#OneWord2018 - Rise up to Serenity

Choosing my #OneWord2018 was challenging for me. As I reflected on 2017 and considered the possibilities of 2018 several words came to mind: forward, rise, grow, positivity, strength, brave, and courage.

I almost selected #Rise. Recently, I rediscovered the words of Maya Angelou’s poem, Still I Rise. Over the last few years the following lines from the poem have, at times, been a mantra for me:

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

These lines have inspired me to get back up whenever I feel knocked down. My laptop has a screensaver picture with lines from the poem. I’ve even light-heartedly said I should get a tattoo of “Still I’ll rise” so that I can carry the reminder everywhere I go.

“Still I’ll rise” will continue to be my mantra for 2018, but #Rise does not quite fit my #OneWord2018. I need a word that best describes what I’m missing – what I need to develop. I’d describe myself as action-oriented; I’m always busy, always thinking, always questioning, always asking “what if”, and always looking for a new idea or a better way of doing things. I’m so full of PLANNING and DOING that I’m forgetting to just be in the moment. I’m forgetting to be still, to enjoy, to relax, and to breathe.

I had a few “aha” moments that helped me choose my #OneWord2018. As I listened to Kim Strobel on #DitchSummit talk about the science of happiness, I pressed the pause button several times to write down Kim’s thoughts. It was as though she was speaking directly to me when she said, “Your well-being is important. You can’t help others if you are depleted. Give yourself permission to take care of yourself.”

Shortly after hearing Kim Strobel speak, the following quote by Don Meyer popped up in my Twitter feed: “I have learned that peace is not the absence of trial, trouble, or torment but the presence of calm in the midst of them.”

These “aha moments” led me to the realization that I needed a word that would remind me to slow down and be at peace. As I looked back on 2017, I began to focus on digging for times that I did slow down and enjoy the moment. In July my daughter and I took our annual Thelma and Louise road trip. On the way from Casper, Wyoming to Denver, Colorado we spontaneously decided to check out Sugarloaf Mountain. I was curious about why it was called “Sugarloaf”, we had some time on our hands, so why not visit Sugarloaf Mountain. When we left the 100 degree heat of Casper I had no idea we’d end up gazing at the beauty of a snow-capped mountain while listening to birds chirping and feeling the chill of cool, brisk mountain air. I had never understood some people’s “I love the mountains” statements until that moment. I didn’t want to leave. I think I stood there for awhile mesmerized by the mountain view! You could say I had my mountaintop experience and that I found #SERENITY there.

As the adventure of 2018 begins, I will remember my time on the mountain and seek serenity.