That year end thing...

 We all do it. Talk about what we may think we want to accomplish in the next year, or state resolutions for the next year.

There are even key words for the next year. I used a 'Free Word Generator'. I clicked on it and...

it gave me the word:

Play

Wow. Okay.
Um.

I went no further than that word. There were all sorts of suggestions on the -- Interweb.

Travel inspired words
Healthy inspired words
Uplifting
Career focused
Words of inspiration, kindness, self love, and so many more.

The word that was given to me by some random bizarre generator was fine with me.

Play.

We all know that just by changing the year's ending number, nothing really NEW starts. We do what we have to do each day to get along and that is simply the basics of living a life.

I have a lot of things I'd like to do and like to say I'd do. But it really boils down to. 

One
day
at
a
time.

Last year I promised myself that I'd find a way to go camping for just one night. That didn't happen. Still, I'd like to do it just once.

I am setting up a photo challenge which I am almost certain I can attain.

A 365 Photo challenge. Theme suggestions that I may be able to do. 

Legos, Toys, Nature... 

I'm pretty sure I can fulfill the Lego-toy challenge. I wonder if I could fulfill a daily nature photo.

Men at work:

Ninebark bush, clumps of seeds.

The decision is still out. But I best make one soon.

I will probably do the photos on Flickr and not annoy anyone who reads this blog....or will I?

Hmmm.

Toys? Legos?
Nature?
Play?

Ideas?

A Word Choice

Just for fun I decided to try that Word Generator for the Word of the Year.

Immerse was the first word that popped up. Epic was the second. Hmm.

I still like....

Explore

But that was my word last year. And I am still Exploring. However, the Nudge word is fun to think about. Did I explore last year? Yes I did, I found so many new wonderful places to see close to home. I explored and found the old abandoned trails at KVR. I explored more in macro photography and of course in toy--story--imaginative photography.

Immerse
or
Epic

Hmmm. I have Epic things happening in my life. Rory, for example! I have new directions happening and interesting discussions for my future life too. [Not going to share any of that at the moment.]

I Immerse myself in play and creating stories. Not novels, just playful imagination. It is a wonderful way to distract from the mundane life of being the Caregiver.

The last word that came up was Devotion. That works too. I am Devoted to taking care of what happens in my little world and those around me.

But all of those words are kind of meh. They don't move me much or even excite me. I decided to look up a list of motivational/inspirational words and read it to see if anything popped out at me.

This word salad works better:

I'll take it.

Surely it is better than:

But there is that word: Mundane
I can sure do Mundane too!

But I think I will stick with the word salad and just be me, creative and mundane at the same time ~~ a sort of exploration in the opposites of what life offers.

I leave you with a mundane but inspirational and beautiful find in the woods:

Life

Is like an old leaf

It has a story to tell

So many aspects

New Year Word

I've seen people using a word for their New Year. I had to look up what that was all about. 

Instead of a rigid resolution -- pick a word to focus on, a word to guide you through the year with focus and intent. A word that helps you make decisions. 

Our gym always ask its members for a Goal for the year too.
Some folks answer with goals such as: I will make classes 5 days a week!

Meh. I know better. If I can get in twice a week, I'm doing good. 

I'm going to get in shape! Meh. I tried that as a teen and got seriously distracted.
I'm going to lose weight! Meh. We all know how those goals go.
I'm going to ... well you fill it in. 

I skip resolutions and I skip Big Goals. I tend to think day by day.

Some sites call it a Nudge Word others call it a Motivational Word

So to choose a word: 

1. List things you want to focus on.
2. Determine common themes on your list
3. List some words that might work
4. Decide which words are most motivational [or Nudgie?]

I looked up some motivational nudge words.
Dream, Courage, Harmony, Inspire, Compassion, Growth, .... 👎

Last year I did set a goal when they asked me at the gym. I did say that I wanted to complete the Kickapoo Valley Trail Challenge which meant hiking over 59 miles of their trails. I did achieve that goal. I will make a plug for the gym folks, IF I didn't come and do Mobility and Strengthening exercises, I wouldn't have felt as good as I did to complete those trails. 

So where does this rambling bunch of words lead me to?

What are my interests? What keeps me sane?

What are my key words?
Explore.
Discover.
Curiosity.
Imagine.

Certainly not the words that I looked up [and there were a lot of them!]:

Truth, Determination, Challenge, Perseverance, Mindful, ....
They are great words, but they don't fit me well.

I think I'll choose...

Explore

It fits.

So many trails out there, so many things to see, so many things to Explore.
The challenge is to work it all in with life as a 24/7 Caregiver.