2009 Word-of-the-Year: SHINE

Note: December is Word-of-the-Year Month at Christine’s Blog. As we roll into another New Year, each day will feature a new guest author who chose one word as a way of setting intention for her whole year. Today’s guest is Lori-Lyn Hurley. More about Lori-Lyn below.

When I chose the word Shine to guide my year, I wasn’t sure what it would bring into my life or even what I meant by it, but I knew it made me feel giddy just to say it. It also felt a little braggy. Who was I to shine? my inner gremlins wanted to know.

Previously, my focus had been on releasing what wasn’t working, de-cluttering my physical and emotional space, and giving up habits that no longer fed me. I was ready to move out from under all of that, and “Shine” felt like stepping into my own spotlight.

A little scary.

Slightly out of character.

But exciting.

All I did was affirm the word. I didn’t come up with a master plan about how to incorporate shininess into my life. I didn’t set a date by which I would be shiny. I just thought the word and wrote it and held it in my heart and the universe began to shift, bringing me into focus.

In February, I turned 40, and I decided to throw myself my own party.

A prom.

I rented a space, built an archway for photos and invited people to dress up in gowns and tuxes, brave the ice and snow, and dance the night away with me. I told my gremlins to shush and I made myself the center of attention – and people came and we did dance, and it was shiny in that room, for sure.

The word Shine gave me permission to feel beautiful and permission to be in control. I proceeded to effortlessly lose over 20 pounds, and as the image in the mirror became clearer and clearer, my voice sounded more and more like my own.

In May, I stopped eating meat and dairy. It was something I’d wanted to do for a long time, and suddenly, I knew I had the power. The change in my diet gave me more energy, better skin tone, shinier hair (yep), less physical discomfort and most of all, no inner conflict when I ate.

I never would have predicted in January that Shine would lead me to a vegan diet, but it sure did and soon after, it led me to regular massage therapy to deal with a chronic back issue. As I came into focus, I saw that I was worth taking care of, that my body was my temple, that there was nothing wrong with treating it well. I left my first massage appointment renewed and confident.

And with that, I stopped thinking of the word Shine as braggy and started thinking of it as claiming. When I claimed my life, when I slid over into the driver’s seat, when I spoke up, when I lived in keeping with my values, when I honored and loved myself – that was shiny.

Late in the summer, I took a leap and joined a marching band. It’s a community marching band formed to promote local businesses and I dance with the color guard – the hoop girls. I dress up in glittery outfits and perform routines in front of people. Long I had admired this band and wished that I could be a part of it and there I was in September, dressed up and marching in a parade. It was Shine that brought me there, Shine that let me do it.

Throughout the year, when I faced a decision, I chose to do the thing that lined up with my intention to shine. I finished a (very) rough draft of a novel, I traveled to Cleveland for a workshop, I accepted an offer to teach Reiki classes in my ideal space, I reached out to people I wanted to know better, I asserted myself one step at a time into the story of my own life and Shine was the beacon that guided me.

Those gremlins don’t have nearly as much to say here at the close of 2009. I’m happier, more streamlined, and a million times more willing to shine on.

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Lori-Lyn Hurley writes, practices Reiki, teaches workshops, spins a hula hoop and meditates with her pug. You can visit her at her website DREAM LIFE STUDIO or her blog THE DREAM LIFE.

Tagged as: christine kane, lori-lyn hurley, setting intention, word-of-the-year

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