2012::one word

Happy New Year everyone ~ I was really excited for the new year to come, to begin again, a clean slate.  But I have to admit these last few days of hibernating with my family, I'm a bit timid to really begin!  I think I'm overthinking the whole thing.  I mean the year has started, we're already 2 days in.  It doesn't stop just because I'm not feeling like doing anything yet!  I have high expectations for myself and what I should be doing and what I am doing.  Tomorrow seems like the beginning...where I have to get up early, Kadison goes back to school, I leave for a freelancing gig I picked up and life goes on....

I've been ruminating on my "one word" for 2012 and it's gone back and forth quite a bit but I've finally come up with the "one" ~ Connect.  yes, "Connect" is going to be the base of 2012 for me.  I want to connect with my mind, my body and my spirit this year.  I want to lead a calmer life; I realized this year that I deal with a fair amount of anxiety and I never had put a word to it all these years until I came to the realization in Wild Writing with Laurie.  A few of my friends weren't that surprised since it had dawned on them far sooner than I.  Funny how just putting a name to something you've had in your head and body for so long really puts it on a new level.  A new level of understand for me.  I have no desire to live this way any longer, it's surely not serving me and it sure doesn't serve the people around me.  Of course I could pop a pill and make it go away, but I'm not going that route (just yet). 

I'd like to try to go down the road of yoga, meditation, spirit work to really get to the root of it.  I want to slow down.  I want to be present.  So it is my intention, my practice this year to connect with myself as a whole, to bring down the anxious, fast moving, looking ahead before this moment is gone kind of life. 
I would also like to fully connect with my photography and figure out what it REALLY is for me.  Connect with my family more, connect with my fun and silly side more, connect with my bravery fully.  There is so much fear wrapped up with my anxiety that I see how much I've missed out on over the years because I've been stuck in fear!  And it stops here!  All we need is 20 seconds of courage to take that first scary step! (heard that via the movie "We bought a Zoo" ..and loved it!) 

So yes, Connect is my 2012 word and I fully intend to map out my progress and practice through out the year.  I sometimes forget and get lost mid-year but I'd like to stay the course...see how this one word can really change my world.  I believe fully, once we say what it is we really want ~ we bring it.

Here's to a beautiful 2012 and all that it has in store for us.  What are your words?  What is it that you want to bring to 2012?  What are you practicing?