I hope you enjoyed your New Year's Day. Neil and I went on a cleaning out/organization spree complete with a trip to our local Goodwill. It felt really good to get that stale energy moving out the door. 

Kathy and I got to talk and share our One Word for the year. She encourages and inspires me with her passion and attitude.  Kyle is just inches away from recovery from the rough patch he has been in and a peace cloud is hanging over our household. What a nice way to bring in the New Year.

Last year it was so much fun hearing from readers about what they chose for their "One Word". Please let me know if you have picked one.  You inspire me!

Want to know a little more about how it works. Here's more from Christine Kane's blog. (Read my previous post for background).

"Let’s say you are one of the many people who would normally choose “Get Organized.” You look around to see clutter all over your life. You’re tired of the chaos. So, you think, “I need to get organized. That should be my Resolution this year.”

But then you read this blog. You decide to try it.

You sit with your clutter. You spend a few days pondering words that will inspire you. You realize in an “Ah-Ha!” moment that you tend to cling to lots of things. You’re scared to let go. So you choose the word “Release” because it inspires you in a bigger way than “Get organized.”

So, every time you approach your clutter you remind yourself of that word. “Release,” you say softly. You start to let the clutter go. Eventually, you realize that you’re still holding on to lots more than just physical clutter. You realize that you hold onto resentment at old relationships. “Release,” you remind yourself. You realize that holding on is affecting your diet and health. “Release” applies to some of the extra weight you’ve gained as well. Throughout the year, you can see clearly how much you hold on. “Release” is your touchstone. It grows you throughout the year. It becomes your guiding force, not your harsh standard.

  Your clutter became your teacher simply because you shifted your intent towards it. This wouldn’t have happened if you’d opted only to “Get Organized.”

What word to choose?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

I’ve compiled a list of possible words below. As you read through them, see if one stands out for you." 

Compassion
Delight
Generosity
Effortlessness
Wealth
Gratitude
Abundance
Creativity
Willingness
Change
Growth
Freedom
Mastery
Kindness
Health
Presence
Acceptance
Courage
Confidence
Self-Love
Action
Forgiveness
Forgive
Release
Trust
Knowing
Patience
Friendship
Fun
Grace
Laughter
Love
Expansion
Exploration
Adventure
Openness
Discipline
Awe
Awareness
Risk
Gentleness
Choice
Spirit
Prayerfulness
Power
Allow
Artfulness
Attention
Beauty
Joy
Focus
Ritual
Heal
Order
Clarity
Pioneer
Peace
Laziness
No
Yes
Deliberateness
Commitment
Savor
Integrity
Listen

Happy New Year!

Once again, I am sharing the concept of ONE WORD as an intention for the New Year. The response to this last year was very positive and I hope your word was helpful to you if you had one.

Many people are thinking about or writing New Year's Resolutions. Personally, I prefer the "intention" vs the "resolution". Resolution is "the action of solving", therefore resolutions tend to focus on problems in our lives that need to be solved. Typically, what is wrong with us, and how can we fix ourselves. 

Intention is "the determination to act in a certain way". Intentions are about becoming aware of different ways that you would prefer to be in your life. 

Recently, someone introduced me to the idea of ONE WORD intentions. She told me she had picked "less" for herself last year. Less weight, less worrying, less rushing... you get the idea.

 I really  like the idea of one word. Clean and simple, and potentially very powerful. I just found a great explanation on Christine Kane's blog. 

 The average New Year’s Resolution doesn’t address the core of the issue – the “BE” level.

The best order for creating positive changes in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model. This means you start from the BE level. When you begin changing on the BE level of your life, then the DO level and the HAVE level follow more easily.

When you start only on the DO level, then all the blocks on the BE level will often become the obstacles you can’t overcome.

A Better New Year’s Ritual

Several years ago, my friend  and I decided that, instead of making resolutions, we would pick a word that would guide us throughout the year. It would be our touchstone. It would remind us of living our lives at the BE level.

This didn’t mean that we didn’t take action. It meant that our actions were inspired from the BE level. In fact, I took more action than ever with this new approach!"

BE, DO, HAVE.  I really like that!

Just one word. That’s all. Then, hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action.

Tuesday evening after a very rough day (even though I folded all that tissue paper), this calandar arrived in my mailbox from my friend and coauthor Kathy. In nearly 21 years of friendship we have repeatedly found ourselves to live parallel lives and often by instinct, we know when something is going on in each other's life. We may not know exactly what, but somehow the vibes come across the country from Florida to Arizona and we are in tune. Almost subconsiously, we step in to support each other.

The sheer timing of receiving this calandar was serendipitious. It really made me smile on one of the roughest of days this week. And if you know Kyle, you know the message holds extra significance. Most importantly, it reminded me to lighten up. Ok, so I only lightened up a little but everything counts.