One Word 2017

First, a little reflection on 2016...

My words last year:

     Looking back at it I feel like "Present" was a good word for me.  Reading that, though, makes me think that it could be my word again this year.  (That might be cheating.)

     I have not mastered being present by any stretch of the imagination, but I did remember that goal for the entire year!!!  I found myself referring to my #oneword in conversations even in December.  That means that I was way more successful than I had been with traditional resolutions of the past. Those were usually forgotten by January 2nd.  Somehow my #oneword became a mantra.

     I was present more of the time, but I still have trouble balancing everything.  There just isn't enough time in the day...  But, when things got crazy, I remembered my one little word PRESENT and started to prioritize things.  What do I need to do right now, so that I can be back in the moment?  It helped, and I will continue that in 2017.  Now I just need to work on keeping the phone put away.  I think time and the digital world we live in are my two biggest challenges to being present.

And now on to 2017...

     I struggled with a word for this year.  To be honest, anxiety and worry has crept into my head in recent months, for a variety of reasons.  My name (Leah) literally means "the weary" and I have always been a worrier.  But, as 2017 approaches, I worry.  I was driving to dinner with a dear friend, thinking about a word that would mean the opposite of "worry"for my one word.  We were wearing our Star Wars shirts, in honor of Carrie Fisher and her mom, because after 25 years that's the kind of friends we are.  When I got to the restaurant I checked my phone to see if she had arrived yet, and saw a Twitter notification.  That's when I saw this:

     My one word was born.

     I was born in 1977, with the name Leah, and have always lived with references to Princess Leia.  I have come to identify with her, in some weird way, as the years have passed.  I now have children of my own who love Star Wars, and a son who identifies himself as BB-8 and a daughter who has Stormtrooper dreams.  Needless to say, I was devastated with Carrie Fisher's passing.  I actually hid in my bedroom and cried, and when my husband caught me I told him I knew how silly it was to be so sad about a person I never actually met.  And then I read a tweet from George Takei, which I word swagged:

     Growing up connecting myself to the character Princess Leia (even if just by name), I learned that not all princesses are frilly and fragile.  Some of them have quiet bravery that can move us with great force, and they stand up when someone needs someone to stand.  So, filled with anxiety and worry that is oh so familiar to me, I read that quote from Carrie Fisher and found my one word: CONFIDENT.

     For so many reasons, this is the word for me.  

     I was halfway through writing this, and stopped to have dinner on New Year's Eve.  My fortune cookie reaffirmed my word choice. 

     I will continue to worry and be fearful (because I always am), but I am going to try to move with confidence towards 2017 and make it a year to remember.  Our mind is a powerful thing, and I need to remember to not let worry shape my world.  I need to be confident and have that drive me, so that I see it in my life. 

     And now, just for the fun of it, here is a Princess Leia inspired picture to start 2017. Thanks, Carrie Fisher, for helping me see part of who I am through identifying with you, and somehow helping me to remember to be fearful yet strong even after you left this world.  What a strong princess you were indeed, and you are still teaching many little princesses to take your lead.