2016...The Year of NOW

As some may remember, I don't do resolutions.  They are wasted on me as I'm more of a 'big picture' person.  At the end of 2011 I realized that my life was too hectic and busy.  I was allowing myself to be pulled into too many directions.  I decided that I need to change that for the coming year and so I picked a theme for the year.  One word that I could focus on that would help guide me, focus me, on how I lived and to fulfill my goals for that year.  Simplify was the word then.  In the years since I've continued to select a one word theme for each new year as I've found it really helps me.  It's a way of letting go of what didn't work in the previous year but not getting bogged down with a lot of 'have tos and shoulds'.  Through the years I've embraced "Authentic", "Peace", and "Transformation" as well as the original "Simplify".

I must admit that surprising results are netted from doing this.  Sometimes, throughout any given year, I'm reminded of something my mother always said, "Careful what you ask for." 

You ask for patience and what you get are opportunities to practice patience, rather than the skill itself!  I learned a lot about myself during 2013's year of "Authentic" and staying true to who I am despite the outside noise.  2014's year of Peace was anything but, remember careful what you ask for!  However, that year taught me how to really focus on my inner peace despite the noise and I must admit, doing so netted me some unexpected, yet wonderful results.   This year, in many ways, was the hardest - which is saying something considering 2014 was a bitch - because I chose 'transformation'.  What I expected and what the universe served up were two very different things.  There was a transformation all right, but only after all the pieces broke apart and scattered everywhere.  I learned though that when that happens, when everything I thought about myself, my life, my purpose shatters, in whatever ways, if I keep moving forward... new life, new purpose rises from the broken pieces and while it might not look like what I thought it would, it is a rebirth.  My year of transformation saw a lot of heartache in its first few months but slowly, the metamorphosis happened.  I became a person who could reject what I did not want in my life and set healthy, necessary, boundaries for myself.  I was able to let go of people and things that didn't nourish me and I was able to face challenges and setbacks and negativity without drowning in them.  It took almost the entire year to reach that place where I could do that and to be able to look back and be grateful for what the year taught me, gave me, empowered me to be able to do now.

I am doing the yearly theme a little bit differently this time around.  I've selected a word for 2016.  It sums up what the year needs to be rather nicely, but it felt lacking in specific focus and that's not something I've ever felt before with the other words/years.  So, I came up with a motto, or tag line, as well.  After this years 'transformation' where I spent A LOT of time reflecting, pondering, learning, and honestly rejecting much of my 'old' life I feel this coming year needs action.  It's time to put the last four years of themes to real work!  So 2016 is the year of...

NOW

Nurturing Optimistic Well-Being through Purpose, Passion, and Possibilities

I must admit, I'm more excited and energized for the coming year than I have been in a long while.  I was drained and a little lost, truth be told, in the past years of these themes.  I was in need of 'down time, slow, understanding, boundaries, and the like.'   I now feel I have a decent grip on who I am, what my strengths are, and how to maintain my boundaries.  I'm sure I'll stumble, even fall, at times but I'm ready.  I'm ready to do it NOW.  I'm ready to 'put myself back in the game' of creating a life well lived, a life with understandable purpose, energizing passion, and a life open to acting on the opportunities that stir my mind, my heart, and my soul...NOW.

I wish you each a 2016 that is filled with possibilities that spark your passion and ignite your purpose!

Happy New Year!

~Mari B.