I am not making resolutions this year. Instead, I am focusing on my word of the year: Vibrant. This word is also one of my core desired feelings for 2015, based on Danielle Laporte’s The Desire Map.

If resolutions work for you, fantastic! Carry on.

If you are open to a new approach, you could pick a word of the year. You also could try exploring some questions about your year.

What (or who) do you love?
I dearly love my family and friends. I also love silly jokes, witty wordplay, movies, kaleidoscopes, Spirograph, buttons, Lite Brite, candles, white lights, pretty dishes, cool mugs, great bags, cute comfortable clothing, colorful jewelry, flowers, music, gorgeous photography, books of all kinds, magazines, the Sunday New York Times, bubbles, soaking in warm water, delicious nourishing food, salted caramel, and fantastic dark chocolate. I’m also a sucker for cute packaging. I enjoy spending time in the marvelous outdoors, bookstores, restaurants, and recently, the gym. When I can combine some of my loves, I am deeply happy.

How can you have more of what you love (including more time with the people whom you love) in 2015?
Focus on what you love. While sometimes it’s painful to focus on an area where you feel lack, attention is magical.

What can you release so there is room for more of what you love?
You may be holding on to ideas or objects that no longer serve you. What would happen if you let them go? If you need help with decluttering (an ongoing process in our home), I’ve found lots of wisdom and encouragement from Ann Marie at White House, Black Shutters.

What tiny rituals can create space in your busy days?
A few of mine are beditation (meditating in bed before I begin my day), lighting a candle and sitting with it for a few minutes, making and drinking tea, drawing, writing, reading, playing Scrabble, sitting in the sauna and steam room, and snuggling with my daughter and husband.

[All words and images copyright Paula J. Kelly, unless otherwise credited.]