I don't typically jump in on large overarching dream-questing things.  But I realized that I have been doing that in small ways in 2010. 

Today I happened upon Ali Edwards' blog and took up her challenge of One Little Word for 2011.

A few things fell away this year and a net always appeared.  Life can be funny like that. 

Even when things happened that rocked me to my core – losing my faith, trust and belief in people I thought were there for me. I listened to the music I was choosing on ITunes.  Really listened.  The music was angry, retaliating.  Boy, they had me in their grip in a sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs way.  But I got it out of my system on a couple of long road trips.  Between driving to/from Toronto and a trip to Kansas City, the music worked its way through me and I was done with it.

I realize that the innate goodness of people remains, and perhaps I just chose to give myself to the wrong people, things, etc.  But even then, good things spring from the ashes.  And they cannot be taken away.  Choose – Could this be my 'word'?

Other things I kept putting off and couldn't quite figure out why.  And the unfortunate why is sometimes anxiety and change.  It's time to be rid of that.  Just Do It.  Oh wait, somebody already uses that.  *smirk*

I attended the Cloth Paper Scissors CREATE retreat in August.  Not to teach, to attend.  If there is a word that describes that weekend for me, it would be IMMERSE.  I decided to jump in to things that scared me, all those "I cant's" and be rid of them.  A whole new world opened up for me.

I began to listen to my inner voice more.  My joy returned.  I started with Art Journaling.  I began to listen to the music I enjoy.  When I peel back the lyrics I was happy to discover that the angry lyrics no longer resonated for me.   The music was more about searching, discovering, embracing, celebrating.  That's better.

Then the positive affirmations that Joanne Sharpe has been illustrating caught my eye.  She calls them Whimspirations (how cool is that?)

Throughout this year of transformation I kept talking about goals and dreams and where I want to be.  But what about where I am?  The now.  Where I live.  Who I love.  People I want to get to know better.  Things I want to learn.  I want to invest my time and energy in the things that matter to me.  But I hadn't given myself the time to really think about those things until now.

So the word came at me full force this morning.  One little word is all it takes: and my word is FOCUS.

 
I want to be like the Samurai in the movie The Last Samurai.  I want to pursue the best of what I can be in my endeavors.  I want to be loyal to a fault.  I want to get lost in a cherry blossom.  I mean, doesn't that raspberry look like a heart?  I almost missed it among the pumpkins.

Do you have a word that drives your intentions in 2011?  It's so much more liberating than a resolution and so much more encompassing.  Give it a try.