I read the prompt for today when I first got up this morning; many words flooded my mind. How to describe 2010 in just one word? It's been a challenging year in some ways, professionally rewarding in others, and for me, emotionally, it's also been a very confusing year, with many highs and lows, times of joy, and times of stress. So, what I've decided upon for the one word that truly embodies and encapsulates 2010 for me is: CROSSROADS.
I feel, in many ways, that at 33, 4 years into my "official" academic career, with my first book coming out in June, and my first major curated show going up at the same time, and with many new and interesting lines on my CV, and interesting students to interact with every day, that I'm in a good place career-wise. But there's also something missing. This has been a year of DOING, DOING, DOING, and when I get overwhelmed in the DOING, I lose my sense of groundedness, a characteristic at the core of my very being. For awhile in October, the few weeks of questioning everything about what I do, I nearly lost the groundedness completely, but it's coming back, slowly. I'm back to yoga--I have a wonderful new teacher who really emphasizes mindfulness and restorative poses. I'm back to acupuncture, which balances me. Three days ago, I went back to being a vegetarian [I already feel better] and I'm making a pledge to listen to my body more, to work towards restoration and not burn out. So the word for 2011, then, what I'm going to try and manifest, is RESTORATIVE.
I'm going to cultivate groundedness, seek it out. And I'm going to need help, and reminders, and support.
[I took this picture at the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine in October. I took a day for myself, went and walked around, and visited the Shaker community, one of the most peaceful and restorative places I know. I need to do more of this].
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