Weekly Reflection (#1): My word for 2010

Here it is - week one of the new year! And here is my first reflection project of the year: What word or affirmation describes what you want to bring into your life in the coming year?

Choosing a word to act as my compass for the coming year proved harder than I initially thought. Of course, reading what other people had chosen as their word didn't help as everyone else seemed to have found my word. I even pulled an oracle card and came up with Focused Intention. Hmmm .... yes, focus sounded right but what, pray tell, is the intention I want to set for myself?

I tend to over think and over work things, so if inspiration is truly going to strike, my brain has to be totally distracted. So there I was, watching Julie & Julia (okay movie, but I loved the book My Life in France by Julia Child), when my word leaped out at me from Meryl Streep's lips: Fearless. I felt that immediate twinge of excitement as I dared to imagine myself embracing Fearless living in the coming year.



First of, I love the scene where Julia Child proclaims "You must be fearless when flipping an omelette!" after dumping her omelette onto the floor. Imagining Julia, I see fearless as a quality that embraces daring, humor, and a zesty attitude towards life that eagerly takes on whatever comes ones way. To be truly fearless, one must be forward facing but anchored firmly in the present moment. To live in fear, is to live tied to past hurts, wounds, or actions and to anticipate the future through that distorted lens. I want to face each moment fresh and open to its possibilities, its lessons and insights which is impossible when reacting out of fear or a sense of lack.

And lack is something else I want to shed in the coming year. Or to be more precise, I want to let go of the feeling of lack in myself or in my life. That feeling is the stepchild of fear. When I believe myself to be small, incapable, not worthy then I am in fear's grip. Trust is the flip side to all of this, but to live with a sense of Trust in myself and in my world, I must first come to terms with fear.

This past year it has felt like many seeds have been planted. Roots have begun to burrow down and shoots have moved upward, seeking light. Everything feels new and tender right now and I want to nurture these seedlings. My creative life, my inner life, my life as a mother, this journey towards discovering my true or spiritual Self and what all of this means for my family is at a vulnerable stage. I cannot see where I am going but I have to Trust this path I am on is the absolute right one. So goodbye doubt, fear, lack and hello trust, acceptance, and presence. I read that and I feel light and joy filled.

Thinking about living Fearless, I find myself practicing my favorite yoga pose, Warrior II, as it so beautifully evokes the feeling of Fearlessness: heart open, arms wide, firm stance in this moment, attention awake to all directions. For my seedlings to break through soil and rocks requires a fearless attitude. And once I anchor myself in Fearless living, then Joy can flow in and water my seeds.

Can you tell I am excited? Have you found your word yet? Do share. Any format is welcome. I'm thinking I need to create a costume to evoke my inner wonder woman. What do you think?