new year. new word.

What. A. Year. I’m not going to lie. This year has been by far the hardest and best year of my life. I leave 2011 profoundly changed. At the beginning of the year, I chose the word “release” to guide me through the year. Little did I know how much I would return to that word as I navigated my way through pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender days (and weeks and months) after my daughter was born. Each day, I find myself releasing. Over and over, I realize that the more I release, the more real ease I will find. It’s a daily practice.

I found it so useful to pick a word for the year that I decided to do it again. Life right now is all about letting go. I don’t want to declare that I’m going to take over the world in 2012 or that I’m going to achieve, achieve, achieve! Instead, I want to slow down and savor. When I get wrapped up in day-to-day life with a baby or business concerns or other “real life” stuff, I’m going to stop, look around, and savor.

Life moves so fast. I don’t want to look back and wonder why I was so worried about a messy house or piles of laundry or my to-do list. I don’t want to wish that I’d spent more time playing with my daughter or snuggling with my husband or laughing or holding hands or gazing out the window.

And so I begin 2012 with a new intention. A new word. SAVOR.

What’s your word?

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{Pssssst…Would you like to join me in February for a little photo-centric savoring? There’s just one day left to register for the Slice of Life Project for $75. On January 1, the price returns to $99. No photography experience required. Any kind of camera is welcome (even camera phones!) It’s all about learning to see, appreciate, and capture the things you want to savor. I would love for you to join me.}