Word of the Year, 2019 Edition

It's been a good Christmas break, more or less, and here we are, a week into 2019 with nary a moodling yet! Though I haven't been online much, the musing and doodling that I call moodling has been ongoing, at least in my head. For readers who have been with me a while, you know that one of my first tasks in a New Year, moodling-wise, is to choose a Word of the Year, one that becomes a touchstone to keep me on track. I've heard some people call it "setting an intention."

The word for 2017 was Tenderness, a word that reminded me to be gentle with myself and others.

Last year's word was Me, and my Me year was really important because it allowed me to give myself permission to just be who I am, with less stressing over not measuring up to my own and others' standards when I was struggling with various happenings in my life. For my Me year, I wrote more than the usual number of letters to my best friend, committed to meditation and a more regular Tai chi practice, and looked after myself in other ways (like visiting a favourite coffee shop and reading a book for an hour -- unheard of!)

For 2019, I want to reach for Blessing, to cultivate the awareness that, though our planet and many of its peoples are struggling, there is still much beauty, grace, goodness and truth if we only look for it and nurture it. So for me, 2019's word of the year is Blessing. Accepting the earth's blessings wherever I can find and celebrate them, counting my blessings, being patient with things that don't feel like blessing, and working to turn struggles into blessings -- while being blessing in whatever way I can for the people who cross my path.

I have a few plans in this regard, not New Year's resolutions, exactly, but ideas of projects and dreams that I want to work on in 2019. I'll keep you posted as to how this year of Blessing pans out.

Stay tuned!