One of my very first blog posts ever was about my word of the year in 2015. This is the 5th year now that I have chosen a word or concept to focus on, instead of make a resolution and feeling like a failure by January 7th. Like the rest of mankind (at least I hope I’m not the only one!) I tend to be a bit over zealous in all of my “life changing, body slimming, skill improving, relationship building, temper holding, volunteer doing” dreams for the new year. So much, in fact, that my word for the year should be…OVERWHELMED. It’s a spiritual gift of mine – to pile the pressure on myself and then be flabbergasted that I am losing my mind by 4:30 each calendar day. But, I digress. To catch you up to speed, in the past 4 years, I have chosen the words peace, service, contentment and perspective. This year – I have chosen the word… RELEASE.

Synonyms for release include to set free, let go, allow to leave. Let your mind wander a bit …I’ll wait… what do you have in your life that you could afford to release? Guilt, hurt, anger – the bad things are usually the first on my list, too. This word is going to work well for me, because it will not only allow me to dump some emotional junk that doesn’t need to be carried any further, but I can also easily include the concept into other areas of my life. It will help me to work on my physical surroundings in addition to the condition of my heart and relationships. Win/win!

There are so many options with this new shiny word for 2016! I sat here thinking about it, once I finally determined that it would be my focus for the new year. As noted in an earlier blog post – I am a big spaz when it comes to planning. I triple love to take a theme or idea and RUN WITH IT.     I started imagining all of the ways that I could incorporate my word into my life, relationships, and general well being. I mean, I have *SO MUCH* that I can let go of : mismatched mugs in the kitchen, clothes hanging in my closet that haven’t seen the light of day for years, holiday decorations, books galore and other general large amounts of “stuff” in various corners, closets and cupboards – and that is just the beginning (ugh).

I could also consider letting go of other things I have held closely for years – my tendency to overthink things, the likely chance of taking something too personally, my proneness to over scheduling myself or my aptness to allow anxious thoughts to cloud my mind. Geez – I sound like a mess. My word is certainly going to be busy this year! If I can change my attitude, encourage someone else, or make some kind of positive impact in 2016, this word has done it’s job.

    Letting go doesn’t need to make us sad. Saying good bye to a person, situation or habit is sometimes the very thing that is essential in setting us on the correct path. This year, I’m going to start being a bit more deliberate with my choices – with my commitments – with my LIFE. I hope 2016 is a great year for you ~ a year of growth, grace and gratitude . So there you have it, now – what is YOUR WORD?!?!?!?!?!?!?