>Action. I chose this for my Word of 2009 because I’m good at thinking, I’m good at espressing my ideas, but when it comes to implementation, many times I back off or freeze. One month into the year, how is Action coming along?

I realized that action doesn’t always have to mean activity. I took two sick days last week to see a doctor, rest, and heal. The action involved meant putting in for sick days, writing sub plans, and mentally letting go of my class for a couple of days. That’s easier said than done, made a little more accessible because my sub was a retired teacher from my building who knew my students well. I was sick enough not to mind if he couldn’t make it, but very, very relieved when I found out he could.

Action meant setting aside anything optional and focusing on the most important impending deadlines. Action meant instead of agonizing over time missed at school, I filled the vaporizer and slept on the couch to breathe in its moist air. Instead of jumping up to answer the telephone in mid-nap, I took my hearing aids out and let the answering machine screen all calls. Action meant that I actively pushed fluids, ate oranges and grapefruit, and didn’t feel guilt for not cleaning the house since I was home all day.

Action is beginning to mean choosing the actions, making my choices fit the time and fit the priorities in my life, whether home or work.

As for a goal word in the coming year, I think Action is going to be good for me.

>Resolutions. Goals. Good intentions. Words.
Words?
In another trend sweeping the blogosphere, the philosophy is this: choose a word. The word will be your focus, guiding changes and progress in 2009.

G’s Cottage, the first place I saw this, chose Cultivate as her word. This is a great multi-meaning word. It encompasses nurturing, planting, growing, assisting, caretaking, and many more action words. Cultivate would fit my teaching profession and my gardening hobby and, face it, motherhood.
But cultivate is G’s word. No matter how well it might fit me, it’s not quite right.
Christine, the leader of this movement, provided a long list of words from which to choose. This list, while comprehensive, doesn’t cover everyone’s personality and/or needs. It’s meant to guide and suggest, not limit.

So far, my personal list is narrowed down to these.

Clarify: Think, act, speak clearly. Keep goals in mind: eyes on the prize, while simultaneously focused on the process. Maybe Clarity is even better.
Mastery: Aim high, don’t settle. Improvement is good; mastery is better.
Acceptance: Change is good, but accepting limits is also good. As in the famous serenity prayer, the key is knowing what I can and cannot change, and accepting this.
Willingness: Not digging in my heels, but moving ahead willingly. The opposite might be “grudgingly.” No one sets a goal of being unwilling; it seems to happen on its own. Willing or willingness would be reminders to push forward with a “glass half full” philosophy, working to make the glass overflow.
Balance: need I say more?
Health: this one is almost too broad. Physical, emotional, mental health; my own, my family’s, my pets’ health?
Action: Similar to willingness or willing, this word would remind me that thoughts and ideas are cheap. Action is where the change originates, begins, ends, and succeeds.

Later this month I’ll choose a word, a term that will guide me toward goals that make sense. One word. It will most likely come from this list, but maybe a better one will turn up. Until then, it’s back to school, back to work, and back to (hopefully) a consistent sleep schedule.