word of the year

Moving into 2015 with a new mantra: SUSTAIN

In lieu of New Year's resolutions, I chose a one-word theme for 2015. Some people write theirs into moleskine journals or fancy planners; I like to doodle/collage mine into a spiral sketch pad. Who doesn't like playing with scissors, paints and glue?

I see art journaling as a meditative experience. It encourages awareness, helps me clarify my thoughts and breathe life into new ideas. Until, that is, I make a "mistake." That sucks the sugar crystals right off my lemon drop, boy howdy, and I have to fight the urge to rip out the page and start over.

This, even though the first "rule" of art journaling is that there's no such thing as a mistake. Even though I know the benefits of compassionate detachment and mindful observance.

So here you have it: an illustrated example of at least one place I'd like to grow. It's why I chose SUSTAIN (in all its definitions) as my mantra for this year.

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Want to try something similar for yourself? I invite you to visit Suzannah Conway's page, "Let's Make Some Magic in 2015!" It's chock-full of activities designed to help you reflect on the events of the past and to imagine the possibilities for the coming year. In the process, you'll be encouraged to choose your own 2015 Word o' the Year or to write out New Year's resolutions. So fun: You'll create a vision board, sketch/collage/write things into a journal, and/or create a calendar with goals and deadlines. It's a playground of sorts, with positive implications…in other words, an invitation to do whatever's meaningful and SUSTAIN-able for you.

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2012: My Word of the Year

It's a bit deflating to think about a talisman word for 2012, especially after failing to live up to one of the key goals I set for myself in 2011. Nope, WITNESS isn't finished, so while I'm MUCH CLOSER to The End, I have to slide that one forward into the New Year. 

I won't use my blog to reflect on why that was; believe you me, I've already done enough introspection, all by my fretful/zen/embarrassed/triumphant/smiley-faced/teary-eyed self.

Don't get me wrong: I'm proud of all that I've accomplished. It's a substantial list, not all of them measured in word count or pages. I could recount them here, but I won't, because truly, none of that makes any difference. The past is behind us, and the future's yet to be written.

Writing my memoir? That matters to me, quite a lot. Always will, for however long it takes me. So does living a life that's full and true, and very much in the here-and-now.  In the end, these intentions are interrelated.  With that in mind, my Talisman Word for 2012 is NOW.

This moment…It's the only one we're guaranteed in this lifetime. NOW is our time. Your time. My time. I plan to make the most of it in 2012.

P.S. If you've found yourself on the same page as me, you might enjoy reading these articles: "30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself" and "25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing." I'm going to add them as shortcut keys to my desktop.