What's your word?

2014 rolled in, with the first month of the year already over. For many, they have forgotten their new year’s resolutions already. I have the habit of writing resolutions at the start of every year. I love beginnings and am thrilled by the prospect of a brand new life. I go crazy and buy several planners.  At the start of every year, I think this year would be different and I would finally be organized. I will finally stick to my resolutions, and I will live my best life. This year I resisted the urge of buying many planners. Instead of writing resolutions this year, I wrote goals instead. I sat down and looked at things in my life I wanted to change and improve. I returned to it several time to fine tune my goals and clearly state them to the universe. I listened to some talks too and learned that intentions are better than resolutions.

But more lasting than a resolution is having a word to live this year by. For days, I kept thinking what my word is. I started thinking about my word on the last few days of 2013. Words kept coming into my head, but didn’t feel right with my heart. 2014 came, with days rolling by and still no word for me. But on January 6th, as I drove home from the gym sweaty from a Zumba workout, I turned on the radio. My word came to me. Brave. Sara Bareilles was playing on the radio. I recall hearing the song when she performed it on TV for CNN Heroes in late December. There she was singing amidst amazing people, who followed their heart and did good to help communities around the world. It was a powerful message for me. 

But as I negotiated Manila’s traffic that afternoon, I said, “That’s it.” With certainty, I knew in my heart, my word is BRAVE. The lyrics struck a chord with me, especially these lines:

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 "Bow down to the the mighty,

Don't run, just top holding your tongue

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in,
Show me how big your brave is!"

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Why brave? I have written one too many lists of my dreams and my goals. But this is the year to finally do them. It is time to sit down and write my third book. Something, I’ve been meaning to write for years.  It is the year to travel to places I’ve always wanted to visit. It is time to do finally shed off the stubborn pounds that weigh me down. It is time to finally tackle the growing mess in the spare room in my flat. It is time to become more adult and responsible with certain aspects of my life. And, it is also time to brave to create, be bold, and have fun. It’s time to paint again and cook for friends. It is time to live again with courage.It is time to get out of my own way.

With clarity, I prayed to :

BE BRAVE

…to live my story

to enjoy being alone

to travel the world

to be the hero of my story

to write my own unique story

to speak and honor my own authentic voice

to celebrate my reality

to love

to be a good friend

to be a good sister

to be a good daughter

to be the strongest, fittest I had ever been

to live with less

to become what Maida’s Touch is really about—delicious inspired journeys

and to let God love me, deeply!

I asked a few friends too what their word is for the year. For one, it is wellness. He commits to eating right and running thirty minutes daily. For another, it is hope. For another, it is freedom. He boldly started his own business. It is a freedom from corporate life, even if he does know how much he will earn this year.

I have been playing Sara Bareilles’ song Brave everyday. On most days, I play it a couple of times. It has become my anthem. More than listening and singing along to the song, it is time to honor my words and be brave. I am challenging myself to do one brave thing each day.

I hope you too find your word or shall I say your battle cry for the year. Let’s make each day count. We can do this!  

MaidaPineda.2014.  
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