 |
| Photo by Markus Spiske |
When it's time to choose a guiding/inspiring/motivational/comforting/perfect (aye, there's the rub) word to take me through the upcoming year, I do what I do with everything: Overthink it and paralyze myself. (Do you think that little "perfect" requirement has anything to do with that? Naaaaah.)
For 2024, I chose "Hope" but also stre-e-e-etched Hope out, seeking maximum mileage:
Overcome
Patience
Emerge
For my 2025 word, I did an online quiz to see if I was inspired by the word it gave me. I took the quiz three times and every time it gave me Create. I was tempted to fight it, as I often do with that kind of thing. I'm a Gretchen Rubin Questioner/tipping-to-Rebel and I thought:
"Why should I trust a random online quiz? Shouldn't I find my own word? Wouldn't that be more authentic? Am I lazy to use a quiz? But some quizzes are great, like the Four Tendencies. After all, 'Questioner' nails it. But this is different. Or is it?"
And then I thought:
"Shut up and just adopt the word, Karen. Create feels just right after the healing, the overcoming, the patience, and the emergence. JUST USE THE WORD."
So I will. But I wasn't done (over)thinking it.
I stre-e-e-etched the potential of Create a little further, and here's what I came up with:
Realize
Envision
Actualize
Truthfulness
Express
I like what it invites me to and I have all kinds of ideas about all kinds of writing I want to create going forward.
Overthinking, apparently, isn't all bad. 🤔 I even decided it was worth writing an acrostic poem in its honor:
26 comments:
Karen, Thanks for this. I can relate to all you said. I have been thinking about a word or two for the year to post above my desk. I like how you stretched it out. This will be a good activity for this weekend. Thank you!
Last comment by Cathy Stenquist, Karen. Oops!
Your 'overthinking' feels just right to me, Karen. It's THE word for you to live with all the year, so why not look for satisfaction? As for your acrostic, love the final lines, a sinking into "We try"!
Hi, Cathy! Enjoy your word/mind/overthinking stretch! :D
Thanks so much, Linda. All we can do is try, right? :)
Thank you for sharing your Creativity, with us Karen (heh, see what I did there. Sorry) Seriously, tho', it is a good word for times of building new pathways, learning who we are becoming, after such enormous life changes … I've long enjoyed having a word and saint of the year — I still utilize Jen Fulwiler's online generator! This year: Behold! Which I quite like: so much of my life is now spent being ever so still, gazing out on the world — in the yarden, in books. Look! See what the Lord has made! … wishing you a year filled with rich new growth 💞
Lord have mercy, "Overthinking" has become an entire vibe for me. I love that you're leaning into it, though. Happy New Year, friend!
Creation feels like a very hopeful thing to do. xo
Ah, Karen, your acrostics are magical. Create is a great word for 2025. Here's to a powerful reemergence for you. And a creative response from all of us to our new government.
I loved coming along on your journey into your OLW selection. I can definitely relate to the overthinking thing, although yours seems to lead to ...creativity!...and mine seems to tend more toward paralysis. I can also relate to last year's word and its genesis. Caregiving and grief are life-changing partners. Wishing you a wonderful year with "create."
elli, "Behold" is a lovely word to take with you into the new year. Who is your saint of the year?
Tanita, sad to say that "overthinking" has been my vibe for far too long. :)
We try, Tabatha, right? We try.
Denise, thank you, and yes, we will all need a specific kind of creativity to deal with govt. changes.
Molly, thanks, and ah, if you only knew how often I get paralyzed and how often the overthinking leads to ... nothing. :) Wishing you a wonderful year too.
Joan of Arc! Again, a really fitting match for me, and for this year 😊
Loved hearing about all your words and the poem that came out of the overthinking! Hope is my word this year...and I did feel a bit of resistance to it even though I'm an upholder, not a questioner. ;)
I'm so sorry about the loss of both parents. That's a LOT to deal with. I love your overthinking about your word of the year. I'm an upholder. When I took that quiz several years ago, I was like "of course, that makes sense."
Wishing you a year of creating to help you heal, Karen. I think spending time deeply thinking (not necessarily overthinking) helps the word stick. And you've done that. Good luck!
elli, Joan of Arc! ❤️
Kortney, as an upholder, I imagine you will stick to Hope no matter what. ;) It's lovely to hear from you!
Marcie, thank you so much. I'm not surprised you're an upholder — that makes so much sense! It's amazing how on-target Rubin's tendencies are.
Thank you so much, Rose. You're right that thinking it through helps to cement it!
Loss is difficult to bear, Karen. I am glad that you are in a creative mood. Poetry seems to smooth the soul with hope for the future. You got it.
Here's to your year of creating, whether that comes with overthinking, impulsiveness, or escapism!
I enjoyed your journey in meeting create, a full and promising word! And your dialogue with overthink too—looking forward to where these kernels lead you, Thanks Karen!
Post a Comment