Word of the Year 2015: Write

Last year was a family year.  We wanted to move, houses, and our bodies, and we had lots of projects that centered around us as a unit.  When I needed to get myself in shape, my main motivator was my family, to get strong for my boys, to be healthy for Ben.  At the beginning of the year, the kids were so young and needed so much undivided attention from me.  Elliott was just weaning off of bottles, which I had not previously realized makes a HUGE difference in daily family life.  Both boys napped at different times, had different interests, and were too different to truly play together.  I was Mama (and teacher and student, hustling to finish out those last classes of my Masters degree), and I liked it, but I was a little burnt out.

Then something miraculous happened.  Elliott grew out of his morning nap and the boys started sleeping in the same room and the same time for several hours every afternoon. I finished graduate school. Ben took the lead on our biggest house project of the year.  Milo learned to share his cars (most times).  By the fall, for the first time in years, I had a lot more time for me.  I traveled solo twice.  I started a new blog.  I indulged my interest in tarot cards and moon phases and other slightly mystical things. I read a ton of books.  I met friends for drinks of all kinds.  I wrote 55,000 words of a fantasy story. I was killing it.

I've read a quote (does seeing something on pinterest count as reading it?) that says "There are years that ask questions, and there are years that give answers." Last year answered a ton of shit, but more than anything, it reminded me of some things I already knew.  That I love reading and writing.  That it's worth it to make the time for trips and meeting up with friends.  That I am more than just a mom.  I can truly say that by the end of 2014, I was feeling like a super cool version of myself, with tons of self confidence and excitement about what was ahead. I'm going to hang on to that feeling for dear, dear, life.

In this vein, I've chosen my word for 2015.  This year, it doesn't really represent a family view, but more what I'm going to prioritize as I move through these months.  The word is write.  It's okay if you need to roll your eyes- I know I've been talking nonstop about writing since November. But it woke something up in me.  I'm thinking of Eugene Levy in Waiting for Guffman when he gets the acting bug and he's chortling in the interview "I'm worried that I might have been wasting time!" I'm not about to give up my orthodontic practice.  I just want to continue with this hobby that has let me have so much fun.

So, yes, I'm going to keep writing my story about schizophrenia and alternate universes.  I'm going to keep writing here.  But I also want to get back into the habit of writing as a way to keep myself organized.  I've really fallen away from writing daily lists, keeping things organized on the calender.  I want to keep better notes at work and better track of things at home.  I'm still trying to keep healthy living as a focus, and one of my goals is to track what I eat- write it down.  I like when my word can branch to cover all my bases, and this one is able.  My word for the year is write.

Do you have a word for the year?  A resolution?  My favorite of all time is still: eat more bacon, have more sex.

(The lovely image is a print that you can find here. Text added by me.)