Words in the Running for 2017

While I wait for my 2017 word to magically appear - you can read more about my word for 2017 here - I thought I'd share the list of word contenders and one more ski photo, because why not?  Plus, this angle - with the sky totally in the background - is so cool as is my lovely, ski bunny partner.

I am down to this list of words and a few phrases....

• Now - as in "be in the present moment"
• Prosperity - which is a strange word for me, yet there is something I like about it.  I think it is the "thriving" part of the definition of prosperity that speaks to me
• Go - This word might be too active for me, yet I like that it's slightly fiery to me and I might get some cool projects done.
• Minimize - As in minimize the noise, wasted time, junk in my life, self-sabotaging thoughts.  I'm so done with those thoughts.
• Intuition - Love this one!  I'm a big believer in my wise, inner voice.  And, if I were to listen to my wise, inner voice more?!  Oh my!  
• Flow - This one is about living my values, listening to my intuition, being in alignment; I like flow. This is a good word for me.
• Momentai - which is a Cantonese phrase that means "no problem."  I was told by a fabulous former student, C, that it bears the meaning of "assuring the listening to stay calm."  I love that - assuring the listening to stay calm.  It reminds me a bit of minimize.

And....believe it or not, this phrase keeps coming back to me as my word (phrase) for 2017:

Leave it all on the dance floor.

I'll give my intuition a few more days to figure this out and then, I'll be ready to embrace what word or phrase appears to serve me for 2017.

Have you figured out your word for 2017?  Share it below or on your favorite social media outlet.

xo,
Jen

My word for 2016

For the past two years, I've been choosing a word of the year.  I have found having one word (versus a list of resolutions) is a meaningful guide to how I want to be and live for that year.  For 2014, my word was Brave.  In 2015, my word was FUN (which I was not public about, though FUN served me well).   This year, my word is....

Savor.

I first thought my word would be now.  Not now in that things have to happen immediately, but now like live in the present moment.  After a coaching session with Sue and discussing my word of the year, a new and better word came to mind.  Savor.  Savor the now.  Savor the moment.  Savor all the little and big things happening in my life.  Savor the people.  Savor my surroundings. Savor the struggles. Savor the opportunities.

Savor feels slow and delicious and spacious and unrushed, present, and delightful. Savor feels exactly right for how I want to be and live in 2016.

In fact, I've been savoring all of your email congratulations and social media high fives about our new website, ebook, decks of cards, and wooden nickels at Hello, Strategies.  I'm savoring it all. Thank you!

Do you have a word of the year?  If yes, what is it?  

Jen

Bravely Telling That Voice

Remember that voice from this blog post?  The one that likes to order you around and tell you what you "should" do.

I just told it to shut up again.  Dumb voice.  It obviously doesn't know my word and mantra for 2014 is Brave.  Didn't it read my blog post yesterday?

I've got things to do, voice.  Really BIG things.

Bug off,
Jen

Brave Has Me

If you follow Upcycled Education on Instagram, you know a stack of books recently chose me at the library.  This Think Big Manifesto (affiliate link) was the first book that caught my eye; I am reading it currently.

A few things the author, Michael Port, wrote stand out to me....

• When you think big, you start being surrounded by others who think big, too.
• Thinking big opens doors to collaboration.
• Change yourself and changing the world will start to come naturally.
• Thinking big is always, always, always worth the expenditure of energy.
• The absolute hallmark of big thinking is wide-open abundance.

I can't tell all right now as I have a few things in the works and some collaborations aren't 100% yet. Abundance has found me and being Brave will be needed to move forward the ideas in my head.

Which reminds me, I wanted to share my recent coaching session with Sue.  It was such a good one; one of my favorites.

Jen

Warming Up to Brave

Apparently, I was warming up to my 2014 word, Brave, back in November.

Keynote #3 didn't just drop into my lap.  Brave had something to do with it.

One of my favorite vice presidents at my college emailed me and asked if I would suggest someone to deliver the upcoming keynote address to our college.  For the last three years, I've been working with all sorts of movers and shakers in Washington, DC as part of a special commission, so at this point, I kind of know people - accomplished people.  I put together a list of my favorite, motivating speakers and sent the list to her lickety-split.

The next morning on a hike, I thought, "You know what?  I could give that keynote just as well as any of them!  Plus, I have something to say!"

As soon as I returned home from my hike, I emailed her and pitched my idea.  I remember thinking, "I can't believe I'm just about to send this email to her."  And before I could talk myself out of it, I hit send.  She replied right away and said she loved the idea, but ultimately, it was not for her to make the final decision; others at my college would decide.

And so, I waited.  And hoped they'd forget I even put my name in the hat.  And one day.  One beautiful day.  I received an email congratulating me.  I would be giving the next keynote address at my college.

