Word of the Year...2017

Yes, I gave up  New Year's resolutions. They seem doomed.  How many people follow through for the whole year?  Not many. 

For a while, I tried to make resolutions I knew I could keep.  But that seemed like a cheat.  More than a decade ago, I settled on the idea of choosing one word and centering my year around it. That was something I could succeed at. Words like Glee (LOL I know you're shocked), Time, Optimism, Stretch, Stop, Moment, Love, Awareness...  

Most of my words represent a trait I want to grow over the coming new year.  I put my word on a PostIt by my desk and every time I sit down that year, I'm reminded.  

Picking my word requires some pondering and mulling.  But I'm happy to announce I've found my word for 2017.  It felt as if 2016 was fraught with anger, division and sadness.  The country—the world—seemed divided by US and THEM.  So in 2017, I hope we all find ourselves thinking in terms of WE.

So the word I choose is Hope.

Yes, I know, I can't control the world.  I can't control the country.  I'm going to start with me.  I'm going to Hope and try to live my year with glee and kindness.  I'm going to Hope to see the WE in everyone.  I'm going to Hope that the glee is contagious. I'm going to Hope that it spreads beyond me.  I'm going to Hope that the world becomes a kinder more tolerant place.  HOPE—it might seem like a passive word, but I'm going to turn my Hope into something active.  I'm going to turn my Hope into a movement.

I HOPE you find a word and that you not only make 2017 a happy new year, but a year of personal growth!

Holly

PS I picked my word and wrote this blog before I went to see Star Wars Rogue One where they said, "Rebellions are built on hope."  That fit in nicely with my idea of turning Hope from a passive word to an active one.  I'm planning to build my year rebelling against all the negatives in the world and I'm hoping and working for positive ones!