2010 Word of the Year

Finally!

One of my newer traditions I have adopted in the past few years is choosing a one-word theme for the year. It really seems to help guide and direct me to what I feel is important, as well as keep me grounded and focused on the right things, the things I think I need most in my life. I always work my goals around my word, not always in the same way, but it helps my goals feel like there's more of a natural ebb and flow and that they are in line with what I want for the year completely. Sometimes my goals lead me to my word, sometimes it's vice versa. The first word that I did was in 2008, and it was SIMPLIFY, which was definitely a good one for me. Last year it was CHOOSE.

I guess because I have been feeling a little more contemplative lately, I had so many ideas for my word of the year this year. I really liked FOCUS, to really concentrate and horn in and put my focus into what really matters, and it was so easy to tie into my goals for the year. I also really liked CHERISH. When I looked it up in the dictionary, it defined cherish: to hold dear, to feel love for, care for tenderly, to nurture. Totally perfect for my feelings of life. There were so many other good words! But I think I will tuck them all away somewhere and hopefully next year I'll have my word all ready before the year begins. But the word I picked for this year just kind of came to me today, and it really stuck with me. There are so many reasons I picked this word. I am really excited about it now that I've finally decided what it is!

So, the one-word theme that I chose for this year is....drumroll please....


HARMONY


The definition for harmony 1. Consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity. 2. Agreement, accord.

I found it a little ironic that I have been full of such gratitude for music finally being back in my life, and that I chose a word like harmony. In music, harmony is when you sing several different notes played/sung at once, but when blended together from each singer/instrument with the right output and balance from each part, sounds absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking. Sometimes life-changing (I know it sounds a little dramatic, but for me, music really is life-changing). There's so much to it. Let's say I have five people all singing a different note in a harmony. If everyone sang as loud as they could, to their heart's content, without paying any attention to the other parts and how they were doing, harmony would be absent. The music may sound good, and may not sound good, but it definitely wouldn't sound harmonious. Harmony would come when all the parts are in perfect balance. Maybe someone had a louder voice, someone a quieter voice, so they would have to compensate for that, balance one another out. If the singers listen to one another, molding their voices a little to put them in balance with the other voices in the other parts, that's where the harmony takes place. And oh man, if you've ever heard, played, or sang a great harmony, you know that there is such an amazing feeling of synergy (another word I love).

That's what I want in my life this year. I feel like the events of the past year have truly led me to this next one. Amazing how that happens, isn't it? There have been so many changes, there still are so many changes, taking place in my life, in our family's life, all the time. I love change! But I will be the first to say that change is also a challenge. But challenges are such an adventure! I am excited for all the challenges we have coming this year. The challenge of potty training another child (sigh), the challenges of my body changing so much all the time, hosting another little soul in there until he/she is ready to come out and conquer the world, the challenge of all the new opportunities that lay in front of Wes and me, such as Mona Vie and lia sophia, the challenge of continuing our debt repayment plans and Wes's extra hours at work each week. We have so many things we want to do and accomplish. We have many things we want to do to our home and yard this year, we have many more health goals, we have goals to continue being politically active, which can be a challenge when life gets so crazy sometimes, and we have many, many preparations to make before this new little one arrives halfway through the year. We also have some goals and dreams for our family life, including revamping and changing around some of our family traditions, strengthening relationships and developing some quality relationships with neighbors/friends, serving others more....becoming more aware of what is going on around us and what the needs even are.

So many things encompass our everyday lives I guess. Each one of us is overwhelmingly busy, all the time. It's so hard to pick and choose, constantly (because it's always changing), what is worth how much time, and what needs to be done to compensate for it.
Slowing down the past few months has really shown me a lot. I have learned so much about being still and listening, and being more aware of little things, the little goings on that sadly, I was missing some of the opportunity for before. It's also taught me how to talk and listen to the Lord even more every day, and to have more faith that things will all go according to his plan, and that everything will be okay. My anxieties of life are still there, as are frustrations and stresses, but they have lessened immensely.

The biggest challenge this year is going to be arranging that harmony. Making sure the important parts are all there, and all equal in a way that each part of my life is in harmony with the next. Finding that "perfect balance". I am so excited to see what the next year brings, and how that harmony comes into play. Wish me luck for lots of HARMONY this upcoming year!