Word for the Year: Joy

I wish I could say I was more deliberate in my efforts to live life to its fullest in 2013, but I fear that I dropped the ball with this goal. I found it tremendously difficult to be intentional when half of the year was spent living out of a suitcase. I hope that 2014, and future years, will find me living my life with more purpose.

In keeping with my tradition of writing down a word to represent the coming year, I have found myself gravitating toward the word "joy."

JOY is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.

Watching Jack have such pure, unadulterated joy over simple things like jumping in puddles; learning new words; or running as fast as his little legs will carry him; make me ache for more sheer joy in my own life.

I want to delight in my life; to feel satisfied and elated because it is a good life. I want to deliberately share this pleasure with people that I interact with on a daily basis. I want more than just muddling through when life gets hard. In 2014, whether it is embracing the mundane or celebrating holidays and life events with those I cherish, I want to focus on the joy of being alive.

May 2014 be a joyous year!

 

Words from previous years:
 Fortitude {2010} ~ Adaptation {2011} ~ Patience {2012} ~ Deliberate {2013}

Word for the Year: Deliberate

Happy New Year from the Moores!

I am a bit behind on my blogging – okay, a LOT behind. December was a truly insane month for me. Not including normal driving, I managed to log 3,294 miles. According to Google maps I spent 52 hours in the car. I'm sure with a toddler in tow it was much longer. I am ready for a break.

I hope to catch up on my blogging, but getting my house in order and wrapping up a freelance project are my main focus right now. Bear with me, I know many family members are anxious to see pics from all of our travels.

For the past several years, instead of writing resolutions on January 1st, I have focused on choosing a word that would represent a theme for the coming year. I like this tradition better than making resolutions that I know that I will struggle to keep.

I am a few days behind, but the word that I would like to focus on in 2013 is deliberate:

carefully weighed; studied; intentional; unhurried: to consider; to think carefully or attentively; or to reflect

I don't regret all of the things we did this past year, but I feel an intense need to slow down. To be in the present. This last year I experienced the loss of a grandfather and a grandfather figure, as well as a friend. I think loss of any kind makes you want to slow down. Likewise, the insane traveling of December is enough to make anyone {besides a travel-happy college student} want to slow down. 

I used to feel out of sorts if I didn't keep up with my emails; or my Google Reader; or if I didn't blog often; or read a book once a week... I am letting it all go. 

The past month has forced me to be more intentional and I haven't regretted slowing down. 

Jack needs my attention. He is walking now. He gives tight hugs around the neck when you ask him. He chatters away, mostly recently he loves to shout: Cee. We're pretty sure he is saying my name. I don't want to miss these sweet moments with my boy or my family because of TV or the internet or things that are unimportant. I want to be deliberate about my life. 

Words from previous years: 

Fortitude {2010}  ~ Adaptation {2011} ~ Patience {2012}