With a new year, comes new hopes and new plans. For me, I have also been thinking quite a bit about a new word to help me stay focused on moving forward. Last year my word was “gratitude”. I started a daily gratitude journal which I wrote in at the end of each day, drifting off to sleep with my heart full of thanks, my mind teeming with awareness of all that is good in my life. My jeweller friend Julie gifted me a silver pendant with the word “gratitude” stamped on it – it became part of my favourite necklace. Focussing on the good in my life really did help my attitude and make me happier. There truly is good in each day and I love that in these first days of this new year people near and far are looking at this painting in my 2012 art calendar.
does this piece make you smile? it is for sale in my etsy shop
For this new year I hope to continue with a positive outlook, I wish to set an intention and choose a word that will help guide me in finding more peace, more joy, and more of my true self. I want to be optimistic and see the possibility that surrounds me. I need to look at the positive side of the many challenges that surround me and say yes to moving forward with my dreams. Positive…optimism…yes….YES! I believe I will adopt this powerful mantra of a dear old friend (oh how we miss you Arleighgran) and say “YES” more often in 2012.
So I will say YES to more fun and joy and trying new things and getting things done and being healthier and creating more….the list is endless and exciting. And somehow, with the intention to say yes and be more positive, the endless to do lists seem more approachable. YES, I can organize my studio this year! YES, I will strengthen my back this year! YES I will be more joyful with my family and spend more time having FUN (saying YES! more often to my girls’ spontaneous plans and requests to play and adventure will be so good for all of us). YES to all the possibility, YES to more love and laughter!
Dear friends, I hope that this new year provides you with the inspiration to choose your own intention (so much more juicy than a resolution don’t you think?). For more ideas on choosing your own mantra for 2012, check out this post at Painted Path. There really is such big power in one little word.
YES!
P.S. I would love to hear what word you choose…..
trust. trust. trust. my word of the year is trust. and my lovely friend-you started it with my amazing painting. a stamped ‘yes’ necklace is coming to you for this year. xx
YES to TRUST
….I am so excited that you want to make a YES pendant for me!!! although I must admit I have already “borrowed” the wee YES pendant that I had you make for Raena to remember her Arleighgran’s love 
Dear Christy,
First, I want to say I absolutely love the above painting! I love the colors, the words, the freedom that is there. Also, thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving your words there–it really means so much. YES is a perfect word…I did a whole 41 day YES practice a while back and it was incredibly powerful and freeing…it is definitely a word that I will be keeping in mind–along with peace and gratitude. The gratitude practice just seems to shift everything so beautifully.
Thank you for walking this path with me…I l so love that we have connected.
To saying YES to peace, to creating, to freedom…to all of it!
Love,
Julia
I too am so happy to have found you Julia. Your words, your creativity, & your intentions continue to inspire me.
Great word Christy and a great idea. Funny, I thought that this year I would stop saying “no” automatically to suggestions and look to the positive “yes” side of things. It seems very similar to your idea, hopefully we can keep this up! Love you, B.
YES! we can keep this up
I look forward to chatting with you about our progress and JOY as the year moves forward!
LOVE THIS AND YOU CHRISTY! My word is FLOAT!!!!
Emma
thank you Sabina, thank you Emma…..keep on FLOATing
Beautiful!
Christy
i love your painting and your word ‘Yes’! I had a wee little light bulb go off recently about focussing on what’s important. Love, connecting, having fun together. So my word is CONNECT! It goes well with my kids’ focus on building with lego, too. It also goes along with the occupy movement brilliance to connect for unity. Thank you so much for your inspiration! xoxo
this is so beautiful Natalie. I also love that we can stay connected even though we rarely meet in person on this little (busy) island
I am going to call a homeschool “meeting night” soon! will keep you posted.