New Year, New Word

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Cheers! I love champagne and no better time to drink it than on New Year’s day…or the day after in my case.

Last year I started a new tradition of selecting a specific word to propel the New Year. I got the idea from Tonya Leigh’s French Kiss Life blog. She has been using a specific word every year to help her achieve goals and realize her personal potential. Last year, I chose a word to give me focus and direction. Please do not hate, judge or condemn me, but last year’s incredibly prophetic word was “restraint.” I kid you not. What the heck was I thinking?

If my memory serves me right, my intention with “restraint” was to learn to pause and think before I acted on impulse. I did not want to overreact to life’s challenges, spend too much money, eat too much food, or worry too much about things beyond my control…you get the point. Showing restraint in all of its self-control and emotional intelligence glory.

Little did I know last January how much “restraint” would literally define my year: rigid rules, not being able to go out to dinner or a movie, staying home for months at a time, and watching my daughter (a high school senior) suffer from Zoom classroom depression and boredom. Since we have all lived it, I don’t need to delve into the dreadful details any more than necessary. 2020 was a year of restraint in every way.

The good news, however, is that since this is a brand new year I get to pick a brand new word! Yay! Yippee! Whoo hoo! I think most people feel ready to embrace a new vibe and are hoping to see some light after traveling in a dark “stay at home” tunnel. So without further adieu, I will reveal my word for 2021:

Enchantment

Much better, right? I wanted something light and fluffy…ethereal and playful. According to the Cambridge dictionary, enchantment means:

1. a feeling of great pleasure and attraction, especially because something is very beautiful.

2. a very attractive and pleasing quality.

By selecting enchantment as my guiding star this year, I am seeking a more aesthetic experience. The less logical, the better. Rational thoughts are out the door. So in essence, I am reaching for the antithesis of my experience last year. From logical and restrained, to more magical, mysterious and illusive. I might be imagining one of my favorite romantic Disney movies, like Beauty and the Beast…

Perhaps a better way to say this is I want to live more mindfully — experiencing the nuances that make an ordinary life extraordinary. Pretty lofty goals right now, I know, considering California, where I live, is still in major lockdown. But like many people, I have discovered some lovely things to see and do despite the restrictions. Last week, for example, I visited one of my favorite local destinations in Pasadena, The Huntington Library and Gardens.

https://www.huntington.org/

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This pond in the Chinese garden is the epitome of enchanted — lovely to look at with various textures, colors and an aura of mystery. Though the water lilies are in their dry winter state, I believe they are still as beautiful and pleasing as they are in spring. In fact, I find their barrenness rather exotic. Being here was like stepping inside a painting.

What word would you like for your new beginning this year? Something practical, or something more whimsical? Last year my husband chose “Prosperity” for his word: he ended up selling his house, paying off debt and buying a sporty new car. So his word was way more fun than mine!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year filled with health, wealth, peace and lots of LOVE. If you are going to choose a word for your year, take my advice and please, please, please do so wisely and with much consideration for the consequences!