This Year, My Word of The Year Chose Me
Each year, I choose a word of the year, well… several.
I usually I spend time meditating on it, maybe even journaling. You can take a look at the exercise here.
This year, it feels like the words chose me.
Want a free word of the year exercise? Get one here:
My words of the year:
Gratitude
I consciously chose gratitude.
Toward the end of last year, I decided I wanted to extend our gratitude practice.
We say ours most nights right before bed and I noticed my six year old struggles with it. I am not sure if he feels like he’s on the spot and can’t think of anything, doesn’t feel gratitude, or this isn’t the right time. So, I want to give him more opportunities. I also want to make sure that if he isn’t feeling gratitude, that I am demonstrating it to him.
I also want to get better at thanking others (mostly my husband) for the smaller things, making a point of saying thank you for the tiny favors. When he does the things that I really don’t want to do, even if they are just a 1-minute chore or something that is totally expected (like putting the Christmas decorations back in the attic, or rinsing out the compost bin).
And, at the tail end of the holiday season, every year, I think “I need to get better at thank you notes.” This is my year. I want to pass that habit along to my kids, and the best way to do this is by modeling.
This is the first year, that I made a conscious decision about my word of the year, rather than letting them come to me through reflection.
Breath
When our car broke down on January 2, and I was stuck on the side of the road with two hungry, tired, bored kids in a rainstorm, I spent three hours reminding myself to breathe. I spent the next several days doing the same.
In my courses, I remind you regularly that our breath is our best tool to emotional regulation. I need the same reminder. So this year, I am focusing on it.
To commit to this focus, I have enrolled in a breathwork instructor certification. I can’t wait to bring breathwork to Raising Slow
Positivity
Lastly, on the same trip, rather than thinking about all the things I needed to do before the kids went back to school and the appointments I had to reschedule, I was forced to think positive.
Yes, I had to skip a client meeting, but I got to spend the night at my best friend’s. Yes, we wouldn’t have time to get back into a rhythm before jumping back in to the school routine, but we got to go on a cool Northern California wildlife scavenger hunt. Yes, my Christmas decorations were still up, but my Christmas decorations will still up 🎄😉.
When the playroom flooded, rather than allowing myself to get worked up and think about how much time it was going to take to take it all apart and put it back together again, I reminded myself that we needed a playroom reorganization and that I really don’t like the baseboards or paint color, so now I get to replace them!
Positivity doesn’t come naturally to me. I tend to be a catastrophic thinker and often dwell on things. I don’t want to model this. I want my kids to remember the time we got to go kayaking at a baseball field and have slumber parties because our car broke down.
Breath and positivity kept me sane when we were dealing with car uncertainty and being away from home for the third week. I know they will get me through even more bumps this year. And, when they do, I’ll practice gratitude for the adventures, peace, sanity, or whatever else they bring.
PS Get your Word of the Year exercise and word list here:
