One Word for One Year

Themes are on my mind lately. I work with the teenage girls at church and we're working on getting things ready for our yearly theme for them (to see last year's super hero theme, click here). Em and I have started the "BAM! (Bust a Move!)" theme for Pisntrosity for 2014. My mom's theme for 2014 is "The Year of Bling" (to counteract 2013's year of blech). I decided I wanted a theme for myself for the year too, but I have had a hard time coming up with something. I've been going through my quotes I've collected, scriptures I've marked, things I've pinned to my Motivation and Anti-Depressant Pinterest boards, and a few days ago I finally hit on it. 

First though, let's see if you catch on (it really won't be that hard). I'll show you some of the Pinterest pins that stuck out to me as I've thought on this:

http://www.lds.org/manual/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-relief-society-declaration?lang=eng

I spent so much of last year angry, afraid, stressed, upset, and pessimistic. I didn't handle pregnancy very well mentally and emotionally. I nearly lost my mom. I felt a little lot lost and unsure. I focused on everything negative. I've battled depression my whole life. But, now, for the first time in years, I feel at peace with life. Yes, there are down times, frustrations, and worries still, but those won't ever go away in life. I am ready to find joy. I am ready to spread joy. I'm ready to choose joy. 

After I'd already made the decision that Joy will by my 2014 theme, I found this post about Lauren, from IamTHATLady.com, and her 2014 theme...which is also Joy! 

http://www.iamthatlady.com/my-one-word-for-2014-joy/

That post led me to yet another post about choosing one word for each year. It was perfect! They suggest to put a great deal of thought (and if you are religious a good deal of prayer) on selecting your word for the year. Once you've decided on your word, then get a notebook that is dedicated solely to that word. As you find tidbits in life through reading (be it fiction books, the newspaper, quotes, scriptures, etc.), speeches (religious or secular), conversations, etc., that fit your theme, add it to your notebook, along with your own thoughts. I picked up my Joy Journal this past Saturday and started writing in it yesterday. It's amazing how things about Joy jumped out at me because my mind was on the lookout for them. 

When I was in choir in college, we sang Joseph M. Martin's "The Awakening". I have always loved that song and what it has to say. On the surface the lyrics seem to just be about music, but to me it's always also been about life in general. "I dreamed a dream; a silent dream of a land not far away. Where no bird sang, no steeples rang, and teardrops fell like rain. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream. I dreamed a dream of a land so filled with pride that every song, both weak and strong, withered and died. I dreamed a dream. No hallelujah, not one hosanna! No song of love, no lullaby. And no choir sang to change the world. No pipers played, no dancers twirled. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream. Awake, awake! Awake, awake! Awake, awake my soul and sing! The time for praise has come. The silence of the night has passed, a new day has begun! Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Wherever emptiness is found let there by joy and glorious sound! Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Let all our voices join as one to praise the giver of the sun! Awake, awake! Let music live!" -The Awakening, by Joseph M. Martin. It's time for my soul to reawaken. 

2014 is my year of Joy.

Do you have a yearly theme? If you had to pick one word to focus on for the year, what would you pick?