What's the word?

I frequently read Christine Kane's blog. I love her perspective. Her recent post is about writing about your 2008 "word" and how it worked for you this year. This "word" thing is her way of doing New Year Resolutions. I like her way better than the standard: lose weight, get organized etc...that sets you up for failure. One year I set very achievable goals, I said I'd grow my hair longer (which technically every day it grows longer so by Jan 2, my goal was reached). I also said that I'd use up my nice lotion (ie not save it for a special occassion); that too was something I could achieve. So, you see, I am realistic about my goals and I know that if I do the 'overarching ones' I'll never feel satisfied and will likely beat myself up. For 2008, I set my goal to walk 300 miles and I'm on the path to that. I think I'm at about 215 so I need to get moving.

Anyway, back to Christine Kane. She has a New Year "Revolution"...she says to pick an authentic word for you that is what you'd like to achieve/live by/feel...whatever. She even offers a list to get your mind thinking in this context (examples include: Delight, Generosity, Effortlessness, Wealth, Gratitude, Abundance, Creativity, Willingness, Change (guess who picked that word; Obama)). I hadn't found Christine until about April so I couldn't participate in this revolution, but really, on my own, I had chosen my word(s)....Happiness and Sunshine....so, I decided to write into Christine anyway for her to hear my story of how my 'word' played out this year...and here is my message to her:

I find it funny that I cannot find my word on your list and it seems so simple. My word for 2008 has been "happiness" (and sunshine). I've been striving to have happy thoughts, to be happy, to spread happy, to live happy and I've even made progress beyond my expectations. I guess I was looking for validation that it was alright to want happiness and it wasn't on "the list". That isn't holding me back. I've really blossomed as a person in confidence, in energy, in focus and in my talents. I started a blog "just out of the blue" called happinessandmoonshine.blogspot.com, I'm studying to become a life coach to make others find "their" happiness, I 'push' non-happy thoughts away with a mental hand when they try to creep in, I tell people I'm happy and it feels authentic, I am starting to even be happy about the things that used to make me unhappy (like house cleaning, exercise etc....I have a ways to go still). So, with this energy and happiness, I am ready to search for my 2009 word, Expansion, comes to mind. I'm going to spend the rest of 2008 putting it out in the universe and seeing what comes back to me to be sure that is the one.

What is YOUR word for 2008? What will 2009's be? Try it; it just might lead you somewhere you never expected!