2016 word of the year

A few years ago I decided that I would choose a word at the start of each year to kind of guide me through the year that was to come.

In 2014, my word was embrace. What a perfect word it was with so much change that arose to embrace. 2015's word was intention. In specific, to live with intention. This word was also perfect, but also so challenging. I would like to say that I lived with intention all year long, but I know that I struggled. Life can be so complicated, with the hurt, anger, loss, sadness, and even happiness that we experience on a regular basis. Yet, what I can say is I lived with more intent than before and that is something.

Deciding my word for 2016 was challenging. There were several words I held in my mind, all great words with significant meaning, but none of them felt like the one. There were several moments I would believe I decided, and then seconds later think of another word that maybe fit just slightly better... and then it happened. I choose my word for the year.

With a fresh new year, comes the idea and promise of a clean slate, a new start, a chance to renew yourself.  The definitions of renew speak to me; "to make strong again", " to begin again especially with more force or enthusiasm". The extended definition had "to begin again" and "to make extensive changes".

What a perfect word. After all, is the whole point of a fresh new year to reNEW yourself?