After much marinating on the coming year I have settled on a theme for myself. I like to choose a word or a concept to focus on to help keep me focused, grounded and on occasion, out of trouble. Last year's, as I mentioned, was “creative development” and though, I intend to continue my creative development throughout this year as well (because you see, my plan worked and it has become a habit!), I have chosen to focus my efforts this year on growth.
The word “grow” can have many applications to one's life and I intend to allow it to do so. Growth usually means 'to get larger' but I believe that it can also be applied to getting smaller. I believe it can mean both sprouting up and rooting down, growing wings and being firmly planted, exploring your reach but also firming up your grasp. For me, I plan to use this year and this word to push myself to take new risks and to collect the knowledge from the ones I have already taken. To grow deeper, and thusly, stronger in where I am right now.
My hope is to apply this both to my business, which is, as we speak poking fresh new shoots from every branch, and to my personal life, where my fledgling marriage can find strength in roots of all kinds.
I would like also to take the theme a bit more literally and grow on a cellular level. I hope to focus on heath and well-being by eating cleaner and closer to the earth. Prevent illness and keep my energy up (for all of those shoots!) by feeding my body whole foods and making an effort to drink more water and get to yoga more. In all that good health I want to grow even more. I want to have a baby (Yep. Said that out loud…) and grow our family.
All of this will require a spiritual growth and grounding too. I hope to dedicate some regular time to revisiting some spiritual mentors and grounding myself in my faith, inspiration and purpose. Making my roots thick and my place in the world strong.
I also want to plant a garden. We did some 'landscaping' last year and the beds looked lovely. Coach and I took great care to see that the plants were watered and I kept them trimmed, but this year I would like to start to learn more about gardening and planning a garden. I would also like to plant my first vegetable or two to ensure that my black thumb is overcome-able. From there, I think the possibilities are endless but much like anything you have never done before, it seems a far greater task than it may actually be.
So, there you have it. My theme for the year and all the personal declarations that go with it. My hope is that by my stating these things aloud (or, you know, outloud in print) I will be more likely to treat them with respect and encourage them in my life. My hope also, is that you will too.
It is a strangely empowering thing to keep a word to yourself. Keep it in the back of your mind, to let it guide you in your moments of doubt or self-discovery. I sometimes even write it on a piece of paper and stick it in my wallet just to make it a tangible thing. Try it. Let me know how it goes.
I hope to do some follow up on the moments my theme and I come to this year. A check in here and there, but it will most likely be a retrospective. In the meantime, I will finish telling you about last year's theme! For now, thanks for receiving this for me. It makes a difference.
If you have picked a word or theme for the year and want to share, I would love to hear about it!
eloquent and beautiful Leigh! Love your word and ready to support you in your year of grow. This year for me is lighten.
..It’s my intention is to lighten up. Lighten financial worry, create a work/life balance that inspires happiness. STOP being so hard on myself, refine, grow and emerge a happier, healthier Lacy. Continue to lighten up on our belongings (aka stuff)… keep what I love, what feeds me and donate what does not. Surround myself with people that inspire me and bring light and love into my life.
Hooray!!! You’re gonna GROW like crazy this year. I wish you all the best!
My word: commitment. I have trouble keeping promises to myself. No trouble keeping promises to others, but to myself…that’s another story! So, commitment. To a healthy spirit, to a healthy lifestyle (eating RIGHT, exercising).
Here’s to US and everyone in 2011!
This is lovely! My best to you. My word this year is “Beauty.”
I love that you take the time to blog and share your insight and inspiration with us – thank you. You deserve the things you want since you give a lot to those around you – all of us who love your ideas, pictures, words and philosophy. Cheers for 2011! Hope to see you soon!
🙂
Gretchen
Love your theme. Mine is “purpose” – to live with purpose, eat with purpose, surf online (or not!) with purpose, converse with purpose and otherwise just put more intention around my world. It’s time to take the reins!
I love your explanation of your intentions for your word this year! My word is ‘do,’ and although I announced it on my blog yesterday, I haven’t gone into detail yet. That’s what I will be ‘do’-ing tonight… 🙂
P.S. I also lovelovelove the chair in your photo! Don’t know if it’s yours, but the round seat is adorable.
I love your take on having a “theme” as I don’t think it is really about resolutions so much as it is a chance to reflect on what you want to focus on/do different in the coming year. My word this year is “me”. I have spent many years recently doing for my children (which I love and treasure and will continue to do), but I also spent many years prior to that being more of a pleaser for others. So, this year I will say “yes” to “me” instead of everything else bogging me down in my life. I begin today by saying no to my retail job and yes to exploring my business idea. I will help hold you accountable for your growth if you help hold me accountable for “me”.
Lovely, especially the baby part. Having “grown” four babies with my husband of 21 years I think that your theme is just so thoughtful and sweet. Best of luck!! Oh! I think my word this year will be “grace”, but I’m still deciding =)
I wish you nothing but the most abundance of growth in 2011!!!!!
love it. and putting it out there into the world to have a babe. good on ya. so scary and so fun. mine is ‘take a chance’… see here: http://www.kavi-co.com .
inch by inch. row by row. …
xo
I made a “30 things to do before turning 30” list and I have 10 months to get it done. Its a combination of big things and silly thing. I was inspired by your “The World is Full of People” card. I’m not sure how to describe it but I kind of want a year that is a combination of getting out there and living and getting a little uncomfortable! I want to plan some road trips and take some spontaneous ones! For uncomfortable, I want to cave in and go on a blind date (YIKES!!) or get the nerve to do karaoke…all by myself…after only one drink. Ok maybe two! 🙂
Choosing a theme is SO much better than declaring resolutions (you know how much I hate those). I love your theme of grow. For me, I think my theme for 2011 will be “seek.” Love, adventure, inner happiness – I’m gonna seek it out, be more active in my pursuit of all things that will improve my life. Clearly I will need an occasional push or hearty shove. I can’t wait to see what you grow!
Oh my gosh! Grow is my word/theme too! I think it’s a good one!
my words are “whiskey” and “champagne”.
not at the same time of course, because that would be gross. but when decision time comes in 2011 ill know just where to turn, and i foresee lots of interesting choices in my future. whether i remember making them or not remains to be seen. onward, 2011!
Gratitude was my word for 2010 and I’ve decided to keep it for 2011. I want to continue to be grateful for EVERYTHING in my life – the good and the not so good. Sometimes I learn more from the “not so good” things that enter my life. The “not so good” times are a time of growth.
First I would like to tell you awesome theme(s). I have been rearseching wordpress themes for a while now and this and Okinawa Sky are by far the best I have come across. Much thanks for putting these together. I have a few questions about the Falkner Press theme, brought on by setting it up for my website. I am not sure if it’s best to ask them each in their own post or all in this one. I’ll try it this way let me know if it would be better to create a new post per each question and I will do so.Again, these all pertain to the Falkner theme.1) Is there a way to set up the Features articles slide so as to carry only 1 Featured article (as you can in Okinawa Sky)?2) I would like to move the RSS Feedburner widget down into the bottom bar to replace the Advertisements widget. Is that possible and, if so, how would I go about doing so?3) I am trying to get the Twitter widget to look the same as it does for Okinawa Sky meaning I would like to change the >>>’ link to read Follow Me’ instead and have it link directly to my Twitter Profile and not to the individual Tweet. The plugin is the same for both Themes, but it changes for each. It’s a minor issue, but would really like to tweak it.Again, I really appreciate the help. Thanks again.