Me.  The girl who wanted to live bravely.

Jen

Being Brave

One of my goals for 2014 overall is to give more keynote addresses.  For me, it takes bravery to get on stage in front of hundreds of people, deliver a keynote, be motivating, humorous, engaging and inspiring all at once for almost 60 minutes.

So, that's what I did last week.  I gave a 55 minute keynote to 450 faculty and staff at my college.  It was my third keynote of my lifetime.  Let's look at my keynote history so far....

Keynote #1:  For Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio.  Almost 500 people in attendance.  The topic was "Faculty Engagement." Every word of my keynote was scripted.  I even followed the script on stage.  It was good, but not amazing.  I knew I could improve; after all, it was my first keynote ever.

Keynote #2:  For a local public school district in my area.  The topic was "Fostering Creativity."  About 150 new teachers in attendance.  Hardly a word of my keynote was scripted and I loved talking about creativity off the top of my head.  Plus, the keynote was extremely interactive.  I received solid feedback from a handful of attendees.  Although I enjoyed my delivery of this keynote more than the first, again, I thought I could improve and streamline the topic a bit.  This keynote was almost 90 minutes long!  That's way too long for a keynote.

Keynote #3:  For my college.  I'll explain tomorrow how that invite came to be.  About 450 people in attendance and the keynote was streamed live to all of our campuses and desktops.  Again, the topic was "Faculty Engagement."  But, instead of citing research and data the entire time like I did for Keynote #1, I focused more on telling stories and putting the main points into my own words.  I tried - emphasis on "tried" - to make this keynote as TED Talk-ish as possible.  I don't know if I can gauge how well it went based on my colleagues' responses since they know me and are a little bias.  However, this keynote felt entirely differently to me.  I felt Brave.  I felt like I had something to say and it was my time to say it.

I even felt like I was delivering a TED Talk.  Just a really long one.

Tomorrow, I'll share with you how Keynote #3 came to be.  Talk about being brave.....

Jen

Brave Artwork

I mentioned in this post that I wanted to experiment with engineering prints at Fedex Kinkos (they are also called "oversized prints").  I thought some Brave artwork would help me stay focused this year.  I like giving myself reminders.

I didn't even think about the lyrics to Sara Bareilles's song Brave, but a blogger/artist I like was making a neat print from Sara's lyrics and I thought, "I need those lyrics."  And I need them BIG.

I took this photo on a morning hike with Jedi.  In PicMonkey, I turned the photo to black and white since the oversized printer only prints in black and white.  I also added the black circle and text, again in PicMonkey (see photo directly above).  I continue to adore PicMonkey, as if that needs to be said.

This gigantic printer below printed out my image; I emailed it to my local Fedex Kinkos first.  You can choose from just about any size under 48 inches I believe (more info here).  I asked the Fedex Kinko's employee to print my image 23 inch x 23 inch because the spot where I think it will hang can accommodate that size.  The cost was just around $3 for the print.

I'm way happy with how it turned out.  Dark, not smudged, clear and for me, inspiring.

I can see making more art like this for my home or classroom - or even as a unique gift.

I'm still deciding 100% where I'd like to hang it.  I think in our kitchen, near the chalkboard wall, with some colorful washi tape.

Now, to ponder...how big is my Brave?

Jen

My Teacher for Brave

Since my word for 2014 is Brave.  I will need a good teacher to guide me.  Actually, I will need many teachers.  This lil teacher lives right in my house.  How grateful I am to see the word Brave come alive everyday right in front me.

Brave to try new things.  Brave to speak her mind when she is wronged.  Brave to be selective about with whom she spends her time.  Brave to push the status quo.

I think all humans are brave from birth and then somewhere along the line - maybe to fit into our families, society's norms, or the boredom of some schools - we lose our bravery and calibrate to complacency.  The addiction of the status quo ensues.

There is nothing brave about living the status quo if you know you are capable of so much more.  If you know you want more.

This quote I shared in November comes to mind again.....

I'm grateful for all the teachers who will show me Brave in many unique ways.  I'm especially grateful for this lil teacher pictured above in our place in Breckenridge.  She's the epitome of Brave to me.

All my best,

Jen

My Word for 2014

I'm not usually a "word of the year" type of girl.  But, this year, words were calling me.

Nurture, enhance, brave, messy, joy, do, courage, explore.

As I was sharing my list with Lil O, she said, "Brave seems like your word, Mom."  I didn't realize I seem like a word to anyone.

Interestingly, however, I was thinking the same thing.  How will I nurture, enhance my life, be messy, seek joy, do all the things I want to do, have courage and explore the unknown?  I will have to be brave.

And thus, my word for 2014 is Brave.  It keeps capitalizing itself and just 20 days into the year, I've already taken several significant steps to honor it.

More to come tomorrow,

Jen