#Reverb11: One Word

"Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you?" 

In the spirit of the movement, I am using last years Day 1 prompt from Gwen Bell for this year as well! As stated in my post yesterday, I have signed up for a handful of email opt-ins and am following a few bloggers who are doing a #Reverb project of their own. I will be picking and choosing the prompts that I feel best capture me, the place I currently am in life, and where I would like to progress towards. I feel my selection for today's prompt is the most appropriate.

Last year, while working on #Reverb10, I chose Adventurous as the word I wanted to capture 2011. I told myself that I would go places I'd never been, see things I'd never seen before, and accomplish tasks I would not normally have ever aspired to. Boy did I fall short!!! I still enjoyed the days, cherished the nights, and constantly relived the adventure that was in every day, but it was lackluster, unpleasant, and down right difficult! This whole year, I felt like every time I got a step up, I would fall three steps back. It was a year filled with great triumph, but also great failure. It was a year of struggling through obstacles I thought I had already overcome. So if I really had to pick a word that encapsulated 2011, it would have to be Challenging.

chal·leng·ing
(adjective)
1. offering a challenge; testing one's ability, endurance, etc
2. stimulating, interesting, and thought-provoking
3. provocative; intriguing

2011 was one of the most difficult, yet rewarding, years I've ever experienced. Throughout the year, Josh and I struggled with his job situation, due to the current economy. We struggled with multiple car issues (we are on Car #3 for the year!). At the end of October, Josh finally got the job that he needed all year. A Full-time, Monday-Friday, daytime, great paying job. However, that was short lived, and after 3 short weeks, they let him go. Financially, that was the last straw. The next day, I met with a lawyer and am currently in the process of completing a bankruptcy. It is not my finest moment, and it is something I am extremely embarrassed and ashamed to admit. But I know that I have tried everything in my power, for 8 plus years, to not fall into this situation, and that is what counts to me. All of this has brought about a lot of anger, frustration, and disappointment. But I'm still here! I'm still forging through with my life.

The good that happened this year came from my job. This year, I celebrated my first full year with my employer. It has been an amazing experience and as a bonus, I received an amazing raise from my employer this year (2 of them actually), that not only more than compensated for all the hard work I put in at my job, but also made me thankful for my job, and my bosses. My work is amazing and I love it every day!

As we finish up 2011, and as I start thinking ahead to 2012, its hard to narrow down the things I would like to achieve and where I would like to be at the end of next year. I find that when I try to make plans, I tend to either not follow through or just fail miserably. I'm trying to think of a word that could best capture how I would like to look back at 2012. The only word that keeps coming to me is Growth.

growth(noun)
1. a stage of development
2. an increase is size, number, significance, etc. 

I want to grow in 2012! Personally, emotionally, financially! I want my career to advance and to learn more skills to help grow within my company. I want to reflect on my own emotions and my feelings and work on the parts inside of me that are holding me back. I want to grow my relationship with my amazing boyfriend Josh and better prepare ourselves for an amazing future together. I hope at the end of next year, I can say that I have GROWN more than years prior!

Continue with me on this journey!! Check out my previous post with links to other #Reverb/#WEverb projects, and join the adventure!

Peace and Good JuJu to you,
Holly