One Word- Expansion

 

I tried to participate in reverb10 but I quit somewhere around day 4.  I'm not really good with daily challenges, but the end of the year always makes me very reflective and determined to write.  I'm trying Resound11 and today's prompt was to sum up this year with one word.  

The word I chose for 2011 was balance.  And so much of this year has been leading to more balance and feeling more centered in my own life.  However, the word I’d use to sum up this year is expansion, because there has been even more of that.  I know that the expansion has been necessary to move towards balance.  Emotionally, spiritually, mentally, even locationally, I have expanded in all aspects this year in amazing ways.  I was feeling very small and stuck and yucky last fall.  Just a zombie- go to work, come home, sleep, repeat.  Not much joy or sense of purpose.  That had a lot to do with my job, which is mind-numbingly boring and still stressful at the same time.  It’s not something I enjoy and I know it doesn’t fulfill my soul’s purpose.  Also, our living situation made me feel small because we are cramped in the small space.  I was losing my sense of me, because my husband & I didn’t have any space to be apart and practice our separate hobbies. 

Space by Sweetie 187

 I felt desperate to break out of those chains.  My mental breakout came first and allowed my emotions to float back up to joy and happiness.  I started blogging, which gave me an outlet & it encouraged me to do more cooking & crafts- things I love.  I also read blogs and found amazing communities of art and kindness and sharing.  I discovered life coaching, which I had never even heard of.  And the more I learned, the more I knew it was for me.  I found a great course, through one of those online connections, and started my training.  I learned so much and found myself opening up again emotionally.  I was practicing silence, writing, making art, celebrating rituals, dancing, and exploring the world again.  Now, at the end of the year, I am in a much better place in my head & in life.  I am feeling like myself again, but a wiser and better version, constantly evolving.  Our marriage is even better now that I’m being creative again.  I’m so much happier. 

But I still have that job and we still haven’t moved- the mental clarity came even though I haven’t resolved those problems yet.   Just knowing that I have plans and goals and a timeline was all I really needed to get out of my funk- I needed to know I could expand and that the limits were imaginary.  We’re buying a house & will be moving soon.  I’m incredibly excited to have a whole room just for an office and crafts room!  And a real, full sized kitchen!  And a porch & a man cave space in the garage!  I also know that I will be leaving my job soon- as soon as I get my life coaching business fully established.  (Having an office space will help that tremendously as well.)   

Yes, expansion is definitely the word to sum up 2011.