Happy NEW YEAR!!!! I am very excited to be embarking on a new year. A clean slate. A chance to start anew. This was a tough year in some respects (Linky and Ryan's health issues come to mind) and I am eager to make a break with 2008.
With the new year two daily year-long projects come to a close. I kept a gratitude journal every day of this year as well as took one picture each day of the year (as part of my Photo-a-day project). Both of these were amazing and I highly recommend that anyone thinking of trying it to JUMP IN and do it! I am going to say good-bye to the photo-a-day project for this year, because while it was very easy and became a habit to TAKE a photo, I also decided to write something on each photo before printing it and THAT'S the part that was time-consuming that I don't want to do again this year. It took time away from capturing some of the stories that I wanted to create in my scrapbook pages (of which there were much less this year). But I intend on keeping the gratitude habit to help stay engaged in all the positive things that happen in our lives.
I spent a few moments thinking about what my Word for the Year would be. I should have started sooner because then I would have had the time to pick the PERFECT word... but you know what? There are so many fitting words that would make for a great clarifier for this coming year.
So a small recap:
Last year was: DISCOVERY
The year before was: CONNECT
And this year I was thinking of either PASSION or EXPLORE. Though SIMPLICITY and ADVENTURE also spoke to me (and they still do). I am entertaining the idea of having one overall word that embodies the entire year but smaller monthly words to help me further focus on the different aspects of my word.
So which will it be? I've decided on......
This year I will:
Explore art more fully (which will require patience and perseverence).
Explore what I'm passionate about whatever that may be at the time.
I always want to maintain the sense of adventure that comes from looking at life through the eyes of an explorer.
Exploring further in my spiritual quest.
I plan on spending much more time outside.... exploring. Searching for things to photograph and to paint, as well as being outside in search of adventure and serenity.
And in the latter my bike figures large in my plan! Yes, there will be many great bike rides in my future this year.
So there it is. My word for 2009 is explore. I've tried it on for the last half hour and I think it fits nicely.
This month I will also join Misty Mawn for a month of daily art journaling. So for January I hope to EXPLORE by PLAYING (perhaps January's sub-word) with my art supplies and get some fun, loose creations going.
