One Word for 2014

I do not believe you should choose your one word for the year. I believe it should choose you.

2013 was the first year I had a word. I started out the year thinking I wouldn't. Couldn't think of one. Until one day, it just hit me.

My word chose itself. It was Hope, by the way, and it was terrifically apropos after the awful arrhythmia scare we had with Mark in March of 2012.

For this year, I knew my word before January 1 came.

BRAVE.

It too hit me out of nowhere. Right upside my head.

I think a few things made Brave the most logical word choice for 2014:

• I have felt, and continue to feel, so much fear in my life. It's exhausting, disheartening and a real struggle. I want to be able to face whatever happens and just know I can deal with it without so much fear getting in the way.
• Doing things outside my normal comfort zone. Stepping out of my box. I will be doing one this month, and I'm so very excited about it (but I can't tell you because it's a surprise)!
• I turn 40 this year and I want to meet that milestone with pride rather than trepidation or complaints about getting older. I mean, I have a sense of humor, so there will be jokes about how old I am, but you know what I mean.
• Just being confident in who I am, that I can meet challenges head on, even my worst fear, bravely.

To clarify, I don't mean being stoic or a martyr. Although,  I must admit, I do do that sometimes often quite a bit. I'm working on that.

To me, being Brave means:

• Having a backbone. Sticking up for yourself and those you love, and the things that matter to you.
• Asking for help when you need it, and receiving it graciously.
• Be willing to try new things, even if it scares you.
• Facing each day with hope and gratitude in your heart.
• Trusting your instincts, your gut.
• Owning who you are, wherever you're at as you walk your path.
• And like Sara Bareilles sings, "Say what you wanna say."

That last point relates directly to blogging, for sure, but also in general. Let me clarify, though, that while I believe in saying what you need to say, I also believe in temperance with your words. I have learned that we also have to discern what DOESN'T need to be said. That can be Brave too.

Now, just to make a Brave point, I recorded myself singing along to "Brave". Disclaimer: I am not a singer and don't claim to be. I missed some of the words and I'm pitchy. But whatever. Here's me doing something I've NEVER done before:

Oh Em Gee.

Well, here's to living Bravely this year!

Do you have a word you're living by in 2014?

If you blogged about it, feel free to leave me a link in the comments!