unannounced, in 2013, i chose joy.
in 2014, i lived out quality.
in 2015, my one word was pursuit.
the act of choosing a word & living it out has changed me in more ways than i can count. some years i have lived & breathed my word each & every day. in 2014, i chose quality & my rhythm of life was forever changed. i created the #dressinhappinessdaily project (learn more here), brought women together over coffee each week & dug deep into our marriage.
other words have lingered for only a bit & resurfaced at the end of the year, revealing their power in ways i hadn't really noticed at first glance. in 2015, i chose pursuit & honestly, i forgot about it until deep into december. upon reflection, though, my focus for the year has indeed been pursuit. i pursued my work, my community & my health with earnest & intention.
in 2016, i choose present.
adjective, 1. in a particular place... here, near, available, at hand.
noun, 1. the period of time now occurring... now, today, the present time/moment.
2015 was a busy year. 2016 will be an even busier year. we are birthing a big & beautiful venture into this world, full of sweat, grit & heart. we are doing this together & i can't quite even predict the efforts & work to come.
but i do know this - i want to be present. i want to be present with my family, with myself & with my community.
in 2015, months flew by literally unnoticed. i spent a few weeks in 2015 experiencing some of my darkest fears, realizing if i don't quite slow down & press pause, i will leave this life having not fully lived it.
so in 2016, i am working harder & pressing pause to enjoy it. i will take full advantage of my working hours yet slow down each night to pick up a book & read. i will pick up my camera & capture our fleeting family moments. i will say no to distractions in order to say yes to the people & opportunities & things that mean the most to our family.
friends, i am excited for the work, adventure & experiences of 2016. and i am thrilled to be present for each & every one of them.
what is your word for 2016? please share!
love,
natalie
7 comments:
I look forward to seeing your blog posts and what new things you and Luke have going on in your lives. My word for 2016 is simplify. I am probably more excited for this year than any before. I look forward to seeing how my little word comes into fruition.
My word is nourish - I need to feed my soul, my home, and some creative endeavors I keep talking about! Happy New Year.
After years of pain and fear and numbness (surprisingly they can and do co-exist) i have been praying for God to breathe life back into my heart. He has been gracious to do so, but like frozen fingers that sting as they start to thaw, I have gone through a year of much stinging and pain that I had to learn to walk through rather than run from. But now I am ready for more...more of Him, in a new way. Though my circumstances have not changed, my focus has ...so my word for 2016 is JOY. Joy in Him, from Him (Psalm 16:11). I have much anticipation for what this year may bring, release or just be.
I would highly recommend the collection of reflections by Thich Naht Hahn called Your True Home. It has a reflection each day on being at home in the present moment. It has changed my life.
I'll get thinking about a word, great idea! Peace to you.
i love your word. it was mine for 2014
excite to see and hear how you are more present in this 2016 year.
My word this year is balance - to bring balance to my work/home life, to balance my health and to balance emotional self with more yoga and attention to self-care. Good luck this year!
I have chosen a direction for the year: Now is Now, which is all about being more present and enjoying the day I am in, the moment right in front of me. It is a hard thing to do as a working mother with endless responsibilities, but I know all too well how necessary it is. So far things are going well and I can see some small changes in my days and my perspective...I wish you well and look forward to reading about how you are staying more present in your life.
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