Embrace

A new year has arrived. With it comes the feeling of a new beginning.

I’ve never been huge on New Years Resolutions. The ones I have had rarely lasted past the end of January. Last year I was introduced, through multiple sources, to the concept of a guiding word or theme for the year.

For 2011, I chose Positive Discovery. I had no goals or destination in mind. It was simply an experiment in letting go and seeing what I found out myself. An informative year for sure.

While the focus was on the positive last year, one thing I noticed that popped up repeatedly was the concept of ebb and flow. Nothing stays the same, the future becomes the present which becomes the past. What one day is the greatest of greats eventually becomes normal and mundane. Just because life isn’t always super exciting, it doesn’t mean that you can’t appreciate the boring or frustrating periods .

This is my inspiration. The idea being to cultivate balance in my life, along with an appreciation for both the highs and the lows.

My theme for 2012 is Embrace.

This year the word did not come readily. It took several pages of mind-maps and writing out possible goals to see where I wanted to direct my life this next year. Categorizing my goals was simple enough. A theme seemed to jump out, and I went with it. But rather then leaving me with a sense of empowerment and excitement, I felt uninspired and restricted. Back to the drawing board, and ultimately the word had been waiting for me all along, I just hadn’t been open.

My goals are broken down into three categories. Live, Laugh, Love. A former motto of mine, these words encompass everything I have set out to attain, and encourage me to seek more. And to keep everything neat and tidy, plus provide some additional guidance, my blog categories are the same. I created some posters to put on my office wall to help keep me motivated (my interpretation of a vision board, if you will). They’re vibrant and colourful and make me smile.

I’m looking forward to the year to come. While I have goals, I have no clear destination in mind. It’s an exciting prospect.

Do you have a theme for 2012? Any big goals in mind?