Learn. Lead. Sparkle.: Create. Capture. Share. #oneword

I have a love/hate relationship with goals. I love setting them and having something to strive for. I hate not meeting them. Most goals are easy to measure-- like my Goodreads goal to read 40 books-- you either meet it or you don't. Choosing one word to inspire me all year feels a little like having a goal, but it's SO hard to measure. My word last year was joy, (and the years before that less and more) and I can say without a doubt that joy, my one word, was on my mind all year, even when I didn't feel joyful. That word powered everything from what I wore (what made me feel happy and beautiful) to how I chose to spend my time. I said no to things that did not bring me joy, and said yes to a new job in a new school and district that is filled with joy! Even my no-freeway commute across Folsom Lake brings me joy.

And so, maybe the point of choosing one word isn't really about 'making' a goal, but rather being mindful of that word in my personal and professional life all year.

On choosing MY word...
My one word for 2018 has been knocking gently on my door the last few months, whispering in my ear, "here I am!" It feels like both a gift and a challenge. To create. To capture. To share.

Create.

This year, I'm looking forward to creating moments in my personal life and in my work. Personally, I can't wait for more date nights and quality time with my husband. My oldest daughter's wedding in July, and the college graduation of my youngest daughter in May. I can't wait for more walks to take in some sunshine or to see a beautiful view. At work, I'm excited to create moments for students and our staff. Even little moments matter-- I was reminded of this by a first grader on our last day before break. She said, "My mom said today we're having a dance party!" and I realized that it was in fact Friday and I had forgotten to bring out the disco ball speaker like I do every Friday. Although I had forgotten, she hadn't. From that very first Friday lunch dance party in September when she drew me a picture and gave it to me, that moment which seemed small wasn't at all.

In 2018, we are working hard as a school to think about how we can create moments for our students, everything from learning experiences to field trips to transforming classrooms. I have loved trying this out as a school leader by trying to create moments in staff meetings -- like the one meeting I tried transforming our meeting into a VIP lounge including jazz music and student bouncers checking in our teachers at the door.

I also tried creating little moments in December (this can seem like the longest month of the year!) with an elf scavenger hunt and 12 days of cheer, and I found that even the planning and organizing the little moments made me happy!

Capture and Share.

I always have my phone with me and I love taking pictures to capture moments! Everything from a beautiful view, to my dogs, to the stack of books I want to read, I take pictures all the time! I do a decent job of capturing moments, and I need to do a MUCH better job of sharing. I'm always amazed at what I find in my camera roll at the end of the week and this year I want to share more of the moments I capture through blogging and tweeting. For some reason I have gotten behind on both fronts and I look forward to sharing more this year.

Happy New Year! I wish you a year filled with moments and a year you will never forget!