It’s that time of year again. My annual visit from…
The Posts of New Year’s Past: ๐ป ๐ฅณ ๐ ๐
Ebenezer Scrooge and I both learned a thing or three and are determined to change our ways. After the visit from The Posts of New Year’s Past, I reflected a bit on the last six years and realized I haven’t done a very good job with the One Word thing. Best laid plans and all that.
One Word for 2022 was: Embrace. I love the idea of playing an active role in accepting. The idea of leaning into the discomfort and even, if possible, welcoming it. And, honestly, I did a decent job of it. For some things. Other things are difficult to damn near impossible to embrace, if we’re truth-telling. (And we are.)
One Word for 2021 was: Allow. This one was awesome. It worked SO well. I allowed ALL OF THE THINGS. I didn’t struggle, fight, flail, or falter. (My sarcasm didn’t translate well here. So, the only thing I allowed was badly-written sarcasm.)
One Word for 2020 was: Focus. Focus on one thing at a time to avoid overwhelm? Fab plan, lady. Alas…
One Word for 2019 was: Move. Getting unstuck was sort of the idea. Iโm still stuck but heartily sorry for it and flailing for a helping hand out of the pit.
One Word for 2018 was: Self. It was a good choice. It worked. A little. Some of the time. Not as often as I’d hoped.
One Word for 2017 was Accept. I did not accept anything. I sort of UN-accepted pretty much everything. I faltered. Failed. Moved on.
Some years, I’ve struggled to find a word. Some years, it popped into my head, and I knew it was the one. Other years, I’ve enjoyed the experience of mulling over various choices. This year… Well, this year my mind was blank. Completely blank.
It happened a few days ago, before I’d even brewed my morning coffee. I was thinking about the day ahead, the week ahead, the year ahead, and I basically and completely overwhelmed myself with the crushing amount of ALL OF THE THINGS headed my way.
I told myself to breathe. And then… Well, there you have it. Or, actually, there I have it.
My focus word for 2023:
BREATHE
No matter what is going on, no matter what is happening, no matter what I’m dealing with…taking a moment to breathe is always, always, helpful. It doesn’t change or fix anything, but it helps. Truly and always.
If I can focus on breathing whenever things get to be too bad, too painful, too much, I’ll make it through just fine and then some. And whenever things are going swimmingly, I’ll enjoy the moment that much more for taking time out to pause and smell the proverbial roses.
Although you don’t technically need a definition for this one, you’re getting one (*nerd alert*):
[brฤTอH]
- take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process:
- be alive; remain living
- (of wine) be exposed to fresh air:
Whether it’s yoga, Pranayama *, box breathing, or a simple inhale/exhale, it’s all good.
Here’s my quote of 2023: “When life gives you lemons, use them for garnish in the mulled wine after you’ve opened a bottle of red and both of you have breathed.” ๐ท
Happy New Year, my friends. ๐ Here’s to your goals, aspirations, resolutions, or whatever floats your boat. Cheers! ๐ฅ
Have you ever taken part in the One Word Challenge?
If you haven’t, why not try it? Or think on it a moment and leave one in the comments. What could your focus be this year? Iโd love to hear what your One Word is for 2023.
You sound like me, Sarah. Best laid plans, and all that.
Good luck on this year’s word. I didn’t choose one, but if I had to, I think I’d borrow yours.
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Best laid plans to write/post/reply… Ugh. Thanks, Staci. Borrow away and hope 2023 has been good to you so far! ๐
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Hi Sarah, Happy New Year. My word last year was patience. I also failed dismally. Patience is clearly a virtue I do not have.
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The irony is beautiful since you’d need patience to wait for my reply. Apologies. What’s your word for this year?
Hope 2023 has been good so far! ๐
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Given that my son was very ill for three months last year and my husband has been very ill for a month this year and is still recovering, my word for this year is resilience.
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That is a perfect word. Here’s to resilience. ๐ I hope your son stays healthy and your husband is better very soon.
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I’ve never taken part in this challenge – but we all need to breathe right now . Happy new year Sarah ๐
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That we do. We really do. (((breathe))) Hope you’re having a great 2023 so far!
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Yea we do need to (((breathe))) I’m doing ok thanks – it’s going good with a healthy dose of life’s challenges.
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Hey, I am always happy to read these annual posts and will be doing my intro to this year, especially because 2022 was largely unblogged lol. And we welcome all bits of sarcasm.
Finding the right word has to be intense and Iโm just pondering on last year since it was so intense. Hereโs to breathing and can relate to how much it can help. And also how wine can help ๐
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2022 was largely unblogged for you or for me? Or for both? Because it definitely was for me. And I’m always happy to deliver on the sarcasm. Sarcasm is my middle name. (Snarky is the other. I have two middle names. That’s not weird.)
Looking forward to reading your into to 2023. Hope it’s been good so far. Here’s to wine and breathing! ๐ท Cheers, my friend.
