For the last few years, I’ve abandoned making resolutions, but have chosen to adopt a word of the year. For 2012, I chose compassion. Last year, my word was gratitude. For 2014, my word is laughter.
My inclination is to gravitate toward the more serious and intense. I enjoy deep conversations about life, love, struggle and sadness. Small talk is not my strong suit. This trait dictates that I will not fit in certain circles. For some time, this presented a source of conflict and unnecessary rumination, but now I realize my experiences dictate who I am. I accept that there is an undercurrent of discomfort that is a part of my internal fabric. This relates to my general restlessness, the pendulum that swings between sorrow and happiness, and the general apprehension I sense as time passes from one moment to the next. This inability to get completely comfortable creates a source of tension that prevents me from enjoying the present.
Really sinking into the present is a consistent battle. The anxiety that underlies this dilemma is a prevalent theme that courses through so much of my day. What I am looking for is a way to temper this side of my personality. For the last few weeks, I paid attention to moments when I felt full, present, and light. I realized, although this maybe obvious for most, that this feeling happens when I am laughing or surrounded by laughter. My daughter laughs with her whole body and the sounds of her belly laugh domino and land on my face. A smile emerges and in that single second I am immersed in this almost foreign, but good place. This is how I decided that my word of the year will focus on laughter.
As much as incorporating laughter into my day sounds so easy, I’ve realized that it takes work to really pay attention to those seconds that strike you as funny. I usually laugh at clips of stand-up comedy on You Tube, corny jokes by my husband, and my daughter’s revelations regarding her day at school. There is a release that blossoms with laughter. I think I underestimate its power. Not everything needs the edge of discontent.
Victor Borge once said that “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” It may also be the shortest distance to one’s self as well.
Here’s to laughter in 2014.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Hi Rudi! Happy year of laughter! I really appreciate the idea of picking one word to help represent what you want to experience for the year and laughter certainly has a light-hearted feel to it. This year I’ve been reading (and listening to) a lot of Law of Attraction stuff so I’m going with the word “vibration” to help me remember that EVERYTHING is a vibration and what I put out is always returned to me. Thanks for the reminder! ~Kathy
Kathy,
I like the idea of choosing vibration as your word of the year. It is all encompassing. I am a firm believer that energy offers the power to connect or repel. Here’s hoping your 2014 brings you the energy that you desire.
Here’s to a great one!
I hope you have a year filled with laughter 🙂
Thanks, Ayala. I am excited about choosing the word laughter because it will allow me to live in the present.
Laughter is a fabulous word. It’s good for the soul!
I have a word of the year, too! Mine is MINDFULNESS, which appeared in my life during my meditation research this last year. Basically, mindfulness means to wake up and look at your life with gentle appreciation, not judgement. It’s about savoring the NOW and making new decisions based on what adds happiness to your life. I met a great Mindfulness Meditation coach here in Cave Creek who leads bi-weekly community pep-talk/meditation sessions, and I’ve enjoyed that very much. Even Darin comes with me!
Cheers to you and the pursuit of LAUGHTER! I’d like to support your decision with an invitation to grab our hubbies and go to The Comedy Spot together one night 🙂
Windy
Mindfulness is a great word, Windy. It is a challenge to approach people and interactions without judgment. By employing the word mindful, you are actively reminding yourself that you are looking through the lens of appreciation instead of criticism.
I may attend one of those sessions too.
Yes, let’s make a date to go laugh! xoxo
Rudri, I love choosing a word for the year. I chose “Faithful” this year. I want to absorb being faithful into my whole life, not just my spiritual part. It’s a serious commitment and I intend to find ways to enhance it as I live a faithful life this year. Have a blessed day.
Welcome Vicki!
I like the word faithful as an approach to life. I think it is such an “open” word because it allows to be committed to the situation that you are in regardless of whether it is good, bad or indifferent. Have a great year of faithful!
I love to laugh! It’s a great word for the year. I chose Brave this year. Last year was Hope. (clicked through from SITS)
Brave and hope are such reflective words. I think they both offer so much promise and renewal. Thanks for sharing.
Rudri, so much of this resonates with me. I play Bunco once a month with 11 other women and this last month, I wondered if I’ll continue. There seems to be a them that the louder we get, the more fun we’re having and the more fun we are and I find myself sinking further and further from them as the evening wears on. I need to lighten up sometimes too. Last year my word was “twirl” and it was a joyful word, helping me to focus on just twirling, dancelike, arms outstretched to take it all in, the beauty, the laughter, the love, innocently, like a girl again. And recently, while listening to a mystic speak, she said there are 3 components or areas that are wise to cultivate – truth, compassion and laughter. I found it interesting that she included laughter. See how inspired you are? Wishing you giggles and belly laughs and rolling in the fun this year!
Barbara,
I am intrigued by your visit to the mystic and the reason why she chose those particular words.
I chose the word compassion as my word in 2012 and gratitude in 2013, but I wanted to lighten my life so I gravitated toward laughter this year. Twirl is a fantastic word because it captures the wonder of a child and I love the lens in which children view their life. It is so raw and full of love, but with an honesty that is refreshing.
Have you decided on a word for 2014? As always, a pleasure to hear from you. xoxo
Perfect!
Your words really resonated with me, Rudri. I was this way for a long, long time and I understand that underlying anxiety that is a part of every moment, even the happy ones. It was like I wouldn’t allow myself to lose myself in happiness, even for an afternoon or an evening or even a half hour. I always acted like I needed to be fully prepared for anything bad that could happen.
I think you are right to listen out for laughter, and to allow your daughter to influence you more. That is what I did. My husband and son are so opposite me in temperament. I have to credit them for making me a sunnier, happier person over the years. Watching them and being around them I’ve learned to live a bit more in the present, and a bit less in the past and future (both of which were filled with anxiety). It’ll come.