Word of the Year 2016: Accommodate

Word of the Year 2016

Making room for more of what I want and who I want in my life, cleaning up the mess, cleaning out the mess, becoming who I want to be… all of these thoughts have been easing their way into my thoughts over the past couple of months as 2015 began closing down shop and 2016 begged me for a word on which to focus.

I could not find my word even with all of these thoughts though since they are all phrases I couldn't seem to find a way to narrow down. There is really one situation that put me on the direct path to finding this word.

I had been beside myself upset about how things have been going for me personally; I was standing in my bedroom intermittently pacing and crying and talking to myself (sounds sorta nuts when I type it all out like this—don't mind me) and praying aloud to God, wondering and pondering and hurting, thinking about the love I have in me and feeling like I'll never get what I need. And then I felt the answer come to me and almost heard the words: you aren't ready to receive what you want. My tears immediately stopped because I knew it was true. I am not ready. I wish I were, but I'm not. After that realization, I began looking around me, literally. I looked at my bed and dresser and the piled up after-Christmas stuff that was in the middle of my floor, and I knew I didn't have room enough to receive the gift I want most.

That is when all of my thoughts about making room for more came into focus, but I still hadn't found a single word to tie it all in with. And then, I went to my trusty Merriam-Webster Dictionary online and did some searching and found this:

What a perfect word accommodate is for all that I have been pondering. It is an active, strong word that does something valuable. I have been in great need of accommodation for quite a few years in all facets of my life, and people have provided it. Some of those people I don't even know. But this year, I hope to find ways myself to provide room for what I need. That does not mean that I will get all prideful and stop appreciating or even needing others for support. What I do mean though is I want to make a concerted effort to see where there is no room for what I know will offer happiness and joy and do something about it. I want to have room to receive someone and something more.

Joyful was the Word of the Year for 2015, and I have to say that finding this year's word truly put 2015 into sharp focus. I did have a joyful year. Planning things, going places, getting myself out of my sad corner every time my children were gone. Life changed in many wonderful ways. However joyful it was, that does not mean I had a year devoid of sadness. My summer was depressing, and I could hardly snap out of it. I don't believe I truly came out of it until November when vacation plans rolled around. Even still, the pure joy of family, friends, and reaching goals could not be overshadowed by anything. The sun seemed to warm me extra to keep me from getting lost on those terrible days. I truly never lost my focus on becoming more joyful.

I found joy in my children, music, shopping, writing, talking, cultivating friendship, making financial goals, sleeping, making life happen in good ways, and more. So much more. I looked for joy in everything and everyone. And I found it and loved it, captured it, and savored every second that I had it in my grasp.

With the ability to see the joy that permeates my life, I know I will be able to accommodate space for what I need in my life throughout this year. It will be done purposefully and joyfully.





Highlights of becoming more joyful this past year:

Lucky Stuff

Marvelous

Simplicity

Joy Now

My Glad Garden

I Feel Joy

The Big Prize



Last Year: Joyful