Choosing a Word of the Year has been helpful to me for the last few years to be used as a map. It has given me a reason to slow down in that space between experience and reaction.
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| Re-Write - Word of the Year and 12 Ways to Use It |
Last year, my word was Celebrate!, a year I devoted to getting ready to and then learning to celebrate the end of my working career. A year spent rediscovering myself and what was important enough to carry.
So many reflections emerged with that word, including the releasing of silly thoughts that no longer served me although they seemed so important at the time. The realization that the days that were spent are gone, and that no one can give you the peace that you deserve except yourself.
... and to Celebrate! last year is what led me to my 2020 Word of the Year - Re-Write.
When you have a little more time on your hands since leaving a long career, you are given the gift of Time. A gift that is easy enough to squander with tidying-up tasks, staying in your pajamas all day (yes! I've done this a whopping twice in the last eight months), or aimlessly watching a screen. Or squeezing in as much as possible. I tell you this because "squeezing in" is my default and something I am working on. You might already know that I like to check things off a list but now I am asking myself why it has been so important to me.
This gift of Time is also about choice, who and what to fill your time, which project to tackle first, which book to read, which Netflix series to follow next.
Somewhere in between all this re-creating is a voice that I hear that says, "what's next?", "you have to face what you've been postponing!" and 'is that really true?"
So Re-Write has come to me in the nick of time, I feel, to fill the gap and help me answer the questions on held beliefs, decisions and habits.
So many reflections emerged with that word, including the releasing of silly thoughts that no longer served me although they seemed so important at the time. The realization that the days that were spent are gone, and that no one can give you the peace that you deserve except yourself.
... and to Celebrate! last year is what led me to my 2020 Word of the Year - Re-Write.
When you have a little more time on your hands since leaving a long career, you are given the gift of Time. A gift that is easy enough to squander with tidying-up tasks, staying in your pajamas all day (yes! I've done this a whopping twice in the last eight months), or aimlessly watching a screen. Or squeezing in as much as possible. I tell you this because "squeezing in" is my default and something I am working on. You might already know that I like to check things off a list but now I am asking myself why it has been so important to me.
This gift of Time is also about choice, who and what to fill your time, which project to tackle first, which book to read, which Netflix series to follow next.
Somewhere in between all this re-creating is a voice that I hear that says, "what's next?", "you have to face what you've been postponing!" and 'is that really true?"
So Re-Write has come to me in the nick of time, I feel, to fill the gap and help me answer the questions on held beliefs, decisions and habits.
Here are a few ways to use Re-write that could be helpful for you too:
- re-think the plan of what is important each day - exchange crossing something off the list to reaching out to a friend you've been thinking about
- look for ways to give - an act as simple as pick up a neighbour's mail, or offer a comment on a blog you enjoy
- when in doubt, choose kindness - I'm guessing that the busy Mom in front of us in line didn't know she stepped on our foot!
- re-read a book that you loved; I will be going back to the simple (but not easy) The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz
- allow someone to be wrong - it's not always up to us to teach the lesson, they too will learn in their own time (just as we did)
- we could be wrong - be quiet just in case
- everyone gets up in the morning carrying their yesterdays - be compassionate however it looks in that moment
- learn something - it keeps us interesting
- believe in Karma - this alone can prevent us from doing some truly stupid things (Tweet This)
- tomorrow is soon enough - get some rest today
- forgive - people who do it says it feels so good
- always know there is only one You - be yourself
May your Word of the Year guide you to a better you. (Tweet This)
12 Ways to use Re-Write, My Word of the Year. (Tweet This)
Be Well,
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