Tag: WotY

Ready for 2018: Word #Practice

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My childhood best friend reminded me yesterday that the Word of the Year for 2017 I had selected was GOALS. I couldn’t remember that a week ago, and then my Facebook memories popped up today with the original post from last year. Kristina was right: It was GOALS. Oddly enough, I attended a workshop called, “Goal Setting for Artists” and came away from there thinking that I should focus on TIME and SPACE in order to achieve my dreams and goals. So I’m comfortable combining them all in my records for 2017.

Revisiting, these have been my theme words.

  • 2017: GOALS: achieved by finding both TIME and SPACE
  • 2016: HABITS
  • 2015: MASTERY (and COLOR) + “Finish the Unfinished Objects”
  • 2014: CREATE
  • 2013: FOCUS
  • 2012: DANCE

Today, I’ve found my theme word for 2018: PRACTICE.

Thoughts about PRACTICE

There are so many ways to interpret this. When skill-building, one needs to practice the newly acquired skills. You could ask yourself, “What are the habits I’m in the practice of repeating?” Am I practicing compassion? Do I practice patience? Have I practiced forgiveness toward myself or others? Could I practice better habits? Should I change the practice of being hard on myself? Do I practice financial responsibility? Have I practiced good community building skills? 

When I think about the various themes I’ve sought to embrace–Dance, Focus, Create, Mastery, Habits, Goals–it’s easy to see how I would then expand this into making regular practice of my pursuits. I want to practice my dance skills. I want to put focus into practice more frequently. I love practicing my various creative pursuits. Practice is the primary method for aiming for mastery. Practice must become part of my regular habits. And I can best narrow down *what* to practice if I have established my goals.

Setting my various priorities in place before me, it’s time to then practice what I preach.

#PRACTICE #2018

 

Word of the Year

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For several years, I spent the end of December coming up with a “Word of the Year” or a theme that could be used in place of resolutions in the New Year. I managed to find my notes in Dec 2015 for 2016 (it was the word “Habits”), but I wasn’t having any luck finding what I had selected for 2017.

Facebook doesn’t have an easy way to scroll backwards or search. And I hadn’t posted a blog about the issue. So I tried scrolling backwards on Twitter (love that Page Down button), and it stopped in January. And that’s when I realized why I probably hadn’t come up with a Word of the Year.

Because it took me a full month to get over my initial dismay of the election results. I wasn’t functioning emotionally for a month. And then we were well into December which meant supporting my Partner in the efforts of the season (as Santa) took all my brain power. Then in January I was quickly whisked off to dancing at ATS Reunion, and never noticed the lack of a word for the year.

Now I know why 2017 has been a little more scattered than some years. I did attend a workshop called “Goal Setting for Artists” in early January, where I probably set the closest thing to a word of the year as any. In my “dream big” assignment, I was able to boil down that the things needed to pursue my big dreams was “Time” and “Space.” Any of the efforts that interested me need me to prioritize how I use my time and to clear the clutter and make space for them.

I also had spent some considerable efforts in Daily Movement Prompts for most of the year, which I miss spending time on. It’s an effort that I would like to return to.

So, in retrospect, here are the theme words I’ve had over the years.

  • 2017: TIME and SPACE
  • 2016: HABITS
  • 2015: MASTERY (and COLOR) + “Finish the Unfinished Objects”
  • 2014: CREATE
  • 2013: FOCUS
  • 2012: DANCE

I’ll be thinking about what my plans are for 2018, so it’s nice to finally have some understanding of 2017.

And when you’re tired and not sure you can continue, you can do what I did in this photo here. Sit down and strike a pose. 

Strike a Pose. You’re Beautiful.

Word of the Year for 2016: Habits

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I am not a person who works on the schedule for “Resolutions” on January 1. Many of you know that my two rules in class are, “No Pressure, No Shame” and “This Body, This Day.” It’s about living honestly *here and now* as much as possible, and trying to be at peace with “what happens, happens.”

However, I have also selected words that characterize where I am headed into a calendar year. One year it was DANCE, the next was FOCUS, followed by CREATE, and I started 2015 thinking about MASTERY (with a sub theme of COLOR!). Not sure how much of my theme words shaped 2015, although my October craft theme was “Finish the UnFinished Objects.” And I feel good about how that turned out.

Now I look at 2016 and I have some ideas about the year, most notably the word HABITS. I see some specific plans for the habits I want to shape and adjust and encourage. Paired with my top two rules, I think that I am looking forward to 2016.

I just wanted to wish you all a wonderful evening, however you observe December 31. And I hope that I will see many of your throughout 2016… A habit of seeing friends and family in person, whenever I can. 💛💚💙💜❤💖