Word of the Year—2018

Years ago, I gave up on New Year's Resolutions.  Instead, I pick one word to build my year around.  I love that other people have joined me in the tradition.  I've used words like Stop, Moment, Awareness, Step, Optimism, Change, Stretch, Time, Hope...

I've been mulling 2018's word and finally landed on Chapter.  With that word I'm acknowledging that things changed last year and will continue to change next year. 

In 2017 I lost my mother in July and losing her has left a hole in my life.  I went back to school in August and discovered so much glee in Ceramics and My Novel Freshman Experience.  My family is another year older and they're lives are changing and evolving, and I'll confess, I feel such a sense of pride when I look at what amazing people they are. 

So 2018 will begin with me in a new place...a new chapter if you will.  By choosing that as my word of the year, I'm reminding myself that even when change is hard, I should more than accept those changes, I should embrace them!  I should try and make this chapter the best one yet.

How about you?  Do you have a word of the year?

Happy New Year, my friends.  Thank you to everyone who's followed my pottery adventures and a huge thanks to everyone who's picked up a book, left a review and shared a bit glee with me!

Holly

PS My new release, Once Upon a Valentine's is out on Tuesday! I hope you'll check out my PTA Mom series!

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! 

Word of 2015...STRETCH!!

I love New Years!  It's a time to look at who you are and decide who you want to be.  Every year I try to move a little closer to my ideal self.  And rather than New Year's resolutions, I've using a word of the year as a touchstone.  I've been using a word of the year for...well, years now!  It's nice to see that the trend is catching on!  Yep, that's me...a trendsetter!  LOL

I've had words like last years, Step as well as Optimism, Change, Awareness, Moment...

I pick a word, post it prominently on my desk and try to use it as a focus for the year.

I've been mulling 2015's word for a while now and hit upon it last night as I was drifting off to sleep.

Drumroll please.

The word is...STRETCH.  Like last year's Step, the word has both physical and mental applications.

Physically, I'm hoping to try to add a bit of yoga to my daily 10,000 step routine.  I'd like to become more limber and flexible.

I'd like to become more limber and flexible in my inner life as well!  I want to step out of my comfort range and try new things.  I want to expand my way of thinking and try to look at things from a new perspective.

Yes, I like the word Stretch!  It makes a great word to center my year around!

I think I'll need that limberness as I look at my year's schedule!  I've got three releases (Carry Her Heart in April, Her Second Chance Family in August, and The Way We Used to Be in November).  I've started scheduling speaking gigs...there's Ohio and NY so far.  I've got a lot of books to write for 2016.  And I have some family trips planned...a cruise and in the fall, my husband and I are meeting my best friend and her husband in Florida!  Yep, I think that a bit of limberness is in order!

How about you?  Do you have a word of the year??

Holly