Learning Your Own Individual Language of Wonder
My Wake Up to Wonder Progress: Days 1-12
Friends, I am so blown away by all of you joining in this year-long practice together. Getting to hear your highlights and insights is joy right down to my toes.
I thought sharing my progress and the things I’m shifting and leaning into might also be helpful.
I’m already noticing some things and am curious if you might be notching them too.
You do not need to do what I am doing. This is not the “right” way to do this practice. It is simply what is working for me at the moment.
My First 12 Days
On the back of each watercolor square, I write the date, day #, and a few words to remind me what I am celebrating. I also write the same information about what I’m celebrating on the day of this monthly planner spread.
This planner is a splurge item, and you don’t need it to do this practice. Any monthly calendar will do if you’d like to explore something similar.
(I’m an Archer and Olive Ambassador currently, so if you click on the link and decide to purchase, I get a commission. Also, use the code DMP to get 10% off.)
But again… you do not need an expensive planner.
You could even make your own by drawing out monthly grids on paper and binding them together with embroidery thread.
I like photographing my inchies in the monthly calendar placement. Especially for sharing on social media. At the end of the month, I will add them to my wall canvas.
Watch them appear day-by-day in this recent reel on Instagram. ⬇️
I then use the weekly portion of the planner to reflect in slightly more detail about my moment of wonder on that day. As you can see, I am keeping it uber simple.
Start Looking for Your Unique Language of Wonder
I notice many of my inchies are abstract. In that place of abstraction, I am already seeing a language of wonder emerge in the marks I am making.
My Wonder Language is steeped in metaphor and light rays right now.
As you engage with this practice, look back every 1–2 weeks and see what themes are developing. These are some of the questions I ask myself:
Do you have repeated subjects that catch your attention?
Light, evening, clouds, art, etc.
Based on observing your Wake Up to Wonder Inchies (not what you think from memory), are there certain ways in which you seem to most naturally find wonder?
Getting quiet. Noticing details. Walking in nature. Reading literature. Baking. Crocheting. Gardening. Playing with younger family members. Etc.
Where does wonder live in your being? Where do you feel it in your body?
Is it dancing head tingles? A deep, inexplicable feeling of calm? An effervescent sense of joy? A simple knowing deeper than words?
Over this year, I expect these things to evolve and change as I grow and pay greater attention to the worlds of wonder silently growing at my feet.
(Well, in my case, foot… I only have one.)
If you care to share, I’d love to hear what you are noticing about your wonder practice as we are moving through January.
Here’s a link to the comment section.
I have my finished ones in a little metal box. Like you I write on the back of each one. Date, & wonder moment. I haven’t done everyday- but that’s ok. If you glue yours down how do you see what you wrote on the back?
I've been writing 3 "gifts" down each day for years, so this is just a beautiful creative way to incorporate art into this practice. I am noticing creating these is enhancing my attention to watching for these gifts. I am having to find a way to visually convey the gift. One day my wonder was having a deeply spiritual conversation with my husband. How was I to convey that? I am not an abstract artist, but that is what I turned to. And it turned out beautiful. I think this will definitely stretch me in this area. I look forward to seeing what themes emerge. My word for the year is already "expectation" so I believe I have some wonderful things to look forward to!
Thank you again for this challenge. I've been wanting to create daily for years, and it's been such a struggle. Having a 1" and 5 minute framework has enabled me to practice every day. I never stop at 5 minutes, as I'm having so much fun I just keep going!!! Thank you for helping me jump-start creating every day so far! :)