Motivate: My Word for the Year

There are many sources of inspiration on the internet right now that will help you get motivated to tackle your New Year’s resolutions. I’ve enjoyed reading Lemon & Raspberry’s “DO: Productivity in 2013” free mini online workshop, and Smile and Wave’s description of getting motivated to do the Mile a Day challenge that many have done lately. I also toyed with the idea of signing up for the One Little Word workshop but decided I would instead just be inspired by the idea and save the $36.

This year, instead of writing a list of resolutions that I will follow for all of January and then gradually forget, I found something that is working much better. Instead of a to-do list of resolutions, I sat down and thought about the person I want to be, from normal ideas such as someone who takes her vitamins and reads books and keeps the house clean and hikes and paints, to more ambitious ideas such as someone who travels the world, has written and published books, and runs several miles a day. My overall ideal self includes a huge list of lofty ambitions.

To try to be that ideal person I want to be, I am “checking in” at the end of each day to see if I have been that person. I bought a Smash book and use it to catalog what I do. For example, one day I listed: Took my vitamins, started reading a classic novel, played outside with Jude and George, played the piano, exercised, drank green tea, searched for a better job, tackled my to-do list, and kept the TV off. I want to be an educated, creative, active person, and it helps motivate me to see that I am indeed doing these things. If one day I find my list is short, I don’t fret because I can focus on the important things the next day.

Also in my book are quotes that motivate me, a list of big things I’ve accomplished that will show me I CAN do big things, and plenty of space to doodle or add photos or things make me linger in the book and get in the mood to DO things. Every night I get on track and think about how tomorrow can be better.

My word for the year is “motivate.” I only have one life and I need to live the life I want, NOW. I want to be the person I want to be. And maybe in the end, I will find I already am. Wouldn’t that be nice?