2016-Breathe-Pink

Previous New Years have been filled with grand plans. With a lot of uncertainty looming ahead for 2016, I decided not to go crazy trying to plan, but I did give some thought to my word of the year. There is an online, inspirational, year-long art series that many mixed media artists take and one of the elements is to decide on one word that will represent what you want to focus on in the calendar year.

Due to time constraints, I am not taking the online course, but last year I did embrace the one word aspect of the course. Last year my word was "BE". It reminded me to just be me, do my own thing, not worry about judging myself or being judged or doing any judging. It reminded me that just existing is enough, reminded me to be calm.

After some thought, I settled on the word "BREATHE" for 2016. Breathing is usually overlooked. It is automatic and for the most part, involuntary. But the right kind of breathing can be calming and healing, so that is why I chose it. There are some things in my life that I can't control. The company I work for is undergoing a major restructuring. People are retiring, leaving for greener pastures, and wondering if they will be transferred or their jobs phased out. There are some family health issues that I have no control over. I just have to wait and see what happens for both these major issues.

What I CAN do is breathe. Of course I will do my best to eat right, exercise, get enough sleep and do art. But even if I feel I am exhausted or stressed, I will always have enough energy to breathe through it all.

As a secondary symbol for 2016, I chose the color pink to go with my word breathe. I love pink. It is girly and happy and pretty and hopeful, and the two seemed to go together. My first journal page of 2016 isn't the most fabulous art I have ever done. But, it served it's purpose...it got me rolling for 2016, it solidified my focus, and it is an expression of myself that was done to just let out feelings and emotion and thoughts and help me accept that not everything I do is beautiful or perfect, and that's okay.