“Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.”
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
Mished up’s post reminded me about the word of the year!
In 2014 my word was Acceptance. I had quit drinking on December 1, 2013 and the start of 2014 proved extremely distressing. I was so uncertain about everything. Should I stay sober? Should I try antidepressants? Should I take yoga teacher training? Everything was so hard. I decided I just needed to stop questioning and accept things as they were. Sober. Strange. Confusing. Better.
In 2015 my word has been Love. When I picked it I thought perhaps it would be my word from then on. I believe Love is everything. That through love we find ourselves and our connection to others. It has softened and supported me through the year.
But, for 2016, Faith has come up and can’t be ignored. I have carried the opening quote around, reading it to various yoga classes, since 2014.
The Gifts of Imperfection is my personal bible. It got me through early sobriety and the art journal course Brene Brown did with Oprah changed my life. My journal is one of most precious possessions. It started me on the road to unconditional self acceptance. I look at each page and I remember how much I have grown in the past 2 years.
So, my word for 2016 is Faith. Faith in myself. Faith to sit with what I believe. To stop seeking outside myself and, as Rumi wrote, to listen to the teaching of my soul.
I am excited to see what Faith brings me and I continue to hold on to Acceptance and Love.
Stillness and Peace,
Anne
“I have been a seeker and I still am.
Rumi
ainsobriety 
Beautiful, Anne! I love the way the words string together, too.
I agree Anne. That is beautiful. Faith is beautiful.xx
I love this post! stunning. What a fabulous idea, thankyou.
oh man!
that is gorgeous…faith!
i love it anne….
how great will it be to watch that play out this year!
xoxo
I love the Rumi quote at the end Anne. In fact I love all of it. Thanks so much for the words of wisdom you send my way. One day I may be able to return true favour xxx
Me too Anne! Love the Rumi – thank you 🙂 xx
Lovely post Anne. A great choice of word. Faith. I’m so happy for you.
Noddy. X
Wonderful. I wasn’t familiar with the word of the year concept until I read a few other bogs. I’ll have to ponder it. I’m reading the Brene Brown book now.
“Faith”. I love it. There’s a whole world wrapped up in that one little word. I look forward to reading your reflections and thoughts in this upcoming year.
Jenn
Hi Anne!
That is a wonderful word!
I am hoping to learn more from you, as I am still stuck in fear of moving on in retirement.
Maybe stuck can be my word!
Just Kidding!!
xo
Wendy
This is great. And I’m loving that Brene Brown quote. Thanks for sharing!
Your post is so moving and hopeful and perfect. Thank you for opening me up your wise and beautiful words. Granny xoxo
What a beautiful post Anne. Faith is a powerful word. I love it. I’m just trying to decide if I need to have acceptance in order to truly have faith or if I need faith before finding true acceptance. And love? I have plenty of love for others, I just have to find more for myself.
I love the concept of a word of the year. Maybe I will do one for 2016. A x
You know, I think I am going to pick Acceptance as my word for 2016. I need to accept so many things and thoughts and ways. I need to accept myself.
Beautiful and inspiring post.
Acceptance is a good word. It allows me to be ok with how things were, in that moment.
I think you will like it.
The play between the words faith, love, and acceptance is so intricate and elegant. It always seems to me that love feeds faith and acceptance, and together the three reinforce each other in a continuous dance. I do think that it all starts with love, and that is what enables us to have faith. Thank you for giving me something beautiful to ponder tonight. I’m feeling more wholehearted just reflecting on your post. 🙂
For me, I think acceptance was a good start because it meant finding a way to be ok with how things are. Not to like it, but to stop fighting it.
Love came aft as it took time for me to practice being nice to myself before I could even begin to love myself. I definitely had no love for me back then.
But I do now. Real, compassionate love that changes my view of the world. Having faith that that view is right for me seems like a necessary next step.
Yes! ❤️❤️❤️ I completely agree.
P.S. I’m so inspired by the fact that you’re a yoga instructor. I keep thinking it’s something I would like to do “some day,” but I tell myself that it is a big time commitment, the classes are expensive, and I’m not “good enough.” Knowing that you went through the training and are an instructor is really encouraging.
I never expected to reach. I also have that it good enough voice.
But a class appeared and desperately wanted a teacher and so I took the risk.
It has probably helped me move forward the most.
If you feel the calling, do it. The world needs more teachers who truly understand the struggles and that joys of recovery.
I just love this, Anne. So beautiful and inspiring. So peaceful. And I want to find the Brene Brown/Oprah art journal class now!
Do! It’s excellent and fun!
how interesting reading your sobriety journey through words, imagining them as carved into smooth rocks along the path…. I wonder if it would be possible for me to have my word carved into a smooth stone, so that I could carry it in my coat pocket, touch it for reassurance that all was well and all would continue to be well?
I read somewhere that the first year is about physical sobriety, the second about emotional sobriety, and the third about spiritual sobriety. without at all wishing to pigeonhole you, that fits so well with your succession of the words of acceptance, love and faith… sending you best wishes for the New Year and your new word! Prim xx
I think a stone would be a great idea.
The nice thing about words like love and even faith is you can find them on tee shirts, etc.
It does fit so well! That is an interesting concept. I’m going to do some research! Lol
I always have a book…
Thank tou!
Love this. Sorry I missed a shout out for your two years. So hear me shriek WAY TO GO, Congrats, a job well done.
Sharon
Thank you!
Ah Anne, everything you write inspires me so much. I’m very very tempted to buy myself the art journaling on demand course for Christmas. 🙂 Thank you for this. I know what my word for 2016 will be, after reading your post. It hit me like a lightning bolt while I was reading your words. Much love to you…<3
The course is lovely. Brene is funny. And just so real.
Yes, I’m playing this year with the question, what would it mean to trust God? Really and truly. When I think about it I realize it would change absolutely everything. So I’m playing with that question as I go into the New Year, and my third year of sobriety (I’m literally a month behind you – celebrating three years tonight!)
You are ahead of me! I just celebrated 2 years!
Congratulations!!