It’s January 2nd. The holiday break is over, I’m semi-recharged, and for the first time in 2 weeks I have my house to myself. Just me, Baxter (dog) and Alex (cat). (Yay!)
I’m digging through the emails in my inbox and I’m finding I’ve been flooded newsletters about New Year’s resolutions — what kind of goals to set, how to stick to them, and the like.
I know that’s what January 1 seems to be all about, but the idea of setting resolutions has never really stuck with me. Sure, I’ve declared big changes at certain times in my life, like the time I said I was going to write a book and then wrote it, or the time when I set my sights on completing a marathon and then crossed the finish line 3 months later. But there’s something about the arbitrary nature of resolving to make radical changes in my life at a time when many animals are choosing to hibernate that just doesn’t resonate for me.
This is what I was thinking about as I went for a frigid run at dusk last night. And rather than come up with resolutions, I thought about what kind of a shift I’d like to focus on this year. As in, if my life were a movie, what would the theme of the movie be?
For the past 3 or 4 years, my theme has been BELIEVE. Believe in who I am, believe in what I’m capable of, believe that things will unfold exactly as they’re supposed to. Believe has been a powerful word for me…a reminder during challenging times about the importance of trust. Just breathing in the word believe fills me with a sense of instant calm.
But as I was on the back end of last night’s run, a new word popped into my head. A word that feels a new theme emerging in my life.
That word is EVOLUTION.
When I got home, I went up to my computer and looked up the definition: any process of formation or growth; development. That sounds about right.
Evolution is what I’m experiencing in every aspect of my life: my role as a mother and wife and daughter and sister, my journey as an entrepreneur and small business owner, my awareness of my body’s strengths and weaknesses as I age, my personal path as I become a more in-tune, self-aware, and spiritual being.
Evolution leaves room for mis-steps and setbacks, but emphasizes their role in change and growth. Evolution allows me to be open to what comes next and know it’s all part of the ride.
I’m excited about this new theme for 2013 and beyond. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
So how about you? What is your theme in 2013?