why i need to work on my Balance in 2012

i need more practice

to include others in my life

to continue learning to love myself through the fluxuating emotions that surely come

to become solidly rooted

to not retreat into my newly embraced introverted ways

to continue to learn the balance of letting go and hanging on

to learn the art of giving sufficient time and energy to all the important areas of my life, not just the ones that are screaming for attention

to teach my mind how and when to be quiet

to ensure that my face-to-face relationships don't suffer because of my on-line ones

to learn the difference between what i must do and what i want to do

to recognize the value in living a creative life

to continue learning how to say no

to remember the joy that can come with saying yes

what i do with my word?

i mean really, what good is it to pick a word, can that really make a difference?

i believe it can,

 if only in the sense that it is a focus and a tangible reminder of what i am trying to learn.

this year i intend to be more deliberate with my word

i will look for it everywhere

i will treat the word like a research project and try to understand it at a deeper level

i will write the word, photograph the word, include it in my journaling and art

i will make lists of what i want the word to bring out in me (above is list #1)

i will bring the word up in conversations and listen to what others know

i will journal and blog about run-ins and encounters with my word

i won't feel guilty if i forget all about my word for a while

i will find songs and poems that speak about my word.

i think it's gonna be pretty amazing to see what my life looks like after a year

of actively seeking to live a balanced life.