my one word ’23 {b}

I told you last week how I’m kind of excited for My One Word…Ask. Here’s a bit about how I came to it.

(I love hearing how people and words make their match.)

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For a minute or two last fall, I thought my word would be be Wonder.

Or Curious.

There are so many things I wonder about! But I tuck them shove them aside in favor of what I’m supposed to do…trying to do…need to get done.

How far are The Poconos are from here? What do 20,000 daffodils look like? Why does mechanical pencil lead always give me trouble? When do the salmon start running? Is the universe trying to teach me a lesson about rescuing my kids? Is there enough interest for a Braver Angels WNY chapter? Is it hard to install exterior electrical outlets on a brick house? What is the budget for repairs to our library’s building and grounds? What was the name of Jason Bateman’s sitcom in the ’80s? What am I waiting for? What does ‘setting a screen’ in basketball mean, exactly? Do they sell leeks at Tops? What if I really sit with Mary Oliver’s ‘Journey’? And with David Whyte? Does our patio get enough sun for tomatoes? I wonder if there’s interest at CHQ for a winter One Word workshop? Could we move a wall in the cottage ourselves? Does my walk across Liechtenstein look realistic yet? How much distance is one league?

Around that time–last fall–I read Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’m first to admit it’s not my favorite on the subject. (It was fine.) (Just not really…me.) I kept at it, though. It was short, and you never know what gem might be hiding.

There were two, turns out: One is about habits + environment (good stuff! I’ll come back to it). The second is —

motion vs. action

There’s a difference, he explained, between being in motion and taking action.

Being in motion = planning/strategizing/learning

Taking action = what you *do* with those plans.

Think of it as reading healthy cookbooks (motion) versus actually preparing and eating a healthy meal (action).

I am so! good! at being in motion! Heck, I’m in motion all day long. But taking actual action…? Not as much.

Now, to give myself credit, it’s not the case with everything. Not close. But there are…I’d say…key categories where it’s definitely-very-much the case.

So, while I thought how dreamy it’d be to Wonder, explore Curiosity for the year, Clear’s message was on my mind. I reread my notes from the book and it clicked:

Don’t just wonder. Exercise your curiosity and *ASK*.

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I’m excited to explore. I wonder where asking might take me?