In the meantime, I figured a great place to start posting again would be to pick my keyword for the year. For those keeping score at home, this is keyword #4.

Why Keywords?

I call them keywords because a keyword is connected to other words and other ideas. When you search using a keyword, you get a range of results that are all connected to the keyword. When I pick my word for the year, I begin to notice occurrences and outcomes connected to my word.

I don’t think the keyword creates these outcomes; for me, keywords work kind of like my vision board. I work to be thoughtful and conscientious when I am picking my word, but after that … I don’t really do anything with it. It is just there, running in the background, helping draw my attention and point me in the right directions.

Picking a Keyword

I usually “try on” a number of words before I find the right one for the year. It is like finding something on the rack in the store and then going to the dressing room to see if it fits.

Oh. That word’s too much. That one’s too small. That word would look better on someone else.

And, of course, sometimes I have to separate the word I want from the word I need.

The year after I graduated from music school, I really (REALLY) wanted to pick WEALTH as my word. But the more I thought about it, the more I could sense that the WEALTH was too much. (Not always — to be clear, I am not asking wealth to stay way.)

But, picking wealth that year would have been a set up. I was in too much transition to create wealth. Plus, focusing on wealth would have caused me to forgo some of the exploring I needed to do in order to find my voice as an artist. I chose the DISCIPLINE as my keyword that year to help me build the routines and systems I would need to develop my music career.

My keyword for 2011 was EMBODY. I started the year on the other side of the world at a loss as to how to integrate what I was learning about vocal improvisation (and myself! *smile*) with “the rest” of my music career. I knew I needed to figure out how to bring improv into my performances (and my teaching!) in order to take my next steps.

I also had to get comfortable with the whole idea of being an artist. Believe you me, imagining and then bringing into being things no one else sees as your vocation takes some getting used to. (I also suspect it is a step on the path to wealth. *grin*)

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My keyword for 2012 is CREATE.

A tiny part of me was a little disappointed that it wasn’t a flashier or more unique word, but (as my friend M says) when I know, I know.

This coming year is a time to create things. I am not sure exactly what I will end up inventing — performances, CDs, singing groups, teaching aids, etc. — but it feels like the year for figuring it out.

Finding Your Own Keyword

Maybe you knew as soon as you started reading this post, what your keyword for 2012 would be. Maybe you still have no idea. (Maybe you think keywords, 2012 and me are all big dumby-heads. *smile*)

I tend to choose verbs for my keywords. (That’s just my personality: If I’m going to spend a year with a word, I guess I think it should do something. *grin*)

You can pick a noun, adjective, adverb, gerund … whatever. YOU are the person who knows where you next need to walk and what word should keep you company.

If you are struggling to pick just one word, try thinking about which word you want to try next. Picking a single word lets you experience the focus a single concept can bring. If it ends up being wrong, (wrong, wrong!), I promise you can change it. (And, hey, if you need two words — the keyword police aren’t going to show up at your door.)

One last idea.

If you just can’t find the right word, create one. (Hey, I invent words — songtaneous, singingly — all the time! *grin*)

My sister invented the word “attackle” last year. As in: “When I get home, I will attackle that.”

Maybe you want ATTACKLE 2012. Or IMPROVERATE it. Or GLIM-SHIMMER-SHINE in it.

It’s not the word really. It is the time spent cogitating on your word that creates traction for the new year.

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To help get your wheels turning, I have included some ideas below.

clarity, unpack, glean, do, share, give, healing, explore, vibrant, nurture, flow, decide, commit, simplify, shine, balance, embody, expand, change, generosity, prosperity, abundance, make, mastery, release, flourish, choose, allow, savor, enjoy, enliven, seeds, grow …

(I didn’t plan to have one. It actually kind of came about by accident. Some of my friends have them and then I had this empty bulletin board and before you know it …)

And, you know what?

It works.

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Since I hung up that empty bulletin board and started pinning things on it about two years ago, most of the stuff on it has come to pass in some way or another.

No one is more surprised than me. In fact, I am startled by how well it works.

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For example …

The yearlong improv class I just completed? On the board.

The concert I am performing at the end of this month? On the board.

My trip to Paris while I was in Europe?

(Well, see for yourself. *smile*)

Left: The Paris picture from my vision board. Right: the pic I took while in Paris (July 2011)

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To plan ahead, I took a look back.

I looked at some of my goals for 2009. And guess what?

I met almost all of them.

Yup. More readers, more Songtaneous events and more gigs in more places, more collaborating, more money … (That last one especially was a surprise. *smile*)

Actually, I have to confess that discovering I’d met any of my goals was a surprise because, unlike Chris over at the Art of Nonconformity suggests, I didn’t review my goals over the course of the year. I don’t recall actively thinking about them. I just wrote them down and went to work.

