2024- Word of the year

 

2024 WORD OF THE YEAR

Gosh I sometimes have an easier time coming up with a WORD.  Last year’s word was so deeply etched into my heart: RISE.

This year, in brainstorming my word, these are some of the moods/essences that I felt:

Positive, assume the best, spread love, shine, glimmer, half full, gratitude, show up, perspective, trust, positive, no overthinking, leap-open-upwards direction, align, grow, bright, expand, upwards.

I have this INNER feeling of what I am going after, but I had a really hard time coming up with the WORD that encapsulates it all.

I am choosing UP.(I also kind of like that it maybe is a continuation of last year’s RISE… “RISE UP”)

UP:

LOOK UP: I want to every day, look up and NOTICE.  Notice beauty, notice the little things, notice CONNECTIONS, BE the connection and the upwards way of being.

THINK UP: I want to think UP AT THE GOOD—even when there is a negative—I want to notice the “up”- the good/ the opportunity that lies within/ the big picture that may not even be visible at that exact moment. I want to trust that I am going upwards in the direction of my dreams, on the path that is meant for me, as long as I remain true to myself, my integrity and core values that I live my life by. I want to intentionally see the glimmers of hope, even when – as is sometimes my tendency, I may initially feel the heaviness of frustration and/ or irritation.  I want to work hard to see the UP glimmer within hard situations.
SPEAK UP: Well, I should clarify slightly.  That I don’t want to speak up TOO MUCH haha. I know and am anticipating and already planning the year that is to come.  It is going to be fraught with divide.  So, I am planning to be intentional about communication. However, I want to balance being intentional and maybe cautious with the thought that it is our right and responsibility to be a part of the world we inhabit.  I cannot expect other people to do the whole job of speaking up for integrity and for things that matter to me.  So, how can I speak up in ways that are respectful and simply supportive of my values.  And how do I need to speak up for myself. How close will I allow someone to be nasty or disrespectful before I speak up for myself? I will also be working on speaking in an upward direction TO myself. I will work on speaking as positively to myself as I would to others.

LIVE UP: As always, I am already preparing.  I am preparing to do lots of things that scare me, exhilarate me, that make my days FULL. I want to go UP the extra mile. For myself, for others, for FUN. I don’t really have a problem saying no to things that I know aren’t in my lane or that will not fulfill me, but I want to actively seek out things that are just out of my vision that will enliven my days.

RISE UP: There WILL be challenges, downward spirals and unexpected shitstorms. I expect myself to sit in that place that I find myself with equanimity and know that there will be a rising upwards, that I am with myself, I know who I am, and I have shown myself evidence that through some of the hard work I’ve done, I can persevere and will be okay.