Beginnings fade. New Year's resolutions are stuck in those faded beginnings and by February those glittery resolutions are tin like and hollow. What I do like are words. They endure past January and I can hold onto a special one all year. So each year I make a word (or phrase) my guide. A focus that pulls me through. Words chosen well outlast false starts and shiny things.
2016: Last year my phrase was, THIS YEAR IS MINE.
And I made it so. It empowered me to think that what was standing between my goals and my reality was ME. So I challenged myself to take ownership of what I wanted. To do everything possible to move closer to my goals both personal and bookish.
And what a year it was! I completed and polished my second book. That book went on submission and I am still awaiting good news on the outcome of that process. I also won a major writing competition and had another piece of poetry published. Every time I felt like giving up, every time I was scared to submit my work somewhere, I reminded myself of my phrase for the year and decided I could weather rejection. What I could not weather was shrinking from my goals. And I made the year mine.
2017: This year my word is RELENTLESS.
Not relentless as in cruel, uncaring or harsh.
But, relentless in hope. Relentless in chasing. Relentless in writing. Relentless in faith. Relentless in love. Relentless in caring. Relentless in dreaming. This year I will not give up. I will continue in everything I hoped and dreamed for last year. I will continue to expand my wings of being myself and embracing truth and vulnerability.
I will be more fully myself. I will continue to grow as a writer and show up on both the page and in my daily life. I will embrace relentless courage. Relentless bravery. Relentless ME.
I wish you all a RELENTLESS year of YOU too. Make it great, people. Make it brave and bold!
What will your word be this year?
Oh I love that word, Karen. I wish you all the strength and health you need in 2017!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to find new words from you here, Tab. I'm so happy you're finding writing success and that you sound so strong. I would never have considered relentless as a positive word, and will never see it quite the same again. You go! My word for this year is journey, as in that's what counts, not the destination. And as a reminder that traveling is an important part of journeying.
ReplyDeleteDeb! Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Yes, it has been a very long journey back to all things writing for me, but I am doing well. Hope you are too. I love the word journey. As far as I am concerned everything is about the JOURNEY. Who the heck really knows where we are going anyway? It's about dancing, not getting to the end of the dance. It's about singing, not getting to the end of the song. Same with life. It's about living, not getting to the end of life :) Go well friend :)
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