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Now I’ve known for many years that there’s power in writing things down. When I worked at the magazine, I would frequently create a master “do list” when I was feeling overwhelmed or we had a deadline approaching (and, let’s be honest, usually one of those situations was in play.)

There were no due dates or order to the list. Just a big old list of what I had to do in whatever order the tasks occurred to me.

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The only rule (which I don’t think I realized was a rule at the time *smile*) was that the list lived on one page. (Oh and routine things like check email didn’t make the list.)

And then this “do list” would sit on my desk somewhere and I’d occasionally reference it for what to do next.

But most of the time I didn’t.

Most of the time, the list worked it’s magic behind the scenes in my subconscious. I’d check back in a few days or weeks and realize that I’d finished a majority of the tasks on the list. Even better, I’d “discover” that quite a few of the remaining tasks were no longer relevant and could be crossed off the list.

See? Magic.

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(Alright, setting aside the magic theory for a moment,) here’s why I suspect this works for me.

1. Writing down the list of tasks buzzing around like angry bees in my head gives them a place to light and me a chance to rest.
2. In some subconscious way it helps me prioritize the tasks. (This might be priority based on energy I have available, not due date.)
3. It quantifies the amount of work. The number of tasks becomes concrete and therefore (somewhat) manageable AND
4. I can see the pile getting smaller.

As a finisher (someone who likes to finish things as opposed to start them), seeing the pile get smaller is hugely important. And gratifying.

(Yes, I know there’s another list in my future, but first I get to finish this one. *wink*)

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By the way …

My keyword for 2010 is Nourish. It conjures up fresh green growing things, waves on the shore, semi-audible music playing somewhere in the background and a relaxed and rejuvenated state of mind. (Yes, I’m suffering from the winter blahs, but it’s still a good keyword. *smile*)

How about you? Any themes, goals or resolutions you’re undertaking? Have you picked a theme or keyword for 2010?

Not to mention that as part of my vocal routine it strengthens and refines breath control and support. Most important — especially when the frazzled caffeine thing is happening — it takes about 2 minutes.

It has two parts … inhaling and exhaling. (*wink*)

Each exhalation is a count longer than the preceding inhalation. After each breath cycle you increase the count by 1.

Confused? Let’s walk through it.
(Hint: read through the instructions before trying it.)

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First, establish a steady beat (not too fast, not too slow, but juuussst right *smile*). You can tap your foot or snap your fingers or just hear the beat in your head.

1. Breathe in for 1 count (yup, it’s quick!)
2. Breathe out for 2 counts
3. Now, breathe in for 2 counts
4. Breathe out for 3 counts
5. Breathe in for 3 counts
6. Breathe out for 4 counts …

Got the idea? Continue until your inhale count is around 14 and your exhale is 15.

I notice that at about 6 or 7, I have to change the way I’m breathing. I have to consciously slow the inhalation AND the exhalation. Slowing and deepening the breath calms the rest of me, too.

By 13 or 14, I’m calm, cool and collected.

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Thanks to everyone who showed up for the holiday show, we had a great time!
(Maybe you can tell? *smile*)

Spices: A Women's Ensemble celebrates the holidays.

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A funny thing happens when you write a blog … you spend a lot of time wandering the web. Meandering online helps me come up with ideas for blog posts. Another thing that inspires are the blogs I read.

In the last year, I’ve found a lot of valuable, interesting, funny and just downright bizarre stuff in cyberspace. A lot of it never grows up to be a Songtaneous blog post. This post includes a cornucopia of things I’ve come across during my virtual travels.

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Improv makes better communicators

I’m not sure how I found this article about the benefits of improvising for public speaking, but I think everyone should take a year of improv, too. *smile*

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Jazz Therapy

I’m a big believer in the restorative powers of music so I was all ears (eyes?) when I stumbled across this article about Jazzheimers – a trio playing jazz to Alzheimer’s patients in San Fransisco facilities.

I especially like the tidbit about Louis Armstrong sending music to hospitals. (See? We knew he was hip.)

Two more sites about the healing properties of sound.

1. “Sound is one of the quickest, easiest and most effective ways of shifting stuff.” Amen, brother Fabeku, amen.
2. How singing is helping people with Parkinson’s disease.

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I’ve mentioned that I heart the Bepobified Blog, right? (And it’s not only because the calendar keeps me in the loop on all things jazz and cool-iful.)

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This article covers all the “crazy things people do with their voices” from breaking glasses to Inuit throat singing. (Better yet, there are videos.)

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“Be afraid, be very afraid.” *wink*

thereifixedit.com

This explains some things. *wicked grin*

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P.S. I just found out I’ll be facilitating some Songtaneous sessions at the Minnesota OUT! Campus Conference on McNally Smith campus next weekend (November 14 and 15!). Look for more details on the Events page in a couple of days.