Create

2016.  A new year.  Typically this time of year means a new list of resolutions being made.  Lists of things you want to accomplish, and yet rarely seem to manage.  It just seems like such a harsh way to start off a new year full of mystery and potential.

A few years back we simply decided to stop making them.  That doesn't mean I don't have goals and plans and dreams for the new year, it simply means we've decided to approach it a bit differently.
Instead of making a list of tasks to complete we decided to choose a word, a single word, to represent the new year and its potential.  A theme, something to guide our thoughts and actions throughout the year and hold our focus.

In years past we've chosen words like gratitude, simplicity, and explore.  This year was a bit harder, nothing seemed exactly right.  I mulled over the hopes I had for the new year, and what I wanted not only for the family but for myself as well.  Compassion, kindness, reverence...all these words seemed so wonderful and are, of course, great to keep our focus on.  Yet, they weren't "the word" that we needed.   One word kept popping into mind and over and over again I kept dismissing it.

Create.  That couldn't be it.  What does it even mean really?  It's much too simple afterall.  Yet there it continued to sit, right in the middle of my thoughts, and suddenly I understood.   Of course!  Create.

Not in the obvious we're a crafty household and we like to make things kind of way either.  But in the you create your own destiny so get out there and make things happen kind of way.

CREATE

things

happiness

connections

friendships

opportunities

memories

It seems obvious now, the perfect word for us for 2016.   I cannot wait to see the year that we create.