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For both of us, me thinks. So is it Sarah Snarky Sarcasm Brentyn or Sarah Sarcasm Snarky Brentyn. Either way, the initials are SSSB, which could be a noise for the year?
To wine, breathing, and writing a plenty ๐
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Haha! Sarah Sarcastic Snark-Shark Brentyn is the noise of 2023! “SSSSB!” Woot! ๐
To wine, breathing, and getting-back-to-writing-ASAP-if-I-can. “SSSSB!”
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I’ve never done the One Word Challenge. If I had to pick a word for 2023, I’d pick “learn” and promptly forget about it.
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Good to see you, Liz. Great word. And I can (unfortunately) relate. Hope you’ve had a great 2023 so far! ๐
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So far, so good! I’m deep into a second developmental edit on a new novel. I hope all is well with you.
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Thanks, Liz. I’m doing a LOT of breathing. Second edit on a new novel?! That is exciting! What’s it about? Do you have your cover yet? (Is this all on your blog? I’ll have to check out your blog ASAP.)
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You’re welcome, Sarah! The novel is about the closing of the last poor farm in Vermont in 1968, with a LOT of artistic license. I have a cover, but I’m not ready to reveal it yet. I’ve dropped hints on my blog about the book.
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Artistic license is wonderful sometimes and I’m sure it will suit this topic well. Your writing is gorgeous and this sounds like a powerful novel. Looking forward to the cover reveal. I’ll check out your blog today.
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Thank you very much, Sarah. Doing multiple projects is a juggling act, so I’m not sure of ETAs at this point.
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It is very much a juggling act. I look forward to seeing these whenever they get here. Enjoy the process. ๐
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You’re right about the need to enjoy the process!
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Ooh! I’m very much looking forward to the haiku and short story collection, too! ๐
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Thank you, Sarah!
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๐โค๏ธ๐ฅณ
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I quite like blank as my word… both a challenge, a descriptor and an instruction. Hope 2023 is very good to and for you..
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Thanks, Geoff. ๐ Love the word (as all three of those–it’s perfect).
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Sounds like a great word to base your year around.
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And I’ve had tons of practice already so…yay. Thanks, Craig. Hope 2023 is treating you well.
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Happy New Year, Sarah. May each breath may your year more of everything you wish and need it to be.
I have no words for 2023.
๐
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Thank you, Norah. ๐ So nice to see you. Hope all is well with you and 2023 is a healthy, peaceful year.
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Thank you, Sarah. It’s off to a good start. I hope it is for you too. ๐
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Glad to hear that. ๐ Thank you!
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Love your word, Sarah. I think this one will be a keeper, and I wish you much success with taking those pauses to breathe, with or without the company of a good Merlot.
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I’ve needed it quite a bit already so, I agree, I think it’s a keeper. Thanks, Diana. ๐ Here’s to a healthy and peaceful 2023.
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Inhale. Exhale. I sometimes have to pause in the midst of what I’m doing to remind myself to breathe. It’s a good word. Life has a way of knocking the air from our lungs with one hit after another.
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It does, doesn’t it? Life seems to knock the air out of us quite frequently. As long as we pause and breathe, I think we’ll be okay.
Hope 2023 has been a good one so far. ๐
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Breathe is a good one. And that quote is perfect – I can totally get behind it. I’ve been tossing some words around and I’m thinking mine for this year is balance. We’ll see how that goes. Just keep breathing, my friend!
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Balance has always eluded me. I hope you have more luck with that one that I have had. What’s it you’re trying to balance?
I figured you’d like that quote. ๐ Cheers, my friend! ๐ท
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Reading, writing, other activities – pretty much life in general, lol.
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Life. It’s always hitting us with stuff when we want to read and write and relax. Bah! Here’s to a fine balance for you in 2023, my friend.
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Your overwhelming success with this exercise is inspiring. I shall consider the options, though they may each only comprise four letters…
Happy New Year, Sarah.
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I know. My success is for sure inspiring to all who witness it. It’s damn impressive. You can be jealous. We’ll all understand.
Have you come up with any four-letter One Words? Leaf? Dogs? Tree? Lime? That sort of thing?
Thanks, Graeme. Hope 2023 is treating you well.
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Jealousy doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. As for the words I’ve been coming up with… I think you know which kinds of words spring readily to my lips.
Aside from the stinking cold, 2023 has gone okay so far. And the cold will pass – soon, I hope. We men don’t cope well with colds.
Hope the year’s going well for you
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I do. I do know the words. They are springing readily to mind and lips here, too. Forget seedlings and sprouts, it’s four-letter words that are springing this spring.
Eh. 2023 is not great so far. But I’m still breathing so I can’t complain (too much).
Cold weather or “cold” sickness? I hope you stay warm/get better depending. I know of a few people who cope well with colds. They’re annoying. Cheers to you, my friend.
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It has been illness, but there are worse things in life – I just like moaning… Like you, apparently! ๐
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Just like me. ๐ Feel better, my friend.
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