If you are like me you are at about that time in the month of December when you cannot wait for the holiday season to be over and January 1 to arrive. You are in that place of too much. Too much to do, too much to eat, too much to drink. You are looking forward to turning a fresh page in the calendar on a brand new year to see what you can create.
Now I am not about to suggest making a list of resolutions. I don’t believe in resolutions. I don’t even like the sound of the word. A resolution is a decision to do something or not to do something. There is nothing in the word that implies creation or desire or intention. It sounds more like a list of rules just waiting to be broken.
But I do believe January is about setting intentions. What do you want your year to look like? What would you like to create? And I do believe that one of the more productive things you can do in these waning days of 2010 amidst all the gift buying and holiday preparations is to take a look back at what the year was like for you so you can determine where you want to go next.
What was the year really like ?
Of course, when I do that the first thing that happens is my memory fails me and my mind draws a blank. What was the year really like ? Did I accomplish anything ? Who was in it ? What were my highlights ?
I stumbled upon this project. Reverb#10. The creators have been issuing a writing prompt each day of December in an effort to do just this. Look back so you can manifest forward. Just what I needed. A little push to help me along.
I found it on December 5. Not one to start anything in the middle I went back to December 1. The prompt was to encapsulate 2010 in one word.
One Word ?
I am not a one-word person. I write phrases and sentences to describe. Sometimes paragraphs and pages. I couldn’t think of one word. I was stuck on Day 1 on Day 5. But I kept reading the daily prompts and wrote nothing. Especially my one word.
I decided to revisit my blogs from 2010. That would help me to find my one word for sure. But what I kept discovering as I read the next series of prompts was that I had written whole blogs on those topics. That I had indeed accomplished a lot in 2010. I had ridden a rollercoaster of my own choosing, living, laughing and loving through the ups and downs.
Evolving
Then my word came to me. My one word. Evolving. My work, my life, the people in it. Evolving. Developing. Progressing. Advancing. Growing . Expanding. Changing. Transforming.
2011
The second part of that prompt is to choose one word that you would like to describe 2011. Since my life continues to be a work in progress, I choose the same word.
Evolving.
What one word encapsulates 2010 for you?
What one word would you like to describe 2011?
Joanne, you are ever inspirational! I love the reverb prompts. Being one, like you, who likes to do things completely…since I missed the first 19 days, I will save this for next year…but take to heart the One Word idea.
For this past year, ‘Wholeness’ has been resonant for me, in all the decisions I have made. And, in this season of preparing for the Solstice and Winter- Value- has become important. I will write on my blog about these during this week. Until then, I am grateful for your words, for your stand for yourself and your generous sharing with all of us. Sincerely, Suzi
Thank you Suzi! My desire is to inspire and so I thank you for your acknowledgement that I have succeeded in this post! And I also thank you for making the time to read my words!
let’s hope that we can all keep evolving. i want to evolve out of this lousy economy. ugh! the french have a saying “plus ca change, plus ca la meme chose” – the more things change, the more they remain the same. welcome 2011 and let’s prove that proverb wrong 🙂
Interesting, and I like your word Evolving, and it probably applies to many, including myself.
2010 – TESTED. So many things tested me this year. The economy has tested my business. My grandmother’s death, mom’s illness and my dad’s surgery tested more of my personality traits than I care to list. This year, I felt that every part of me was tested. If you don’t mind me borrowing your idea, I may write a blog on this myself towards the end of this year.
2011 – CONFIDENT. After all the testing, I’d like to think that I know myself better, and I hope to project that in a confident way. I’m sure about what I know, and I’m also sure about what I don’t know. To know what you don’t know is to truely know. I may blog about that as well. See how inspiring you are!
Tracy, blog away! I am delighted to have inspired you to do so. I look forward to reading. The idea by the way was from the folks at Reverb#10.