One Little Word for 2012

All week I have been pondering my new one little word for 2012. This will be my 4th year choosing a word and it is just amazing to me how one little word can truly charge my year. First I chose "Organize" because so much of my life was just chaos. I still have times when I feel like my little world is falling down around me, but for the most part, I am way more organized than I was when I chose that word.

Next came "DO." I used to come up with great ideas but rarely, if ever, would I follow through with them. I created a notebook (that I still have today) to keep a list of my ideas and to check them off as I completed them. I still need to work on this, but I am much better about following through with things I think up.

Last year was "Create." I would say I did "okay" with this one. I kind of lost sight of this word for awhile, but I still feel it motivated me, especially when it came to creating my photography business.

This year, I was originally leaning toward "Build," but after writing that post about what photography means to me, I decided my word for 2012 is going to be "Fearless." I need to be more fearless in life. I need to decide what I want and what I want to do and go for it by putting my trepidation aside. At first I didn't want to choose this word because I try to pick action words, and "fearless" is an adjective, but perhaps that isn't so bad. I mean, would it be so bad to attach the descriptor "fearless" to all of my actions? Nope, it wouldn't.

Here is a breakdown of how I plan to be fearless this year:

1) Decorating: After painting my fireplace wall (which I still need to finish...lol!) I realized that I want to interject more bold choices into my house. Or maybe not just "bold," but taking an idea and running with it without hesitation. Like the wall of quotes/frames/stuff I want to create in the upstairs hallway, or the old window frame I want to convert into a picture frame, or the pillows I want to create for the living room, and the shower curtain for the kids' bathroom I want to finish, and the girls' rooms I want to redecorate. I want to make bold choices. I want to be fearless.

2) Photography: This is a no-brainer. I want to be fearless in my pursuit of developing a lucrative photography business. I am amazed at how far I have come since last October, and I want to be amazed at how much further I am this time next year. I don't really know how I am going to advance/grow/develop my business, but one thing I know I can do is to run with my ideas I have for props, set ups, etc. especially when it comes to studio design. I have a small dream of creating studio props that photographers can use that I sell on Etsy along with using them for my own photography. I want to find my niche this year, discover what will set me apart from all the other photographers out there. I would also like to make enough money so I can buy my own picturesque property to shoot on (this one is a little lofty...)

3) Teaching: I have some of the best-behaved students this year so if there is ever going to be a year to try new things, it's this current school year. Enough said.

4) Memory making: I want to experience more things with my family like go to museums, parks, maybe some impromptu road trips (which we have never done), a vacation or two. And this includes doing stuff with just Ray too. We need a more vibrant relationship.

5)Memory documenting: This goes hand in hand with memory making, of course. I have already ordered a new scrapbooking system to use this year. I really need to get my pictures off my computer and in places where I can enjoy them over and over. Where others can see them too. This blog will be another way for me to document those memories and my thoughts. I need to be fearless in taking pictures as well as in thinking up and trying out lots of other ways to display my photos/memories.

6)Shaping: (I couldn't think of a way to make this one a verb to match the others lol!) But I really need to be fearless when it comes to getting in shape/being healthy. This has to be the year I do this. I want to be healthy and I want to look good. I know how to go about this...I just need to do it. I also want to shape up my style...my hair, make-up, clothes. This will be the year I come into my own...grab my own identity.

So there you have it: this will be the year I grab life by the horns and go for it. It won't always be easy, my being fearless. I am a creature-comfort being by nature. I have been content sitting in my box all these years, but if I am to be truthful, I no longer enjoy it. I am no longer content. By stepping out of my box and putting myself out there with my photography this past year, I have gotten a teeny-tiny taste for what living life really feels like, and now I don't think I can just go back to existing in my box. It's too small and too constricting and too bland. I feel like I'm outgrowing my box and I don't think I really want to stuff myself back into it any more.