choosing a POWER word

When Eileen suggested our Artist Way Group start blogging, everyone said, "Sure..." But like all things in life it takes some of us a longer time to actually START a new thing. It has taken me a SNOW DAY/ a free day with 8 hours of unplanned time to actually get to the New Year's project!


Eileen spoke of her word for the Year. I have many iterations on what my word should be for the year. The first one was, "Say YES to everything!" I came-up with that one when I was on my 2 week Winter break from teaching. It was super easy to say YES- when I didn't have to work....January I went back to work and saying YES became sort of exhausting. The words "calm and content" became the new power words.


I have practiced yoga for more than 20 years. I have a pretty good physical practice down. BUT I have always struggled with the meditation aspect of yoga. Which really any yogi will tell you is the MAIN purpose of yoga; you complete a physical practice so you can clear you mind for the meditation. Not that I don't try to have a meditative practice I just seem to work out; knitting pattern problems, art/craft dilemma's, how to teach 3rd grade math without a curriculum, when I get to see my grand baby again....while I am suppose to be emptying my mind and watching my breath. I am not going to stop trying to meditate, but I don't think I want that pressure of "calm and content" to be my focus this year. It is just TOO far away from who I am!


So this morning when I was journaling my Morning Pages (thank you Julia Cameron) I cam up with "being in the moment." My friend Laura gave me a one minute meditation book this Christmas and I think I can meld my "Say YES and calm and content" into "be in the moment." It is super hard for a planner to be in the moment. I make lists each day and am so excited to cross things off once I accomplish something. If I am trying to just be in the moment maybe the calm and content will happen and I will be able to say YES to more things? MAYBE?!

Here is to Snow Days, calm and peace, be in the moment and say YES....

 These are pictures from a solo walk I took up in Michigan this past weekend.

This is a floating family room attached by paths from the main house...Love this getaway room

 This babbling brook is right in someone's back yard. I would love to have the soothing sounds of water out my bedroom window.

Find your POWER word and change it if it isn't working....              Lucy