I picked up this little tidbit of an idea from Christina Katz Productions, who picked it up from Ali Edwards and I can’t think of a better way to start 2010 than by the selection of a word for my focus of the year.

This word is supposed to be something I can think on — like a pre-workout picture — a reminder of my focus for the year. It should be a word that can last the entire year as well — not something symbolic of a particular season or point in time.

As Ali notes in her blog (link above — I recommend going there and reading how she came up with this idea 3 years ago!), this word is to be *my* word, not someone else’s. For this year, for this beginning, I choose the word …

“Me”

Now, you might think that’s awfully selfish of me! How and why would I choose a word that can mean nothing but something for myself?

Well, keep in mind that this is MY word — not anyone else’s and there is a very distinct reason for why I selected it.

Last year I realized many things about myself. Yeah, I do a lot for others, but I often fail to set boundaries for doing so. I spend time with my family, but often on a computer working or coming up with some new project. At the end of the year, I was at least 10 pounds heavier than I was early in the year. God forbid I add exercise to my routine! That would take away from everything else I want to do.

Well, this year, I have to think about ME more. I’ve already taken steps in my work to do so – I changed my company name to MY name. I’m an artist — photographic artist — why aren’t I doing more to show that? For 5 years, I’ve hidden myself under the cover of a business instead of showing off my work as an artist. This is for ME.

I’ve begun an extremely rigorous workout program that takes anywhere from 1-1.5 HOURS a day — every day. And I feel better than ever! It’s kicking my butt in a fantastic way. This is for ME but the benefit will also be to and for my family.

My time is my time. I give away my personal time regularly — or have. No more. I can’t afford to take more time away from my family to accommodate another family every single time. Sometimes, yes. Everytime? No. But I did that, all the time. I have to think of ME in my decision making process for when to work and when not to. Sometimes $$ isn’t as important as my sanity — or my family’s.

*Me* is important and I think I did a lot of forgetting that last year. Once I can focus on ME, then I can focus on others which is something else I love to do. Next year, once I have put some time into me and learned what I really want, I’ll refocus — and then it’ll be 2011. 🙂