Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012 Word of the Year and Goals

Lake in Ireland


I am participating in Quinn McDonald's 30 Day Creativity Practice and Pat Sloan's challenge to pick a word for the year to focus on.  My word for 2012 is    

                        CELEBRATE

Lake in Ireland
I plan to celebrate everyday.. It does not have to be a large celebration or even a major event. I can celebrate that I exercised, or finished a block for a quilt, or even that I just got out of bed that day. It is the fact that I will be focused on the positive each day.  Looking at the bright side of things, and not the negative. If you want to join in go to either Quinn McDonald's http://quinncreative.wordpress.com or Pat Sloan's blog http://blog.patsloan.com/2011/12/pat-sloan-happy-2012.  I also found another blogger who believes in picking a word for the year Ali Edwards  at http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/onelittleword.php and I am thinking of joining her class, One Little Word.  To quote Ali:
"Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2012? It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought, or a feeling, or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.
One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet.
Again, be open to the possibilities."

I also made a list of my goals to focus on in 2012.
  • Finish UFQs and try not to add new UFQs, but rather finish projects I start, and this applies to all areas of life, not just quilting, as I have some other unfinished projects I need to finish.
  • Simplify and organize, meaning to clear things out that we do not need. Purge things if you will, and pass them on to those who can use them.  This can be as simple as cleaning out a draw in the kitchen, or clearing your closet of clothes you have not worn in the last year.
  • Focus on my health, meaning eat right and exercise more.
  • Write/Journal, spend more time focusing on my writing and my journals and delving into myself and my creative side. I find I am more focused and sleep better when I write each night before bed, as it clears my head. This includes doing a better job of writing and posting my blog each month.  My ultimate goal is to try to post once a week, but for now I am focusing on once a month and taking it month by month.  I do not know how some people manage to post daily.
  • Explore other creative avenues.  I am considering taking a pottery class, or a watercolor class.  There are two books I am planning to read and explore this year.  Quinn McDonald's Raw Art Journaling and Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.  I have both and have dabbled with them, but I plan to start reading one tonight and take a step forward with exploring this part of me.
  • Read and expand my knowledge.  This includes anything from novels to cookbooks, or travel guides. It is the reading that brings me pleasure and increases my knowledge.
  • Family, chatting with my cousin this morning we realized that we are the only ones in our family who stay in close touch and even then we are not perfect. I think the connections cracked and it started to fall apart when my grandmother moved to a nursing home and passed away.  Before that her home was the gathering place. 
  • Last but not least, is to focus on my word for 2012. CELEBRATE!!

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have a good word and workable plan for the new year! This week I plan to list my accomplishments for 2011 before finalizing my word and goals for 2012.

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  2. Great goals. Love your word. I hope you find celebration in each and every day this year.

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  3. You picked a good word....and quite a nice list of goals! Happy New Year.

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  4. Thank you all. HM in my journaling to pick my word for the year I listed some of my accomplishments for 2011 and it helped me to come up with my word. I know that you can do anything you set out to do.
    Beth - I am doing well so far, so hope it continues all year.
    Caryl - Let's hope I can accomplish them all.
    Happy New Year to you all!

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  5. Hi Wanda, Pat started the word of the year, my first year was Believe, my second year was DO-IT and this year I have been reveling back and forth between 3 of them. . , . I will focus on Happenstance. (It is in most dictionaries, but not all!!! God Bless and thank you for visiting. I was shocked and hurt that our service people are being 'targeted' to be shot in the USA - I asked my daughter and she said yes, he has been warned about it. He almost didn't wear his uniform home. . . you saw in the picture that he did. I have no words for this state of affairs. Blessings, Janet (Love your attitude here.)

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  6. you are awesome Wanda and I loved your post! Yep.....I focus on being positive every single day and it is my way of life! I love we share goal making!

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  7. Hi Wanda,
    To continue - there are only about 5 US states targeting the soldiers, may be why he wasn't told about it, TX is one of the states and that's where he is based at the moment. Happenstance: God's way of telling us this is meant to be, Pay attention (wanted to make that clear how I see happenstance) :) Good talking with you. Blessings, Janet

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  8. Linda - Thank you for the complement. I think you are awesome also. I love your quilts.

    Janet - I believe happenstance is a good way to put it. I look at things in that way often. If it is meant to be it is meant to be and there is nothing I can do to change it.

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