Good morning and Happy New Year!

Yes, the year is well on its way and already World War III has been trending, but I wish you the most joyous of years. It may seem lame, but what the heck? I’d buy you a beer, but would you show up? 🙂

Anyway, I’d seriously considered NOT doing an OLW this year. I’ve been really in a funk and I looked at finding a word like making a resolution. Sure, they are great to research and fun to talk about, but when you reflect on them, you feel like crap because, “Wow, this did NOTHING for my life.”

However, it wasn’t until I read someone’s blog about their word that I came across renew. I wish I could remember which Slice of Life blog it was because I’d give you credit for your brilliance, but as it is, you can all claim brilliance here!

Renew just jumped out at me as something I need to do with my life. Webster Dictionary has several definitions:

-to make like new

-to restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection

-to make new spiritually

-to restore to existence

-to make extensive changes in

-to become new or as new

#seemsaboutright

I’ve been down for quite a while, and I feel like this is the time if ever there was one to find renew that dedication to a number of things in my life. This Sunday, these were the four things I wrote down in my journal:

  •  Connections
    • I’m an introvert and very hard to get to know. I’m painfully shy with new people and don’t talk a lot anyway, which tends to put people off. Maybe it why words seem to flow better here because I’m not dealing with the looks and eye rolls and all the other nonverbal cues, but it’s difficult for me to make connections. This is one area to renew because my college friends mean a lot to me, as does my work family as well. I’d write about my personal family, but that’s a whole different post! However, they are all in need of a renewed sense of connection as well! 🙂
  • Health
    • I’m healthy, but not. Physically and mentally, I’m “fine” but could be so much better. We are taking a sixth month journey dealing with healthy eating (damnit) and exercise. We’ll see what this looks like. Renewing the commitment to myself to be more healthy, both inside and out, is a pretty big deal. This renewed focus should help me to be more “me”.
  • Writing
    • Today is my first blog. This should tell you enough. However, I’ve started looking at a couple of sites where I could get paid to write. Now, very rarely do I ever complete something I think is worth getting paid for, but it’s an idea. But not only that, just to renew the commitment to write on a regular basis. Again, it’s one of those “dang it, I didn’t write AGAIN,” that makes my soul unhappy. To just sit down with my computer and a notepad brings me a surprising amount of joy. To renew this in my life will be a good thing for sure!
  • School
    • The focus here needs to be renewed as well. I love coming to school and teaching. I love the smiles on the faces of those in class. I love seeing my co-workers and asking them about their own class. Then, why do I feel so crappy? A renewed sense of what I need from here as well as what my students need and what my work family needs will feel wonderful. I’ve pulled back a lot, and I’m not even sure why.

Renew.

One little word, making a difference. One little word, making an impact.

I only hope it can do this for me! 🙂

#positivethinking