Living with Attention/Holstee Manifesto by Valarie Budayr

Today I find myself in a very reflective mood. Looking back at when 2011 started I made the intention to live differently. Not the resolution making type of living different , no not that, I just wanted to live with attention. I wanted to live without missing any little details or to let my brain go off into auto-pilot, missing moments that I couldn't recall at the end of the year.

As I look back at the attentive year with all of it's celebrations,tribulations,challenges, and daily little moments I can say that “this year” I have truly lived and created life more, not in the amount of much, but in the knowing that I have lived fully. Serving as my mantra and guide for the year of attention was the Holstee Manifesto.

How do I feel at the end of my year of attention? That I have laughed harder, cried rivers, created with others joyfully, loved more, savored every bite, met many old friends in new ways i.e. blogging friends, I have travelled near and far to learn that we are unified in our differences. Life is short. I thank each and everyone of you who show up each time we make a post and share a part of your world with us. Here's wishing your very own attentive year filled with many happy and creative moments and know that I'm so thankful for the time we spend together. 

Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the book The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and soon to be released The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and you can find her doing that on her popular blog and website, Jump into a Book. When she isn’t being bookie, she is very happily the mother of three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, and caretaker of one adored cat. Other creative interests are music, travel, knitting (a bonafide yarn harlot), and gardening. She loves living a daily creative practice, where even a good cup of coffee is art.