Last year instead of making Resolutions, I chose a three-word theme. Remember? I Dared to Be an Awesome Orange, only to find myself lost in East L.A. just days later.
This year, my theme is simple. One word. And I didn’t have to think about it. It came to me a few weeks ago, and has been bursting at the seams to get out.
Boundaries protect you. They set up a perimeter that the world can’t encroach upon unless you allow. Boundaries are fences, gates, edges. It makes me think of Lonesome Dove and stories by Louis L’Amour. The Wild West. Homesteading. Making a name for yourself. And creating your own private place.
If the world does come in unwanted and unwarranted, it’s okay to take a stand and stop. It’s okay to say, “This is my space.” But it’s also okay to make friends. To share what you can share. To expand your Circle of Life without breaking it.
Although some Boundaries are meant to be broken. Enlarged. They’re the horizon beyond the horizon, or, as Finian says, “The hill beyond yon hill.”
This year, I intend to strengthen my Boundaries. Whether I need to set up a better perimeter around my family, my home, my time, my writing or my finances, I will establish better Boundaries. And then I’ll open the gate when I can, and step out into unknown territories.
I’ll explore. Adjust. Enjoy. And establish.
Excitement doesn’t begin to explain how I feel. I’m pretty sure surviving the Mayan Apocalypse has given me a new lease on life. After all, one can hardly expect to go back to humdrum when the clock still ticks and the lungs still breathe, right?
This is me. Learning how to set Boundaries. And sometimes, how to step over them.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
I found this blog through NaBloPoMo. I have a brother in law with a developmental disability called autism – I’ve learned a lot about boundaries by interacting with him. I tweeted this post.
Alana Mautone (@RamblinGarden) recently posted..Oh the Places I’ll Go When the Sidewalks are Cleaned
Thank you, Alana. Your comment is very sweet. I’m familiar with autism. I wish your brother-in-law acceptance, and understanding from others. Thanks for stopping by!
Great post and word to focus on in 2013! Thank you for sharing I could definitely stand to work on boundaries in my life in the new year too. Happy New Year!
Kathy recently posted..Happy New Year!
Thank you, Kathy. I love the words behind the words… “Boundaries” isn’t just a barrier.
Molly Jo recently posted..Word of the Year: 2013
What an absolutely perfect idea! The simplicity of picking a single word makes it a powerful goal. It reminds me of the original advertisement for barbed wire, too (speaking of boundaries): Light as air, strong as whiskey, cheap as dirt.
And congratulations on surviving the Mayan Apocalypse!
Jerimi recently posted..Kindled Friendship
Thanks, Jerimi! Happy New Year. (And happy survival to you, too.)
Molly Jo recently posted..Word of the Year: 2013
Found you through Nablapomo. i agree. It s ok to make friends without breaking the circle of life….. and its also ok to mark out that space. After all, for you to be you, you need to have your own space too. :)
Thanks for stopping by, Anusha! I’m so glad you appreciate my writing. That’s always the end-game for a Blogger, right? ;)
Molly Jo recently posted..Do You Mean It?
An ideal word to focus on for the year!
It is, isn’t it? I love it. It called to me, and still does.