Word of the Year

Wow! Has it really been so long? October? Well, I had fun finishing up my writing class, and in December, putting in extra hours (to now total 40/week) at work.

Speaking of work, we had a work team meeting a few weeks back where we went off-site (which was nice just to get away; changes of scenery are important and necessary for me). We spent time digging through magazines and cutting out pictures and words so we each could create what is called (according to Christing Kane ) a "vision board". On this vision board are pictures, words, symbols (whatever!) that represent things I would like to do, accomplish, be, or have. It could be called a 'goal mural' or lots of other things.

Over New Year's break I started to assemble and sort my pictures further. I only had 8.5 x 11 inches of space, yet I had 3 or more square feet of stuff cut out. The space limitation was nice to force me to prioritize what are the things most important to me to be, do, accomplish, have this year. (Yes, that's more Christine Kane speak for those who are familiar with her work.) I slapped it together and in the middle is my "Word of the Year". Christine Kane advocates that rather than make a new year's resolution (which people often fail at or forget after a time period), to instead choose a word to focus on throughout the year. I like this approach.

My word for 2009 is: STRETCH!

My plan is to stretch my mind, my body, (as in exercise, or at least move and make my body stretch just a little bit!), my income earning capacitiy, my budget, my comfort zone, my writing abilities, etc!

I had originally been mulling over the word "complete" to remind myself that I am whole and without defect as-is, as well as to help me work on the 'get things finished' aspect of the word. But then somehow I thought of the word STRETCH, which is more inspiring and expansive. It allows, encourages, and nudges me to grow. And with a word like "Stretch" things don't have to be big deals. They can be little deals that allow me to strech my comfort zone, and grow in small ways that in time, lead to cumulative big things.

So I'm trying to stretch my body (did some yoga tonight [loved it!] which is on my vision board) and I am trying to write a little something every day. This may take forms as type-written stuff heading towards my memoir, short stories, articles for work e-newletters, blogging, or just hand-written journal writing. But I'm trying to engage in a little bit of that creative writing zone each day.

So we'll see when the next post pops up!