One Word for 2015

Just One Word

Today I was reading some blogs I follow and I saw a post on The Daily Digi about choosing one word to focus on in the coming year rather than making resolutions. Hmmm, interesting concept, I thought, but a year is a long time to focus on just one word? 

I clicked on links that were in the original post and read what others had to say. The first word that came to mind was CREATE because, for those of you who don't know me I love anything and everything creative...painting, typography, photography, doodling, scrapbooking, digital design, glass painting, etc. After I let that word sit for a little while I realized it was too predictable and something I do on a regular basis anyway.

I then looked at words that others had shared on Oneword365 and Ali Edwards' site and considered words like FINISH (because I have some un-reached goals & unfinished projects) or FEARLESS (because I battle anxiety). Finally, I started playing with words on Thesaurus.com and in the end I decided on AWAKE.

AWAKE (verb)

1. to wake up; rouse from sleep
2. to rouse to action; become active
3. to come or bring to an awareness; become cognizant

Synonyms for AWAKE

alive, attentive, aware, cognizant, vigilant, aroused, awakened, excited, knowing, roused, waking, needful, observant, on guard, wakeful, watchful

My family will tell you I love to sleep. I will tell you that many times when I am "napping" I am actually hiding from the world. It has become my way of coping with stress and anxiety. When I get overwhelmed I want to crawl in my bed and be left alone. I wake up at 6:00 every morning and when my boys leave the house about 30 minutes later I get back in bed for as long as possible before I have to go to work. I wake up early on the weekends but stay in bed as long as I can unless there is something I must do. In the past few months I have started feeling guilty when I am in bed in the morning or when I go to nap. Sleep should not be negative, it should be restorative and healthy.

The more I think about this word the more confident I am that it encompasses what I want to be and how I want to live my life. If I focus on being awake more often, perhaps I will reach my goals and finish those projects (like getting back in shape and organizing the house). If I am awake I can nurture and grow the relationships I have. If I am awake I can be more mindful of what is happening in the world around me.

"Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it" ~ Winston Churchill