My word for 2013 is stillness.
A dear friend of mine suggested that we check in with each other every week or two via email, to refocus on our chosen words. Sometimes I forget to check in but ever since we decided to do this little exercise I have found that I am able to maintain my focus, unlike other years when I've forgotten my word within days. Doing this with a friend has made all the difference. Even when it seems that all is chaos around me I am able to find moments of calm in my day. I am gathering stillness and it is affecting my art.
"Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence when you haven't the answer to a question you've been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak, or, most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and you're alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and all very beautiful if you listen carefully." - The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
"In the midst of movement and chaos,
keep stillness inside of you".
- Deepak Chopra
