We made it, friends! 2020 is behind us and we’ve kicked off a brand new year. I think everyone is hopeful that 2021 will bring the health and happiness we all very much need.

A popular New Year’s trend is to choose a word of the year. The thought is that it becomes a mantra, or a theme around which you can base your annual plans. I did this last year with the word INTENTIONAL. It was a great word, but obviously last year threw all our plans out the window.

I’d still like to be more intentional in the coming year, but I decided to choose a new word for 2021…

That word is IMAGINE.

I chose it because, like many others, I’m at a point of some changes in my life. The pandemic caused us all to think about what life should look like once “normal” returned. For me, an even bigger change is that 2021 is the year my son graduates from high school. Later this year, he’ll be off to college on a new adventure, and I’m searching for new activities in which to invest my time, talents, and passion. So IMAGINE reminds me to think about all the possibilities life can hold in the coming months and years. 

Basically, I want to keep asking myself, “What would it look like if I…?”

… if I traveled to a new place?

… if I were to start a new writing project?

… if I were to take a class for something I’d never attempted?

My hope is that I’ll have a new set of adventures to reflect on as the year passes, and that it will point me in new directions. And I’d like to document some of my journey here! 

So, what about you? Do you choose a word of the year, and if so, what is it for 2021? Drop it in the comments with a note about why you chose it… I’m sure it would be inspiring to hear some examples!

In the meantime, Happy New Year, friends… and of course, happy reading!