I’d been slowly accumulating a list of possible words for this year. Beautiful, poetic words. Any of them would have been a good guide for my year. I thought I’d decided on one until a couple weeks ago another popped int my head while I was in the shower.

Do isn’t a beautiful or poetic word. It’s not descriptive or specific. It’s also about as short as you can get. But it’s powerful.

I love coming up with ideas. Brainstorming. Dreaming. I also sometimes tend to overthink things.

Thinking, brainstorming, dreaming. All are good. But in and of themselves none move you forward. As for overthinking? It gets you stuck. The only way forward is with action.

DO.

I’m full of ideas. So often, though, my ideas are brainstormed then dreamed about and written about (sometimes talked about) without ever getting done. I have supplies I’ve never used. Tools I’ve never tried. Last winter I bought some flannel fabric to sew a dress. Month after month passed without my touching it. The week before Christmas I took some time off and one of the things I did that week was sew. And yes, I finally sewed the flannel dress (it’s now my favorite piece of clothing).

As I’ve been think about all of this, the words “Done is better than perfect” keep running through my mind. Perhaps this year of DOing will be a bit messy. It may be “down and dirty”. Experimental. Playful. (And it might be full of failures). But above all I want it to be free from distraction, hesitation and fear.

I know I won’t get to every project. The year has already gotten off to a slow start with Jude’s illness, surgery and ongoing recovery. I’m practicing patience. I’m rearranging how I work and what I’m working on. I’m giving myself time and space for ease and rest and I’m carving out time and space to tackle important projects.

One of the first projects crossed off my list this year? A fabric design inspired by Spoonflower’s Black and White Painterly Design Challenge.

I don’t often use black in my paintings so this was a fun stretch for me. (And of course it has me dreaming of all sorts of other possibilities — now to move from dreaming to doing!).

Voting is going on now (please won’t you take a moment to go vote?). I really love my design and what’s even more fun is seeing it mocked up as curtains!

What about you? How do you like to begin the year?

Have you chosen a word to guide you? Or do you like do do something different?. I’d love to hear about it.

This is my eighth year choosing a Word for the year. It’s a fun tradition for me. (In the list below clicking on the date takes you to my blog post at the beginning of the year and the word takes you to my post at the end of the year):

• 2013 : Bloom

• 2014 : Realize

• 2015 : Flourish

• 2016 : Intention

• 2017 : Create/Nourish

• 2018 : Present

• 2019 : Grow

If you’re having trouble choosing a word, here are some ideas:

• Start with your goals and work from there.

• Don't have specific goals? Think about what you want or need in the coming year. This can be concrete or more abstract.

• Keep it simple and don't overthink it.

• Write in your journal and/or pay attention to your thoughts (especially when you're doing other things like driving, taking a walk or a shower). What do you keep returning to in your mind?

• Scan through a dictionary or thesaurus and see what jumps out at you.

• Make a list of all possible words, looking for synonyms and then check the definitions -- sometimes there are secondary meanings of words that will help you decide.

• Take your time; after you jot down your list set it aside. When you return to it later see what resonates.

• Look back at your past year: what have you learned about yourself? What do you want to invite more of into your life? What do you want reduce or eliminate from your life?

Other things to consider:

• Is one word enough? A collection of words, a phrase or a quote might suit you better.

• Or maybe choosing a word isn't right for you.

• Choose a word that speaks to YOU. Don't worry about anyone else's choices.

• Aim high, but choose something doable to keep from being frustrated or disappointed.

• Think about parts of speech. If you're looking for an invigorating, active year a verb might be best. If you're looking for a year that is nurturing, healing or inward focused, a noun or adjective might be best.

• Listen to your heart and be honest with yourself.

• Take it seriously, but also have fun.

Give yourself some time and space. Give your dreams some time and space. Embracing possibility doesn’t mean you need to put pressure on yourself.

Here’s to a wonderful year for us both!