One Little Word

Happy 2009! Happy New Year!  Happy Fresh Start Day!  Happy Happy!

So today is the day for resolutions… some people find resolutions to be silly, or claim they don’t work.  Personally, I know that any day you decide to start a healthy habit (or quit a bad one) is important, be it January 1st or July 22nd… but find the first day of a brand new year just exceptionally fitting to do such a thing. 

It could be my Virgo personality.

But, never-the-less I know sometimes “resolutions” just don’t stick.  Sometimes by January 6th you’ve fallen off your jump-start attitude wagon, and before you know it… it’s “After Valentine’s Day”, “After the 4th of July”, “After…. oh hell I’ll start in 2010″.

So this year I’m looking at things differently.  I’m trying a more mindful approach, and picking an “OWL” for the year.  That’s “One Little Word” to keep in mind that will apply to those areas in my life that I wish to improve and make better.  For me.   Thanks to my friend Leah for pointing out the concept from Ali E’s blog which you can find here.

So what’s the word bird… I had a few in mind.  There’s “Growth”, which signifies my desire to learn more this year, both in design and photography, etc.  I considered “Health” for good reasons too – “Create” to keep it arty, and even “Discipline” to keep some accountability in there.  They are all good… but ultimately, after consideration, I found the perfect word for me for 2009.

Forward.

Forward is defined by Merriam Webster as:  1 a: near, being at, or belonging to the forepart b: situated in advance
2 a: strongly inclined : ready b: lacking modesty or reserve : brash 3: notably advanced or developed : precocious 4: moving, tending, or leading toward a position in front ; also : moving toward an opponent’s goal 5 a: advocating an advanced policy in the direction of what is considered progress b: extreme , radical 6: of, relating to, or getting ready for the future

This is the year for being at a forward position in life…making progress, not a be all end all goal of perfection,  because you never reach that in life.  If you do, what’s the point?  This is the year for just keeping everything, be it in my life, art, or whatever… moving significantly and memorably forward.

So I strongly encourage you to pick a word for the year.  Be it simple or deep, and keep it in mind.  And at the end of 2009, we can look back together, and see how much that one little word defined a time in our lives of change for the better.

Happy New Year friends, and thanks for stopping by today.