Finding my word of the year, and myself

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably ditched your new year’s resolution by now. We all make them each year knowing full well we won’t follow through. With this in mind, I started off 2016 not with a resolution, but with a word.

I’ve been noticing that more and more people have been embracing the idea of having a word of the year – something that you’ll keep in mind and try to live your whole year by. Your actions and words should reflect the word and over time the word will begin to guide you without you even realizing it. It should become natural.

Throughout the last couple weeks of December I began tossing some ideas around in my head, but I was coming up empty handed. Nothing seemed right. I wanted something that said I was going to be myself, not care what anyone else thinks, and go after the things I want and care about. The word “confident” came to mind, but it didn’t seem quite right.

Then, on Levo.com, an amazing career site for women, I read an article about words of the year, and I found mine: authentic. It was exactly what I was looking for. I don’t want to change myself, I want to embrace who I am. As I’ve been telling my boyfriend with only the slightest hint of sarcasm, it’s the year of Kate.

Living with the word authentic means making decisions that feel right to me, saying what I want to say and not withholding my opinions, and not worrying about whether everyone likes me. I’ve realized if I live authentically I will come to better know myself and what I want in life.

Part of living authentically is this blog. KateGardnerWriting.com has gone from a portfolio, to a short-lived writing blog, to this. If you want to know what “this” is, check out my “about me” section. Hopefully you’ll want to stick around and read what else I’ll be posting!