Good morning from Minnesota. *Yawns. Stretches.*
I am starting to feel that my word for the year “Experience” has a bad rap.
When looking up inspirational messages for my word, I am finding that often experience is connected negatively. Exhibit A:
Really Oscar Wilde? REALLY?
I was actually surprised as I dug more into the word. My 2016 word COURAGE was so inspirational and strong. My 2017 word SHINE followed suit and everywhere you looked positive things were said in regards to SHINE.
So what is up with Experience?
I don’t see it this way.
Experience is not something you get when something bad happens. Well – it sure can be, but that is not what the word is to me. I was thinking way more positively. EXPERIENCE is moving forward and EXPERIENCING what this world/life has to offer. Doing something new, EXPERIENCING an event, a taste, a challenge, an accomplishment. It is getting up, getting out, and moving in a positive direction.
I plan to run my 1st half marathon in July of this year. That is an experience I am excited for. I am signed up to do RAGBRAI, a 7 day bike ride across Iowa. THAT is an experience.
I am not saying my year will be all sunshine and lollipops. Of all people, I know better than that. I also know that some experiences would be ones I would have rather passed on if given the choice. There may be painful experiences ahead – but guess what? The year of Courage and Shine also had their moments.
Thank you Emily. I have always liked you.
When I looked at the lists of words that are suggested for your One Word of the year, Experience does not even make the list. I kind of like that. I have always been an outside the box kind of girl and I kind of like the thought of turning Experiences reputation and the way we think of it around.
Challenge accepted.
If I can keep up with my own ambitions (ha ha … always a challenge) I will share with you here the experiences of each day… come what may –
It will be an EXPERIENCE.
January 1st… ran a 10k in 20- zero weather in St Paul Minnesota… Experience was: COLD, Invigorating, Inspirational… great way to start the New Year
January 2nd: Started a new position with a company I so enjoy working with. My friends had their baby, a little earlier than expected – but he is beautiful and he is a fighter. I received a lovely gift in the mail… a Gryffindor scarf (HOW have I not already had one of these?) And a beautiful copy of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Something I have never read, but would like to.
Experience was: Excitement, Joy, and a little sadness too mixed in as milestones and holidays tend to do that to me.
How are you? If you chose a word this year, how is it working for you these first few days? How are you implementing it in your life?
Book Journey 
Vampire Chronicles? REALLY? You’ve never read it? You are in for a real treat. Enjoy. Anne Rice will teach you sooooo much
I have always wanted to try her, just for whatever reason I never did
I love your take on your word ‘experience’. I think that 2018 will be a learning, positive, reflective, new, challenging, blessed, amazing ‘experience’ for you. And for all of us. I am still using ‘breathe’ as my word for the year. Year 2 on it. I’m ‘breathing’ my way through issues, challenges, walks, anger, joy, and annoyances.
Thank you Kay. That is my hopes for experience.. come what may I fully feel experience it.
Well, you certainly get experiences with running, so I think it’s a great word! I can think of several I’ve had and they’ve all been worthwhile, to be honest! Good luck with your half and with your year of experience!
Thanks Liz, the words always tend to work as long as you implement them. I use experience every day – even trying to write down each evening what the experience of the day was 🙂
Looks like a lovely book. I would have not leaned towards the negative on experience, but know that you will make it anything but! I’ve got two words that are won’t go away, so I am going to keep them both.
LOL I like that Nise’ – two words. Make it your own!
Good post, Sheila. Makes me think about the word.
Right? Words are so fluent and changing…
The vampire Chronicles was a very interesting in spellbinding series. Thank you so much for the push I need to start the next experience😍
Thanks Don 🙂
Experience is a great word for the year! You want to experience life, not just watch it go by.
Exactly Helen. I think often in this life we forget to open our eyes and really see that each day brings something to it – it may seem like the same routine but it certainly does not have to be. I find that every day I learn, or I feel, and I definitely experience.
I am all for turning a word on its end and making it work for me in a positive way. Go, Girl! I love that scarf!
I love it so much too 🙂 I have wore it out like three times now.
Gosh Oscar Wilde cracks me up so much. 😀 And WOW that picture of you with the ice on you!!! That IS an experience. Congrats!
LOL right? Messing with my word! Yes the Polar Dash this year was quite the way to kick off experience… I felt as thought I was turning into a snowman.
Sheila, you put a positive spin on Experience, so it’s certainly a great choice! 🙂 (I have not chosen a single word yet…)
Love the pics! Stay warm!
Thank you Suko, I agree. It is my word – we will do fine together 😉
You’ve never read “The Vampire Chronicles”???
Love your word choice and can’t wait to be a part of some experiences!! 🙂
No… I know.. I have never read it. EEP. And yes… EXPERIENCE awaits us my friend…. you know how I like to share them 😉
My word is still a holdover of Silence because I have a hard time being quiet when people say senseless, stupid things or when I disagree. It has been my word for 3 years and it has helped a lot. But I am leaning towards Understanding as I want to graduate from Silence successfully so we will see how the transition goes. I agree with you about Experience. It has both ends of the rainbow on it.
I love that.. both ends of the rainbow… I have discovered that most of my words have.. and I think they almost need to.
I never thought of experience as a negative thing. Interesting how things can be interpreted! Good luck experiencing life this year. 🙂
Yes I was surprised when I tried to look up motivational messages and they all had this twist on them. I was like – No, No , no….
I like the word experience. It’s a noun and a verb and it gets so easy to get lost in mindless doing or doing nothing that we forget to experience what’s going on around us. I chose the word Act for this year and am reminding myself to act on all the things I think I should do or want to do or think sound like fun!
Love the word Act! Such a good choice!
yes, i did–hope. so far, so good.
Hope is a wonderful word. 🙂
Hi Sheila. The words that I have chosen for the year are: Celebrate Recovery. I found a definition online that I know will help me along the way.Celebrate–publicly acknowledge with a social gathering. Recovery– the action or process regaining possession or control of something stolen. Its a new year to celebrate and recover all that was lost.
Wonderful words! Use them to the fullest 🙂
It’s odd that all of the quotes portray experience as a negative when I’ve always thought of experience as being one of the benefits of growing older.