What’s your “keyword” for 2015…?

Truth time: I’ve never had a very good track record when it comes to making — and keeping! — New Year’s resolutions. Over the last couple decades or so, my resolutions have looked something like this…

* In 1996, my 15-year-old self vowed to get more exercise. I was bright-eyed and determined. I was set to tool around in my house every morning on my walker.


*In 1997, I vowed to become Ms. Social. I thought that with a little bit of work, I could morph into the outgoing person I wanted to be. With a little smile and a friendly hello to everyone I passed in those hallowed high school halls, I stood by and waited for the magic wand of change to swoop down and grant my wish.


*In 2000 and 2001, I resolved to tell Crush Boy how I felt about him. And it wasn’t just to say, “Hey, I like your shirt,” although he did have this one shirt that made his cute blue eyes sparkle. Yes, this was the real thing. True Love. I was sure of it, apparently, and I couldn’t live another day without telling him. He had no idea how I felt, but things would be different by the end of the school year. The year rolled by, and I continued to turn into a blubbering idiot every time he came my way. So I didn’t say anything. And I didn’t say anything. And I didn’t say anything, still, until 2009, when So About What I Said sort of, well, did all the talking for me.

These resolutions aren’t exactly the stuff self-help books are made of, are they? And then, maybe by some sort of divine magic, I began seeing a trend on Facebook last week. Instead of making resolutions that you’ll forget as soon as the last of the Christmas ornaments are packed away for the year, people were choosing a “special keyword” for the year. It could be “organization,” like the word my mom chose. It could be “simplify,” if you’re looking to pare down your life and get back to basics. Or, it could be “calm,” if you want to add more quiet moments to your day and eliminate unnecessary stress.

The key here (no pun intended…) is to choose a word that will give you inspiration all year long — one that will guide you in how you make changes and how you live your life for the next 365 days. There has to be something that will truly benefit your life. Think outside the box and work hard to find what it is. Giving a voice to your keyword is the first step of the journey. The journey is magical, and maybe your life isn’t in need of the vast makeover you’ve artfully devised. I once thought that New Year’s resolutions are our feeble attempts to rewrite the past. In 2015, I see them as simply a good way to write your future and have a say in how your life turns out. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. This can be your year. I challenge you to look at this year as a blank book. The fresh, crisp pages are white as snow, not yet littered with ink. They’re just waiting for you to begin the story and the journey. You’re in charge of writing the book of your life. Don’t you want it to have a happy ending?

So, friends, what’s your keyword for the year? Is it similar to last year’s? How will you work on the keyword throughout the year? Let’s get inspired, shall we? xoxo


P.S. See my keyword in the comments! :)

[Photos via We Heart It]

Wise Words From Readers: On favorite books…

Books are magical, aren’t they? Maybe magical is even an understatement. I mean, think about it. From the time we learn to read, usually a Dr. Seuss tale about cats or green eggs, we let books take us on fantastical journeys to faraway places. Outer space. The wild west. The future. It seems we all have our favorite book, and are quite passionate about said favorite…

*The Harry Potter series. When I was a kid, my mother took me to the bookstore, determined to turn me into a reader. We came home with The Sorcerer’s Stone. She read the first two chapters to me and then I tackled the rest. It took me MONTHS to finish it, but I was completely enthralled by it. I remember reading chapter twelve, where Harry Potter sees his parents in the Mirror of Erised, and how it left my insides rustling. I bolted down the stairs to my mother, the smartest woman in the world, the woman who understood all things, could explain all things, and asking her what was wrong with me.

“I read this chapter,” I said, “and now my heart feels funny.”

My mother peered up at me from the couch. A smile softened her face. “Oh, it’s okay, sweetie. Books do that to you sometimes.”

So, I kept reading.

I didn’t realize it then, but that was the first time I actually felt something for a character in a book. It was the first time writing left a physical impact. Later, when I read The Chamber of Secrets, I realized this entire world of magic, places and characters was made out of words, and I wanted to do the same thing. So, I did. I wrote a 300 page book by hand when I was eleven years old, and then I realized I was wired for this. I’ve been doing it ever since.

*The Little Prince — Super explanations on the beautiful simplicity of life, joy, friendship and death. Loved it as a child; love it more as an adult.

*I like all murder mysteries!

*A Rose In Winter. Very well written.

I have two favorite books, though one is a play. I remember reading The Catcher In The Rye in junior high and falling in love with Holden, the James Dean-esque rebel who becomes disillusioned with phonies as he tries to find himself. I don’t think anyone at that age could read the book and not identify with Holden — even if it’s only a little bit. Another one of my favorites is Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie. The story mirrored my family, almost eerily so, and I remember reading the play in one sitting and being just a wee bit spooked when I finished. It’s weird when books have that sort of power, isn’t it? Anyway, here’s next week’s question…

What’s your favorite holiday family tradition? Why does it stand out in your mind?

