To have a mantra, theme, idea, or even a single word to carry with you throughout the year is not a new or foreign concept to me. However, with the exception of perhaps last year when I determined that 2015 would be my year of travel, I've never really practiced this sort of intentionality in my own life.
Usually I have extensive lists of goals and resolutions that are a little all over the place in their content and theme. And though I do have a few specific goals for this year that I'd like to achieve, the idea of having a single word to carry with me while pursuing those goals, to direct my energy through the lens of this word or theme to obtain them, made a lot of sense to me.
So I spent the majority of today thinking on what I would want my word to be.
A few came to mind...
Perspective
Mindfulness
Slow
Intentionality
Contentment
Peace
Enough
All great words, but most were to broad and none were quite right.
And then I thought of it.
Simplify
It even spoke to the issue at hand of trying to choose a word... The irony.
Simplifying my life is something that I've been working on more, especially since the end of the summer. Pairing down my possessions, creating more efficient systems and processes for my business, eliminating stress by eliminating excess.
Not overcomplicating.
Not overthinking.
Because of this truth as well as this one.
Just having and doing the needed and necessary, whatever that looks like for me.
Because rest assured that action, simplifying, looks different for everyone. Becoming comfortable with my interpretation of it is part of this exercise as well.
It's not about the trend of minimalism that's been popping up, though there are aspects of that movement I'm all for getting behind, it's about doing less so that I can do more.
Which makes sense if you think about it.
I don't want to spread myself thin. I want to focus on a few specific things at a time, or even just one specific thing at a time and do it really well, instead of doing a lot of things only half as well.
Quality over quantity.
A theme I've talked about before.
So here's to 2016 being a year of simplicity.
Do you have a word for this year?
I'd love to hear what it is if so. Feel free to comment below or shoot me an email.
Let's have some good conversations about it.
