Words are powerful. They can hurt, they can heal, and they can guide you. As I enter 2018, I’m going to continue to choose my words thoughtfully and I’m paying special attention to the word that I will use to guide me through this next year of my life.
The word is RISE.
2017 was a year that was heavy on my heart. There was a lot of grief, anxiety, and depression that weighed me down and made it hard to keep going. Still, I trudged forward.
This year, I don’t want to just inch forward. I want to rise up.
I have dreams and for the past two years, those dreams have been tethered so that I could focus on surviving. Well, if nothing else, I’ve proved that I’m a survivor. Now, I’m ready to let those dreams free and I want to rise up to catch them.
I dream of becoming a writer. I dream about pushing back when my values and views are challenged. I dream of being a mother and a woman that my daughters feel proud of and inspired by. I dream of helping to build a culture where grief is no longer whispered, but it is sung.
These dreams of mine can no longer stay grounded, but I know that reaching them will not be easy. My trajectory will not be smooth and it will not be quick. Obstacles will impede my progress. I will stumble. I will fall. But, I will also rise.
In 2018, I will no longer cast my eyes down as I try to simply put one foot in front of the other. This year I will lift my head and look up at my dreams, thinking about how I will rise to get there.
Photo by Majid Sadr on Unsplash
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