Visit So About What I Said on Facebook and Twitter to share your smarts — and don’t forget to use hashtag #WiseWordsFromReaders. See you there, friends! :)

[Photos via We Heart It]

Wise Words From Readers: On beating the winter blues…

When the temperatures drop (brrrr!) and it starts getting dark at 4:30pm (ugh!), it’s easy for those winter blues to sneak up on you. Our bodies just seem better hard-wired for sunny, warm weather, so those cold ones can feel like they drag on forever! The trick, though, is to add your own brand of sunshine and happiness — you know, really find those things that make you smile and will make the winter go by even faster. And you had NO trouble coming up with ideas this week, friends…

*Beating the winter blue, to me, means embracing it. I dislike cold weather, but I try to find things I love to do when it’s cold — movie marathons, reading a good book by the fire, drinking hot chocolate. Then it’s not so bad.

*Exercise! I was feeling pretty bad before I went to the y…Now, all better!

*Catching up on the DVR all weekend, warm and cozy fleece clothes, yummy coffees to warm up ! I leave a lamp on too so our house is never “dark” when it gets dark so early. Extra cuddles with the fur babies and put winter sweaters on them too.

*Good music, lots of natural light, cooking and cleaning and SHOPPING!

*Baking cookies with the Blake ladies!

*EAT!

Oh, I can definitely relate to eating lots of yummy food in the winter. We’ve been eating lots of baked potatoes lately. Also, I love sitting at the kitchen table and working on my blog while it’s snowing. There’s something so cozy about watching the falling snow — especially when you’re not out in it! And who can resist a TV marathon? We shamelessly love the Kardashians and House Hunters. Anyway, here’s next week’s question…

What’s your all-time favorite book and why?

Visit So About What I Said on Facebook and Twitter to share your smarts — and don’t forget to use hashtag #WiseWordsFromReaders. See you there, friends! :)


[Photos via We Heart It]

Wise Words From Readers: On time-traveling adventures…

I’ve always been fascinated with time. How different time periods are defined and remembered. How history is recorded and looked back on. How people actually lived through the Age of Disco — and are fully comfortable admitting they lived through it. Maybe that’s why I’ve come to be such a fan pop culture and love fantasizing about stealing Doc Brown’s DeLorean and heading back in time. And it turns out that you’d like to take a time-travel trip too, friends…

*The ’70s because I don’t remember much of the first go ’round!

*The ’50s. Not sure why. Simplicity?

*The ’70s — they seemed like fun.

*I’d probably like to be born in the late ’30s. For mostly the very shallow reason that I love the clothing in the ’40s and ’50s and would love to be young then, but also so I could see Woodstock and a lot of other shows.

*I’m glad I live now, to be honest. I could say a prior decade — but then, I’d not have all the advantages and technology and wisdom and experience I’ve gleaned from 7 decades of life. I’d miss my computer and smartphone and being able to access information so quickly — but most of all, the ability to communicate with people over long distances quickly and easily. I’d not be able to live as an independent woman without having to rely on someone to support me, as was the case in earlier decades. My mom’s generation, for example.

Hmmm, this is a tough one for me. I’ve always thought I was born in the wrong decade, like I was meant to be a ’50s girl or something. I love the innocence and promise of that decade, and of course, who can resist all the AMAZING fashion. Poodle skirts, anyone? But, here’s a mind-bending, Matrix question: Would my motorized wheelchair work in the ’50s? Surely they had these sorts of wheelchairs back then, right? Anyway, here’s next week’s question…

How do you beat the winter blues? What tips and tricks do you have?

Visit So About What I Said on Facebook and Twitter to share your smarts — and don’t forget to use hashtag #WiseWordsFromReaders. See you there, friends! :)


[Photos via We Heart It]

Wise Words From Readers: Oh, if I won the lottery…

Oh, it’s everyone’s favorite question: What would you do if you won the lottery? How would you spend the money? It can be a daunting question. You want to spend it wisely, sure, but part of you wants to buy your own mountain and name it after yourself — you know, a fantasy you’ve had since you were in elementary school. So you try to strike a balance, which is something I learned this week from you, friends…

*I’d pay off my son’s student loans, and put aside enough to pay for the rest of his college. My parents paid for my college education, and I’d like to be able to pay for his. I’ve paid for a lot of it, but not all of it yet.

*Pay the taxes on the winnings. Then make nice large gifts to my two children to use as they raise their children.

*Pay the bills, including the kids’ bills. Build a ranch house on some acres and build a huge year-round kennel for Bloodhound rescue. Donate to charity.

*Retire. To live happily ever after, of course!

So what would I do? I’d build my mom a house with an indoor pool like she’s always wanted, and I’d buy my family a beach house on the Alabama Gulf Coast, so we can go visit any time we want and remember all those good times we had there over the years. I’d also donate to suicide and mental health awareness. Oh, and I’d also get front-row tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. Anyway, here’s next week’s question…

If you could live in any decade or time period, which would you choose and why?

Visit So About What I Said on Facebook and Twitter to share your smarts — and don’t forget to use hashtag #WiseWordsFromReaders. See you there, friends! :)


[Photos via We Heart It]