Rather than making resolutions, I choose three words to guide me for the coming year. The words focus my intentions and clarify my purpose. My three words for 2015 are:
Flexibility. The first area of my life that needs attention is my body, my health, my physical well-being, primarily because I’m 82. I put down words like “fit” and “strong,’ bur “flexibility “felt right. Flexibility can extend not only to my body, but also to how I live my life. It encourages me to allow life to unfold and stay mindful as I live it. It will be interesting to see what “flexibility” inspires me to do.
Connection: The more deeply I explore the spiritual areas that fascinate me, the more rarified are people on that particular path. I’m lonely for really deep, philosophical discussions so I wrote down words like “outreach”, “fellow seekers” and “like-minded.” “Connection” had an immediate impact. The word “connection” also extends to my spiritual exploration. Meditation, mindfulness and serenity are deepened though my spiritual connection. We’ll see where “connection” takes me.
Impact: The word “contribution’ showed up first. It felt warm and heart-felt. I almost settled for that. However, I’ve been attracted to the word “impact” and although it feels more masculine, it also feels more powerful. I used to use words like “make a difference” but I want to up that to Impact. I want my work to know the socks off you. I want to present ideas and insights that turn your world around. I want to inspire you to change so you can turn around and inspire all the people you serve to change. I want my work to be like circles moving out from the center of a dropped pebble in a pond, I really want to skip my rock across the pond and create a series of ripples. I can do that.
There are my three words for 2015, however, I also have some long-range core words I work with.
Unfolding has been the most important lesson I have given myself. I still work on this, and I am getting so much better at simply allowing things to happen.
Mindful is going to be a core word for a long time. It takes practice to be mindful. It takes awareness to be mindful. I keep practicing mindfulness.
Simplicity is the word I have added to this core three. This is dramatically affecting my work as I simplify and shorten my articles, podcasts and the size of the individual lessons in my courses. It helps me look for the core idea I want to communicate and when the ideas start to overflow, I simply create a series. The word Simplicity is already having a profound impact.
Yes, this is six words and I have them posted proximately around my home. I have Connection, Flexibility and Impact on the back of my door so when I leave my home I consciously make those choices. I keep Simplicity and Unfolding near my workspace. And Mindful is in my kitchen as I prepare food and near my exercise area to help me stay focused.
What are your three words for 2015? Do you have any core words that are shaping your life?
