"...today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but to EMBRACE IT!"

Embrace [em-breys]  verb (used with object), embraced, embracing.
1. to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.
2. to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea.
3. to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity.
4. to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.): to embrace Buddhism.
5. to take in with the eye or the mind.
6. to encircle; surround; enclose.
7. to include or contain

2015 is going to be an awesome year! I know because my word for the year is “EMBRACE.”  I thought a lot about why I needed to choose this word.  It seems almost anti-climactic coming out of 2014, a year that held so much growth, hurt, triumph, joy and celebration.  Although I am always ready to ring in a new year, 2014 was so paradoxical in that I couldn’t wait to be rid of it and I wanted to cling to it.  Clinging to it might mean I could cling to my young-adult son who lived at home and needed me every day and discovering the joy of presenting at a national conference and feeling great about it, and finding my voice for real as a teacher.  Releasing it would be saying good-bye to my dad’s illness and the sadness of saying too many good-byes.  I released it and toasted to my husband and kissed him because he is my lucky talisman, and sighed and embraced the new day.

I chose embrace because I know that 2015 is going to be a year of change for me.  My school
structure is changing.  What I teach will probably change.  Who I teach will definitely change.  My daughter is going to be driving this year.  I am getting older and I am starting to look a little different and feel a little different.  I MUST NOT FEAR CHANGE!  I do you know--we all do.  I am the kind of person who hides her fear very well.  I have a lot of bravado.  However, as I sit in anticipation of 2015, I am shaking in my boots.  I have two choices-stand still and let something happen to me, or make something happen.  I’m not a big fan of the latter!  I’m going to reach my arms out and “take or receive gladly.”  It’s the only choice.  I don’t want to be the person who makes a change half-heartedly, thereby pulling everyone else down.  I don’t want to pretend I’m something I’m not.  Nope, I am choosing to embrace the me that I am, the me that I can be, to try new things, to “embrace opportunity.” 

I would love your wishes, thoughts and prayers as I forge into 2015!  I started off embracing a “clean eating” challenge for 14 days.  Usually I would change recipes to make something I am familiar with, and avoid the icky sounding foreign foods.  I’m so glad I didn’t.  I embraced lentils and quinoa and mint and help me I’m trying dates tonight!  Some of it has been yucky (Greek yogurt with no sweetener is, in fact, considered torture in some kinder countries) but most have been lovely and pleasant.  I’m owning it!


I asked my students to consider their “one-word” for the year.  They made posters and hung them all over the room.  I hope you will choose a word, and that it will bring you some focus and joy in the coming AWESOMENESS of 2015.

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