Word of the Year for 2021

 

I doubt I need to say that 2020 didn't go as planned.

For anyone.

It's interesting though, as it always is, that the word
I chose for the year ended up being
exactly the right one. 

It took on a completely different meaning
than I had imagined it would.  I chose the word DANCE
for 2020. I didn't really know how the word would play out
but early into the whole COVID shut down, it became 
clear that 2020 was going to be about rhythms ...
everything changed,
basically overnight, and we were
left to figure out what our new rhythms
would be. Here in Australia, or at
least where we live, life has
basically gone back to
normal ... just with
COVID
protocols
and increased
cleaning, etc.  For us
as a family, life went back to 
'normal'-ish but then our puppy was
diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.  We 
walked a bittersweet couple of months with him,
enjoying every minute that we had left.  Life
had already slowed to it's new rhythm
and we slowed it even more to
spend more time with our pup.
  In November, we had
 to say goodbye
and then
begin
the slow
dance
that is grief.

Mid way through 2019 ... and continuing through all 

of 2020 I dealt with multiple situations that were entirely 

out of my control. 
As much as I wanted to, and tried to, I couldn't fix 

what needed to be fixed to change the situations. 

Somewhere 

along the way, I just surrendered. 

Surrendered to the idea 

that everything isn't going to work out the way I want it

to.  Surrendered to the idea that I will still be ok, 

that life will still be ok ... no, that it will still

be more than ok, that it will be good.

Even when seasons change. 

When friendships you 

thought would be

forever, end.

When

you grieve

loss ... in it's 

varied forms.  When

the world is turned upside 

down, possibly changed forever.

None of these things are within my 

control to change.  But, what is within my 

control is how I respond.  How I chose to deal.

What I allow my thoughts to dwell on.

And how I decide to move 

forward.

Coming to this 

understanding within 

myself this year has left me with

an unexpected feeling of contentment.

An acceptance of life ... as it is.

With all that has and will

unfold in the future.

With a renewed

HOPE.

My word for 

2021 didn't come

to me quickly.  As I 

began to think about it,

I played around with a few 

words that I liked the sound of.

One was variety, the other was 

diverse.  But they didn't encompass 

exactly what I was thinking.  My thoughts 

were around expanding my horizons ... but, you 

know, not being able to travel or anything, having to

expand them locally.  I feel like 2019 and 2020 left me
in a bit of a rut.  Feeling a little stuck dwelling on things
that had been ... but were no longer. 

I don't want 

to stay in that place.  

I want to do new things.  

Visit new places. 

Try new foods.  

Walk paths that I haven't yet. 

Climb different mountains.

Swim in different lakes, beaches, water holes.

I want to spend time in the city, and in the country.

I want to read and learn and share and grow.

And so the word I have 

landed on is ...

NEW.

It's a simple word.

But it's a big word.

While I will continue in the 

rhythms of life as they stand now,

I have also decided that this 

year I will:

1. Hike to the top of a different mountain each month.
It doesn't have to be one I've never hiked 

before, it just has to be a new one

each month.

2. Walk on a new beach each month.

I will obviously still hit my favourites as I walk

on the beach multiple times a week but when I have 

the time, I'm going to hit up a new one. 
There are so many beautiful beach where I live ...
 and I want to walk on

as many of them as I can!

3.  I love waterfalls ... but I don't often enough make the

time to hike into the woods to see them.  So, 

this is the third "new one per month"

that I'm going to aim for this year.

With everything else,

I'm not setting 'strict" goals 

or guidelines.  I really like my word

to be a guide ... not a regulation.  Having

said that, I am going to be intentional about 

eating a variety of foods, trying new ones that I have

never tried before.  I'm going to try new exercises. 

Yoga comes to mind.  I've tried it online but
I'd like to try it with an actual teacher that I

can talk to ... cuz I'm sure I'm not doing

it right!  My husband and I are 

planning weekends away.

Finding places we

can drive to,

places

we

have

not yet 

explored.

Rory gave me 

a mountain bike for

Christmas (we still have to

go pick it and get it ... covid brought

on a bike shortage in our area!!) but once I 

get it, I want to start riding more with him.

Of course, we will continue to climb

and I will continue with my twice

a week pilates classes.

And as happens 

every year

-

we will just

see where it goes!

The word 
NEW 

may take on

an entirely 

different meaning.

And I'm here 

for it!

xx