Word of the Year

If you've been hanging around here, you know that I love the whole idea of New Year's Resolutions. But in reality? I'm a little tired of them. So I thought I'd try something different. Lately, it seems like setting a "word of the year" is all the rage, so of course I had to be a part of it.

Random interjection--did you know last year's word of the year for America was 'selfie'? Selfie. Just let that sink in. Like I fully take selfies to appreciate the important events in my life like good hair days, but I certainly hope it didn't define my year or anyone else's. 

Aaaanyways.  Coming up with my word of the year was really difficult actually. I hate to say it, but I don't have any "big" changes that I feel I need to make in 2014. I mean, I need to exercise more and yell at people less, but those didn't really seem fitting. I've got to have a nice, pretty word, right? One that I can put on my wall or something. So that kind of ruled out 'treadmill' and 'tongue-biting' as candidates for word of the year. 

At church on Sunday, I wasn't even looking for a word. Not even really thinking about it. But somewhere in the service (I think it was just a word in a song), I heard the word 'open'. And it clicked. I immediately knew that was my word. 

I truly believe that in a sense, the word 'open' chose me. I mean, when I realized that I had found my word, I was a little disappointed. Open?! That sounds so boring. It's not even a pretty word. Why couldn't I have gotten something cool like "bloom" or something? But nevertheless, I'm confident in my choice.

When I got to thinking about it, 'open' is the perfect word for me in the coming year. As I've just briefly mentioned, I'll be moving to a new state in August. I tend to get anxious when I'm alone in new places. I don't make new friends well because I tend to not let this crazy personality show if I'm trying to make someone like me, but then I'm just awkward. So I want to be open to change, open to new friends and new places and open and unashamed with others about myself. 

And healthy or not (not), I also tend to keep a lot of secrets. This blog is one of them from most people in my life. It's not tha I'm lying, I just tend not to mention things that I'm passionate about around other people if I feel they won't understand. As part of being 'open' in 2014, I'm coming out of the blogger closet. In the fall, once I move, I plan on printing calling cards with my blog address on them that I can share with friends. Why should I keep my favorite hobby a secret?

In 2014, I want to go with the flow, taking all of the changes in even strides. I want to learn to take genuine pride in my uniqueness. I want to be honest, I want to be genuine, I want to be real. 

I want to be open. 

*this art was made with a Nikko G nib and Higgins permanent black ink.
**Linked up with the Creative Collective at The Nectar Collective

Printable: Plan a Productive 2014!

I'll admit it: I really, really love the New Year. As someone who loves making goals and plans, the new year presents all these exciting new things that don't seem possible in the middle of the year. So of course, embracing all things New Year related, I almost always make New Year's resolutions, and I have for as long as I can remember.

But this year, I've decided not to. For some reason, I've grown sort of disillusioned with the whole idea of the resolutions. Sometimes I think we put so much thought into making up these supposedly meaningful goals that we expect to last for a whole year that we feel like we've achieved our goal just in making them up. And I think New Year's resolutions set us up for failure because we have a deadline to come up with these goals (January 1!) and in our rush, they may not even be valuable or realistic goals. So all that to explain why it's mid-January and I'm still talking about the new year and will continue to for another month or so. 

This year, I'm trying a couple different methods to set goals. Instead of just writing down vague goals on a sheet of paper and instantly feeling like an accomplished person, I'm trying to make my goals into specific and mostly "one-time" goals, like 'read this book' versus 'read everyday'. 

So to guide me in the goal-setting process, I created this printable, which you are welcome to use. Post it in a visible place so you can be reminded of your plans for the year!

(Click to download. Prints best at 600 dpi and at a half-page size.)

In 2014, I will...
+break this habit: sleeping in late on Saturdays.
+make this habit: eating healthy snacks like veggies/cheese/yogurt before chips!
+read this book: Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
+watch this movie: Blackfish--the killer whale documentary!
+learn to code! (and continue learning calligraphy)
+visit: Sequoia National Forest + Big Sur in June!
+remind myself that: as I transition to a totally new home (remember...I'm moving in August!), people come in + go out of our lives for a reason and it will be okay. 

Do you like setting New Year's resolutions? How do you achieve success in your goals?