“And the award for the Word of the Year goes to…”

No, it’s not that kind of thing, even though this is awards season.

Have you ever been directed in a yoga class to think of your intention for that session? I have; and it really helped me color what I was releasing with an exhale, and what I was absorbing when I was inhaling.

Sometimes my mind would drift to calm – worthy – flow … or other concepts that reflected my needs at the moment. We never shared our intentions … It was just something that helped us enrich our yoga experience, and something to carry with us as we walked out the door of the studio and back into the world.

Recently, I stumbled upon a book that promised to guide the reader through the process of selecting their own “Word for the Year.” The author’s website extolled the benefits of doing this, and how they were going to lead the reader through a process of questions and reflections in order to find that perfect word. Testimonies of readers praised the author and her process; they had been doing this for years and had experienced personal growth and achievement.

Okay. With my yoga experience as my own personal testimony, I could hang my hat on this idea. But in spite of being a self-help author myself, I just did not want to spend $14.99 to find my word … and I did not want to go through pages and pages of exercises to get one.

I just filed all this information away in my brain and heart.

Then, after ten days of being home bound due to snow and ice and a lack of caregivers for my husband, I was gratefully out and about once again, sitting at a favorite breakfast spot, sipping coffee.

“Embrace.”

The word just came to me out of nowhere. Well, I know where due to my personal faith.

Embrace is my word for the year. My personal intention for my inner self.

• Embrace the day, this moment, and give to it my best.
• Embrace myself, accepting myself as I am – warts and all.
• Embrace others with good intentions and actions.
• Embrace my gifts and use them.
• Embrace my weaknesses and find a way to improve them or get help to do so.
• Embrace even the hard situations in life; lean into them, and learn from them.
• Embrace the beauty of the world and absorb it into my very being.

Every day I am finding new ways to embrace. I have been somewhat energized with this experience. It is improving my outlook and my take on each day’s activities, and I’m excited to share this concept with you, too.

Maybe you can ponder on this idea of creating your own Word of the Year.

If your life seems to be stuck, maybe you need a word such as reach, or grow, or discover.

If you are starting a long stretch of schooling, maybe words such as steps or empowered, or learning, would meet your needs.

Sorry, but I can’t offer a questionnaire nor probing exercise to plow through to get to your word. This is something you must find by your own journey!

“Just ponder on it, and it will come.”

Embracing my day-

Deidre