Tag: word of the year

grace, again – and still…

My 2020 word-of-the year is grace.

Since 2012, I’ve had a guiding word for each year, a word that sort of “comes” to me, not something I choose logically or analytically. My words have included nourish, clarity, integration, replenish, sovereign, joy… and in 2017 instead of a single word, I was given a phrase-for-the-year of “embrace grace.”  Then the next year, 2018, I was guided to keep on with that same phrase.

Two years in a row of embrace grace – a phrase that continues to be hugely important in my life.

So sometime in November, when I started sensing that grace was to be my guiding word for 2020, I hesitated at first. Shouldn’t I have a different word, something new I hadn’t had before as part of my word-of-the-year journeys?

But the prompting for this word stayed and strengthened, and I stopped resisting.

Grace it is.

Already, less than a week into this new year, I’m being challenged by this word. Hard, difficult stuff is already coming up for me and my husband, and I’ve been struggling to approach it all with grace.

At the same time, though, I’m finding strength because of grace. Grace is helping me through, moment by moment.

That’s how these words-of-the-year seem to go for me (and for many others I know). They present the positive aspects of the word, as well as the challenging bits. Almost as though the word is saying: You really want me in your life, you really want to KNOW me and experience me this year? Well, here you go, I’ll SHOW you life with me, the light and the dark of me, I’ll help you learn every side of me, so hold on for the ride!

So – grace.

Again. And still.

♥

 

replenish…

For the past few years, I’ve chosen a word of the year. Or – to be more accurate – a word has chosen me each year.

New Year’s resolutions never really were my jam. But when I heard about the word-of-the-year as a way of choosing a word or theme to focus on and incorporate through the year, it resonated with me.

The words always seem to choose me, coming to me and fitting inside my bones with a knowing of this is my word. It usually happens when I’m not consciously thinking about a new word-of-the-year. And the words have always shown up for me sometime during the period of mid-August through mid-November… along with a strong nudge not to wait until the calendar year begins before I put the word into action.

(Not that these words aren’t in action at other times anyway. But the word-of-the-year gives that theme more emphasis in my life – and my experience has been that the word, the theme, shows its light side and its shadow side as it teaches me, gives me its medicine, roots into my being.)

I carry all my previous year-words with me, as they continue to work magic and healing, as they continue to offer me lessons and guidance, as they continue to be important reminders and touchstones for me.

Nourish.

Clarity.

Integration.

Sovereignty. (The word with me this year, 2015.)

Several weeks ago, in the middle of watching a tv show and not consciously thinking about a word-of-the-year, all of a sudden I knew what my 2016 word would be. And just as surely, I knew I wasn’t meant to wait until 2016 to embrace this word, this theme.

Replenish is the word that has chosen me this time.

When I google the word, these meanings come up:

fill (something) up again

recharge

freshen

restore

I’m already incorporating the word – replenish – into my life, on all levels. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. In my work, in my play, in my self-care, in my health, in my time.

My commitment is to replenish myself and my life. To fill the well. To recharge and restore.

In every area of my life.

And as I do, I’ll continue to embrace previous words of previous years, because they’re important too. Nourish. Clarity. Integration. Sovereignty. (And so many other words that are important to incorporate but haven’t appeared as my word-of-the-year.)

Replenish.

Is there some area of your life that needs to be restored or recharged? Do you need to fill the well? Do you need nourishment and replenishment?

If so… what can you do today that would help replenish you?

Do that – whatever it is – if you can.

♥

word of the year…

I was never good at making (or keeping) New Years resolutions. But choosing a word for the year? That felt right for me.

In 2012 my guiding word was nourish. And it was a wonderful word which served me well that year. (Actually, it’s a good word to focus on all the time, in all areas of life, but I digress…)

My word for 2013 has been clarity – and holy wow, has this been a year of clarity for me! I can’t even begin to list the ways.

These words chose me. I didn’t choose them. They came to me out of the blue, hitting me on the head, demanding to be chosen. And this has happened months before the actual beginning of the year.

So I wasn’t surprised when my 2014 word-of-the-year landed in my lap, out of the blue, when I wasn’t even thinking about words of the year or anything related to the concept.

It happened about 2 months ago. I suddenly, simply, completely knew what my word for 2014 would be.

It chose me. And it wouldn’t let go.

I started to blog the word before now, but I didn’t. I’ve told a few people already, and posted it in a forum or two. I don’t feel the need to keep my year-word secret, or close to the vest. For me, personally (although it’s different for different people) my word in no way loses ‘power’ when I tell what it is.

If anything, it becomes an even stronger force in my life when I speak it, write it, share it with others.

So I’m saying it here, now…

My word for 2014 is INTEGRATION.

Integration.

♥