Word of the Year for 2020

Oh how I love the start of a new year! 

And even better ... the start of a new decade!

At the end of 

2014, I jumped on the 

"Word of the Year" bandwagon.

I use my word as a focusing tool.

A way to concentrate my efforts for the year.

I've had some great successes ... like 2016 when my word was 

"good health." (yeah, that's two words but it still counts!)  And in 2017 when

I decided to focus on "fitness".  Those were great words that really drove my decision

making.  The craziest word I ever chose ... well, really, I think the word chose me ...

was also the first word I ever chose and it was "uncomfortable."  I chose the word

initially because I wanted to move out of my comfort zone.  I wanted to become

unstuck.  I'll tell you what, chose your word carefully (!!) because 2015 was 

a very uncomfortable year! BUT ... and this is why I say it chose me ... all 

of the things that happened in 2015 would have happened even if I had

chosen a different word.  But because I had chosen to embrace the

uncomfortable that year, my perspective and attitude were 

different ... and I believe it had an impact on how I 

responded to all of the uncomfortable things that

happened! I did consider choosing "drink 

margaritas while floating down the 

river on a floaty" for my word

the following year!! 

Ironically, 

in 2018 I chose 

the word "finish" ... and 

I gave it a tag line too ... "Finish

what I start.  Use what I have." I say

ironically because I don't think I finished anything

that I set out to finish!  ha ha.  Life took a different turn and

the year ended up being completely focused on helping a family 

member finish something important ... I won't tell you who or what 

as that is their story, not mine, but it wound up being the perfect

word ... just completely different to how I saw it playing out.

But that is one of the things I love about choosing a word, 

and about life really, it never quite goes the way we

expect that it will.  But we can choose what we

do with that!  We can choose how we 

respond and how we react.  We 

can choose the lens we 

look at life through.

2019,

last year, 

my word was 

"creativity".  I have

not spent the time I need

to spend to process last year.

I will, but it was such a big year.

A hard year.   Possibly the hardest

year of my life.  A lot of the hard things

that happened took me completely by surprise

and were out of my control.  I found myself seeing 

a psychologist for the first time ever and am thankful for 

the process and outcome of that.

Which brings us to this year, 2020!

I have been thinking about my 

word and really not coming

up with anything at all

that inspired any 

sort of  "aha 

moment"

or 

a sense

of "yeah, that's

the word!" Until

the other day.  I was

in the shower of all places

and the word "dance" popped 

into my head.  I wasn't even thinking

about my word of the year but when 

that word came into my mind, I 

thought ... "that's the one!"

When I 

was looking

through photos

to pick one for this

post, I came across the 

one above.  My daughter 

took it of us on a mother daughter

trip we took earlier in the year.  We 

had experienced a disappointment and 

decided we weren't going to wallow in it so

we booked a sunset cruise.  After dinner, there 

was live music and a dance floor.  The 

music was great but no one was 

dancing! In the end, we 

decided that didn't 

matter and we 

hit the 

dance floor.

We danced and

laughed our heads off.

The whole boat was watching

us but we didn't care. We kept

 dancing. We had the best

time and this photo 

reminds me of 

that time.

I have

no idea what

will come of this

word this year.

One thing I do 

know is that I have

always wished I could

dance! Like, proper dance,

not "make a spectacle of myself

dance" like I did with my daughter

on that boat!  Maybe 2020 will 

be my year to learn.

We shall see.

In thinking

about my word,

I was reminded of 

this song ... it is one of

my favourites.

You probably

know it.

**

I Hope You Dance

by LeAnn Womack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,

May you never take one single breath for granted,

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,

When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance. 

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance.

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always 

rolling us along,Tell me who wants to look back on 

their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance....

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance.

I hope you dance. 

I hope you dance.

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)

**

Maybe those words will 

be part of the dance of 2020 ... 

Maybe it will be about choosing.

Maybe it will be about something else.

I guess we will just have to see how 

it plays out ...

**

Do you choose a word of the year?  

If so, what have you chosen for this year?

If not, do you do something else?

Resolutions? Goals? 

Do tell!

Happy New Year everyone!

xx