OLW 2016: Choose {SOL 1-5-16}

Here we are in a new year which means it's time to pick a new One Little Word (OLW).  I really liked my OLW from 2015 -- FLY.  It suited me well and had a huge impact on my year.

So I waited for my OLW to find me for 2016.

This past fall, Ruth Ayres wrote a post in her weekly Celebrate This Week link up about banishing the word 'should' from our lives.  That got me thinking about all the times I use the word 'should' in my internal dialogue.

I should drink more water.  I should exercise more.  I should do something other than just sit here and read.

Or the variation of should -- "shouldn't."

I shouldn't sit and read -- I have work to do.  I shouldn't spend time writing -- I have work to do.  I shouldn't buy another journal (even though I love it) -- I have journals at home I haven't used yet.

Once I made myself aware of how much I use these two words, I made a conscious effort to stop.

And that's when my OLW for 2016 found me.

CHOOSE.

This year, I will choose more.

I will choose to read.  I will choose to write.  I will choose to buy another journal.  I will choose to spend an hour napping on the patio.  I will choose to read along with my students.  I will choose which projects I take on.  I will choose to make a delicious dessert.

I will choose.