PRESENT: My #OneWord for 2014

I've tended to avoid the whole idea of making New Year's Resolutions, mostly because I don't see anything particularly sacred about January 1--one can try something new or work on change any day of the year. That said, I was curious when friends began talking about their "words" for 2014 and sharing them on Facebook. Ciaran decribed the thought process she put into choosing her #OneWord, and Kim has signed up for a year-long workshop to help her stay focused on her One Little Word. But whether it's "little" or big, the OneWord concept seems to be pretty straightforward...and quite powerful:

Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won’t remember three weeks from now anyway.

Choose just one word.

One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you. It will become the compass that directs your decisions and guides your steps.

I'm a little late in declaring my own #OneWord, but it came to me fairly easily. This is the year I will turn 50, and I'm definitely feeling like there's more past than future for me. I'm working at mindfulness and attentiveness (and hoping they'll help me stave off forgetfulness). And I'm feeling like the whole #YOLO thing actually makes some sense in the context of midlife. With that in mind, my word is

PRESENT

There's more life behind me than ahead of me, so it matters to make the most of where I am, and who I am, in the PRESENT.

This doesn't mean burying or ignoring my past--it means recognizing and understanding how it informed and shaped my PRESENT.

This doesn't mean not preparing or planning for my future--it means recognizing how it will be shaped and affected by my PRESENT.

This means being showing up, stepping up, and being PRESENT in my PRESENT.

This means living more in the moment, and living less in my head.

This means being open (present) to the gift (present) of possibility in every day.

Kyran Pittman posted this graphic of her "Daily Dozen" practices to stay present and make progress every day:

I present my intention to be PRESENT in 2014.