Happy New Year, everyone! I know I said yesterday that the new year was meaningless, but it still feels surprisingly good to have a fresh start, and I’ve decided to take the opportunity to set a word as my intention. Not for the whole year, because who the heck knows what’s going to happen this year? If I was going to pick a word for all of 2021, it would have to be something like “Ride,” as in riding the wave of the year. But I’d rather pick a word that feels more useful to me, even if it’s for a shorter period of time.
So this winter, I’m using the word RELEASE.
Release means letting go of all my expectations, even ones I didn’t think I had. Expectations for work, for productivity, for continuity. If I have no expectations, I can’t get frustrated when life doesn’t live up to them.
Release means letting go of stress. I’ll be focusing on that this year by creating a more defined working environment and hours even while working from home (instead of waking up and immediately logging onto my Google Classroom and work email). I’ll also be releasing stress with after-work exercise, with writing that feeds my soul, and with my new neck/shoulder massager (a serious life-changer).
Release means letting go of the creative work I did in 2020, including my novel and a few new essays. I’ll be submitting it and moving on. I’ll hope that something comes of the submissions, but the release of the work is the important part.
When I started looking for images for this post, I typed the word “release” into a photo library, and was surprised to see images about fishing. That idea gave me another perspective on my word. When you release your fishing line, you don’t know what you’re going to get. You might get nothing. You might get something. You wait and see. And that feels appropriate for this moment.
What’s your word for 2021– or just for now?
PS– I’m working on the website, so please forgive any clunkiness as I edit things! I hope you like the new look. Leave a comment if you have any trouble with navigation or if you have an opinion on the layout, fonts, etc.
Funny, I’m choosing Ease for my word of 2021 for similar reasons. But it’s also a reminder to not force things to happen (which is one of the things that causes me stress). So many amazing things have happened when either they occurred serendipitously or by surprise or when I allow things to play out naturally. I’m planning to share more about that choice in my next email newsletter and also during an upcoming journaling and intention-setting workshop I’m hosting via Zoom in a couple of weeks. 🙂
All my best wishes to you and your family for a happy, healthy, liberating, and nothing-short-of-amazing 2021, Leanne!
I agree that even though Jan. 1 is arbitrary, it does feel like a fresh start.
Love your word–and I also like the idea of adopting one for a season rather than a whole year. Release is a word I often think of in yoga class when we’re asked to think of a mantra or word to hold for the practice.
My word for 2021 is going to be Dare. It jumped out at me from a magazine article. I did a little nerdy word research and came up with some aspects that I really like: to have sufficient courage to try; take heart; imaginative or vivacious boldness. I have a particular project in mind, which I’m not ready to discuss, when I think of this word. And while I don’t consider myself especially bold and “out there,” the meanings that I took for this word are meaningful to me. We shall see what comes of it.
Hi Kathy, I LOVE Dare. It’s such a strong, compelling word, and easy to repeat to yourself when you most need the reminder. I don’t have the space in my life for such a strong word right now… but maybe after a few months of “release,” I’ll get there. Best of luck with yours!