Thank you, Chris Brogan, for your recent blog post. I can now finally scrape away the cobwebs from my holiday haze (“holidaze” as I like to call it) and get on with 2013. I’ve been having a hard time making any New Year Resolutions. It seems that those are just made to be broken. I like your idea of focusing on three words that help guide your actions and focus your goals for the upcoming year.
Here are mine:
Adventure – In 2013, I want to approach life with a sense of adventure. Thirteen is my lucky number (I was born on a Friday, the 13th!) so I’m expecting this to be a great year. I already know a little secret that makes me think there may be a real adventure on the horizon and I also like to think of challenges as opportunities for adventure. You know, put a positive spin on things. We all have challenges in our lives and I’m sure I’ll have my fair share in both my professional and personal life in 2013. A sense of adventure will help me keep those in perspective. 
There are a couple of definitions of the word “adventure” – one involves “unknown risks” and the other involves ”excitement and a remarkable experience.” I’m going to go with the second definition; however, some adventures do require risk and I want to be open to taking those, too. (I got married in 2011 and I consider my marriage a great adventure.)
Water – This may seem to be an odd word, but perhaps it makes sense to me because I’m an Aquarius. It’s a reminder to get back to the basics. Whenever I want to get back into good physical shape, I start drinking more water. 
The more water I drink, the healthier I feel and the healthier I feel, the more physical activity I crave. The more water I drink, the better foods I eat and the better foods I eat, the healthier I feel. The more I exercise, the more water I need to drink and the more water I drink….you get the picture! I have found that if I just focus on drinking more water, the other pieces fall into place. I know it may sound crazy, but it works for me. Also, being near the water is always great whether it’s a lazy afternoon poolside with my hubby or a vacation at our favorite beach destination. He grew up on the coast and is a certified “cabana boy” (lucky me!) so we’re on the same page. Finally, I could get even deeper (pun intended) with the whole water thing and talk about “going with the flow” and “diving into projects,” but I’ll spare us both – ha.
Lagniappe – This is one of my favorite words. It’s a Creole word that means, “an extra or unexpected gift or benefit.” I like the notion of giving more than is expected, whether it involves a client’s project or perhaps spending time with a friend or family member. A spirit of generosity is a good thing (especially in social media) and something I want to cultivate more of in 2013. 
Also, I want to flip this concept over and look for a little something extra each day. I will expect serendipity. You know how “they say” that if you’re not looking for or expecting something, you might miss it? I don’t want to miss out on anything special that might be a part of my adventure, so my question will be: Where’s the lagniappe? 😉
Those are my three words and I have them posted where I can see them every day. What are yours?
I love this post, Nona. This is a great focusing tool that helps you set your intentions for the year in a visceral, intuitive way that keeps your left brain out of the way. Inspiring work.
Our word for the year is “integrate” – a reminder to keep the parts of the business aligned and in synch, to leverage every activity and to make it work for our clients, and for us. It reminds us that our work is not an event or a product or a meeting, but a process of growth and discovery and focus that needs to integrate into the lives of our clients in a way that sustains them over time. And in a way that allows us to live the life we dream of and make a real lasting difference in building fearless leaders.
Thank you! I love how you’ve distilled yours into one word. I immediately think of “running smoothly” and how well integrated practices and processes create a firm foundation that sustains for growth. You do make a lasting difference for your clients, that’s for sure!