Happiness sometimes comes in Stripes

Creating a One Word Theme for the Year

Natalie Goldberg says, “Follow your heart and Tigger and they will take you where you want to go”

Well, maybe she doesn’t REALLY say Tigger, but I’m sure she meant to. And yes I do mean the “bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy fun, fun, fun, fun, fun character from Winnie the Pooh.

At the beginning of 2011, hot on the heels of the appearance of my “Word for the year” Resilience, a vision of Tigger arrived. Not so odd as you might be thinking … six months earlier doing a creative exercise my Muse had shown up looking suspiciously like Ariel from The little mermaid cartoon. Cruella De Ville is the perfect image I carry for my inner saboteur, and my previous Word of the year had been Play. Perhaps I wasn’t done “playing” just yet? And lets face it Tigger is a cool dude with some unusual qualities, and it wasn’t as if I couldn’t do with some help in the “optimism and following my Bliss” departments!

For those of you new to this idea, instead of the more traditional New Years Resolution which is too often a reaction based on not wanting “that” anymore (i.e. our love handles, the clutter, the rotten job); you choose a Word that will symbolize the year for you. It might be about identifying an idea, a personal quality or theme to guide you in the direction you desire.

For several years now this has been one of my favourite personal development practices. It’s simple, inspiring, and lighthearted and there are NO rules or guilt anywhere in sight. How could it NOT be awesome? You can change your word at any time, put it on hold, or even forget you chose it. And still the energy of it will accompany you in some form or other, it will guide you, teach you, support you and if necessary give you a nudge to remind you it’s still there. One might even mention the word Magickal here…

This time of year is perfect to be thinking about direction and desires and inviting in the experiences we’d like more of; much better than New Years day when we’ve barely recovered from the hangovers and madness of the holidays. Right now we have all the promises and gifts of the New Year spread before us, and we’ve had time to settle back in with our energy.

Let your authenticity shine through
To make your Word truly about YOU, invite in a quality you’d like to develop in your self; what would you like more of in your life. Your Word will be your guide, helping you bring your dreams closer, evolving you and supporting you as you integrate healthier changes into your life. So allow a sense of wonder and curiosity to guide you in lighthearted contemplation. You’ll know when your Word has found YOU because it pops into your consciousness as gently as a summer breeze and you feel a smile warming your insides.

Think “who do I want to be”, as you set your goals concerning the more tangible things that you want to show up in your life.  What qualities would you like to “develop” in yourself that might assist and support you in getting more of what you desire, with more ease and pleasure.

For example~ consider the Word light
You could light a candle, light up a room, lighten your load … uncover the light within you, light your own fuse, help others discover the light within them.
THAT is a Word with an adventure just waiting to happen …

Others might be ~ Colour, Power, Beauty, Laughter, Grace, Freedom, Presence, Spirit, clarity, expansion, nurture, daring

What I’ve learned from implementing this practice into my life is that choosing a Word becomes the key to unlock the energy of intention for personal growth. Creating rituals around your Word guides the direction of desire and supports progress. And practicing infinite gentleness with your self, especially when nothing “good” seems to be happening sustains inspiration and desire to be more than you were at the beginning of the year.

Rituals you might like ~ keep a journal and visit your Word on the pages. In a grateful journal discover appreciation for how your Word is showing up in your life. Write the word on sticky notes where you’ll see them often. Write on scraps of paper and put one in a pocket or your wallet and rediscover it every day. Or hide some to be found later. Paint it on your favourite cup, write it in lipstick on your bathroom mirror, or choose some thing that represents your Word with a talisman or touchstone quality to it.

In my journal entries of December 2010 before my Word Resilience showed up I wrote about wanting to really see and honor where I am in life. To stop playing small, comparing myself to others and fearing I have little to offer. Celebrate achievements, own my gifts and abilities and be willing to speak up about what I do. Activate my intuition. Wanting more ~ flexibility, courage, expansion, smaller steps, bigger leaps, ease, joyful, buoyant, go with the flow, and not be afraid of falling.

Last year I experienced all of the above and activated many new qualities throughout the year. I also came face to face with my deepest fears more times that I ever want to remember; culminating in November when quite unexpectedly I lost my part time work.
It didn’t even occur to me at the time to fall apart ~ or that I’d become Resilient. Yet all those qualities I’d wanted more of came into play to support me easily.

While I wasn’t exactly bouncing through that time, I was able to trust that if my life needed that kind of radical adjustment then something better must be on its way. It was! three weeks later I was re-employed  I had new clients showing up and I felt amazing and confident about the future.

This is a powerful and wonderful practice, so feel your way into your Word, and allow yourself time for it to find you. The moment your Word shows up for you, the universe will begin to re-arrange itself to begin bringing you exactly the experiences, events, philosophies, teachers and guidance that you need next.

If you would like some support in either finding or working with your Word or just a fun time discovering more about this practice, thenI invite you to email me

Check back soon for more details about the WORDALICIOUS Workshop coming soon

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