If you're new to the Word of the Year concept and want more information, please read this post and this post. Then come back to here and join the fun for 2012!
I've been ruminating on a word for 2012, and I've found it, thanks to my friend Betsy.
My word for 2011 was Learn. Since it's impossible for me not to learn, I feel quite successful and hope the rest of you who chose words last year feel successful, too. Remember, it doesn't matter if you did a lot with your word or just a little. If your word made you act or feel or think at all, you succeeded. There are no grades here, no pass/fail, as with more typical New Year's resolutions.
Words of the Year inspire.
If you want to be inspired by a word this year, choose carefully and post it in the comments here. There's no deadline, and I'll remind you periodically to choose a word and to put it into action. How you act is entirely up to you and your word. With Learn, I read and researched topics that interested me, listened to NPR, and subscribed to some new magazines...all things I would have done anyway, but my word made me more conscious of how much I learn and how good it makes me feel.
This year, my word is Gratitude. Like Learn, Gratitude is a natural choice for me. I spend a lot of my time in prayer expressing gratitude to God and a lot of time writing about gratitude for this blog. In the past few weeks, I've bumped into discussions of gratitude with freakish frequency, and this morning I opened an email from my friend Betsy with a link to this video, and suddenly, I had my word for 2012.
I will be inspired by Gratitude.
What word will inspire you this year?
I loooove to learn too and if I learn something new my day is complete :) Julee posted her word and I am piggybacking on it. It is linger. I want to linger in God's presence more this year and by doing so allow my creator to work in me, leaving his fingerprints on my heart and life as well as using me to touch the lives of those he brings within my reach.
ReplyDeleteWant to linger as I spend time with my kids and treasure those moments in my heart as they are growing up sooo quickly. Finally, just linger in the joys of life each day - so much to take in and so often I breeze on by as I work on my to do list and miss a little gift the day may want to bring me.
Other word is two in fact: no excuses. I'm turning 50 this month and want to be fit and firm at 50 :) So...no excuses not to work out. Can then linger in a nice hot shower if I have to LOL! Blessings to you this year as you learn and are grateful :)
I was going to choose "patience". The reason was that I want to exercise more patience with others (especially my kids) when their behaviour is irritating me (my issue usually, not theirs).
ReplyDeleteBut then I read Marisa's comment, and I have changed it, because what I really want to do is to give others my very full attention when we are communicating. So now my word is:
FOCUS
I have a tendency to drift off when what others are doing or saying is not of interest, or when they are taking forever to get to the point that I have already realised they are trying to make. This year, I want to give others my focused attention until THEY feel that they have communicated their information. Stopping what I am doing and really listening makes such a difference to this whole communication business!
I chose "hope". I'm also taking the Photo 365 challenge and "hope" to express my word for the year through some of my photos taking with my iPhone.
ReplyDeleteStill thinking about my word (and will come back and post when I decide), but thought I'd share the lovely gratitude thought provoker from Ann Voskamp. Her gift to those who want to SEE all the gifts we have, and in the thankfulness we gain joy.
ReplyDeleteLast year my word was free and in many ways I'm free from a very unhappy marriage and unfaithful man but not free from the burdens of ending that marriage.
ReplyDeleteI'm at a lost for a word to help guide me this year. Need some word help.
Lisa, how about Release (as in getting rid of baggage), Begin (as in begin a new life), Re-Create (as in create yourself anew), Find (as in a new peace) or just keep Free? I'm just throwing out ideas, but those leap to mind immediately. Take your time.
ReplyDeleteA couple of friends and I also choose words for our years. We started doing it in 2007 and that first year (long before I knew of your blog), I named it Year of Simplicity. This year I've named it Year of Lightness - partly because I intend to clear out a lot of clutter and my sister assures me that I will feel so much lighter after I've done that!
ReplyDeleteI think my word for 2012 will be "wings".
ReplyDeleteI'm Buddhist but I've always felt that I had 3-4 guardian angels following me around. I also knew that some day they would leave me to go help others. With how my life is right now,I think my wing pack has in deed left me.
I think I could use a pair of extra "wings" right now.
Also like the symbol of taking flight like a free bird flying up into the sky.
Patience. Not just for strangers, which for some reason seems easier to maintain, but mostly for close family...it seems they bear our impatience more than others and deserve it far less since they have to live with us every. single. day. So Patience is my word of the year...
ReplyDelete