I find that I’m constitutionally incapable of making life altering, deeply personal resolutions when the weather is cold outside and the trees are bare. I need to leave the specifics of resolutions for the summer months when my mind has a more can do attitude. In my worldview, warm weather is for thriving and taking on new goals; cold weather is for surviving and maintaining the status quo.
So instead of resolving at the beginning of each year, I’ve taken to picking one word as my guiding principle for the upcoming year. I never over think the word that I pick. I just ask myself a question such as: what do I need to do differently this year to feel more alive? Then I let my new word float into my mind. In its own good time. Very Zen.
And what word finally floated into my addled brain about one week after it should have arrived? Glad that you asked. This year my one word is: NURTURE.
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
That’s a very good word. I feel like I do a lot of that as a mom/wife/teacher and would like to do LESS for others and more nurturing of myself. My word for the year is RELAXATION. I need to try to get myself to relax about things. (been too strung out the past year) Of course circumstances could throw that right out the window.
LikeLike
Margaret, it occurred to me that I’m at a point where I need some new projects and cool people in my life. So it seemed to me that nurture might be a good attitude to adopt in order to get what I’m after.
I like your word of the year. Relaxation is sensible and doable. I have faith that you can make it happen!
LikeLike
I love the way you let this word come to you and how it can mean many different things, nurturing of yourself and of your projects and of people close to you. Also like the idea of having “nurture” at the front of your mind and seeing how the world reacts to that, what comes back to you. Looking forward to how this manifests itself in the coming year.
LikeLike
Polly, you’ve described exactly what I’m hoping that this word will help my accomplish during the upcoming year. It’s as if you’ve read my mind! Flip city!
LikeLike
I really like the concept and your choice of words. There are so many parts of our selves and our lives that could use nurturing. A friend of mine keeps reminding me to be gentle with myself, another way of looking at that would be to nurture myself. Nurture my creativity, nurture my body, nurture my relationships with others. And externally, to nurture those around me, nurture the positive ideas and energy of friends, and so on. Sometimes I feel so closed off, I don’t have the energy to give to myself no less to give to someone else, but doesn’t nurturing ultimately give more energy? This is really something for me to think about.
LikeLike
Zazzy, you’ve brought up some excellent points about the concept of nurturing. When I decided on this word I thought that I’d focus on healthy lifestyle decisions and sound relationships. But now that you mention it, there is more to this concept that those two variables.
I hadn’t considered the energy flow aspect of nurture. And manifesting more positive energy in any aspect of my life will ultimately increase my energy in all parts of my life. Good thoughts, my dear.
LikeLike