goodness. On days that things are not going so well, how cool to reach in and find a ray of sunshine. I have a gratitude journal,
It’s always nice to go back and remember what happened to you the previous year. This is such a great idea.
I think it’s a great way to start off the new year. I love this idea! Need to make myself one soon.
I used to have penpals when I was younger, it was fun exchanging letters from them. I should do that again.
I literally love the idea of having a Awesome Jar for the being of each year. It is not to late either to make an awesome jar for this year. This is something I am going to share with my sisters. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing idea.
What a clever idea! I love the idea of looking back to what happened the whole year before you jumped to the new year. It will help you remember the lessons you learned and the things you have to work on for the next year ahead. 🙂
There is so much positivity in this post! I agree, it’s a great idea to be able to do this the whole year. I’m definitely going to try to this even if we’re a few days in. It’s just really nice!
My husband and I do this! We find it very rewarding and a nice activity to do at New Years Day.
I have never done anything like this. It sounds like fun, but I have to admit that I would probably forget to put something in the jar about half the time.
This sounds pretty awesome. Would love to do something like an awesome jar. I am forgetful but I think if I wrote it down in my planner this is something I COULD do!
I really need to set up something like this. It is a great way to reflect back on the year and focus on the positive things.
I have never thought of this idea, but I love the concept. I think I’m going to try it, though! 🙂
this is such a fantastic idea! I think it is so incredibly important that we encourage ourselves and our kids to point out the things that are awesome in our lives! I am definitely going to create an awesome JAR WITH MY KIDS FOR 2017!
Hey girlie we must have the same mind. I did one consistently for 2015 – I didnt do one at all for 2016 but I am doing one this year ago. I love putting all my things I am grateful for in the jar. I am going to do a post on it too probably next week. Thanks for the additional confirmation!
This is such a fabulous idea! I need to do this. It really keeps our focus on the good things.
The more I focus on the positive, the more positive things I find. Love the idea of a way to collect them all.
Going back with an ex husband isn’t controversial, it’s just wonderful that there are chances like that. That might give us some pointers in life that if there’s any disagreements, separation is not the answer since both will come back together in the end.
I might just do that, the idea sounds so cute! Having a jar filled with happy memories is just too symbolic. Here’s to this year filling it up!
Oh how fun. I’ve never made an awesome jar before but now I’d like to try to make one. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’ve never made an awesome jar before or anything like it, but I really love the idea. I may make one this year. Happy 2017 to you!
I love the empty jar idea! Great way to save
I love your awesome jar idea. I used to keep a daily journal and would list all the things that I’m grateful for during the week. It’s amazing how much you a blessed with when you take the time to think about them.
This is an idea that I think I am going to have to adopt. It looks like it would be amazing to look at it when it was full.