Posts tagged oneword2024
2024 | The Year of Aces

I reflect on the year of Aces in the last hours of 2024 with open eyes.

I was ready for big moves, and honestly, in these last hours, I have no aces from this year left to play.
I played them all.

Carrying ace cards throughout the year has taught me that I am more gutsy and daring than I ever understood myself to be. They allowed me to consistently reevaluate my choices and look for the opening to make a new, brave, and bold move.

One of those moves was already set in motion before 2024 began, and I happily laid down the card when I was accepted into a master’s program in creative writing. But in truth, I continually remind myself of that card in every assignment and essay/chapter I write.

Another move was for my daughter. She changed directions in her educational journey when it became apparent that she would lose her confidence if she stayed where she was. It is a privileged choice, but one we don’t regret making.

The thing about Ace cards and the moves I made this year with them is that they are only pieces of paper, but their symbolism is a permission slip—perhaps the sly wink we need when we doubt.

Just days ago, someone I love said,

“Yes, you’re going to shake things up obviously, but I don’t think it will necessarily be viewed as reckless. I think it’s brave."

I admit the cards I played this year have set me on a trajectory I had no idea I was capable of. Given this, I will need to be more connected and anchored in my embodiment of myself and this life more grounded.
Above all the shifts, changes and opportunities, I am eternally thankful for the souls surrounding me and the air I breathe.

To play an ace is to live.

And this year, I have truly, deeply and evocatively lived.

Onwards,

Mid Year Reflections | 2024

Starting 2024 with a word like Ace felt like a power move that scared and excited me.

The 2020s have been notorious far for being wild and completely unhinged in what they have brought us, and yet - perhaps that was why I needed to plant my feet firmly on the ground and claim a word that I had already been secretly honing in on.

During the past six months, Ace has taught me…

Ask the Questions

If something doesn’t pass the smell test, you are right 99.9% of the time. Don’t question your concerns after seeing the proof.

Make Your Move

You move how you need to move for yourself and those you advocate for.

Stay Patient

While waiting for things to play out, stay quiet (only after you have made your move), humble, and patient.

Celebrate the Outcomes

When the outcome turns in your favour, celebrate. Your hard work deserves to be relished.

Rise to the Occasion

Hard work doesn’t end at the celebration point. Continue to rise to the occasion.



Looking back at January’s 2024 OneWord Post : A Year of Aces

The Ace Dare | How to Take The Dare

Get a stack of playing cards

Any set will do. If it’s fun for you, do research and take the time to find a set for your year that reflects your personal aesthetic or vision for the year. My set for 2024 was the Esoteric Playing Cards.

pull out the aces

Open the box and remove the aces, keeping them with you daily.

Meditate and reflect on goals, dreams, and risks you could take

Take time to journal, reflect and take stock of where you want to go - think big and small.

Quietly create a plan to reach a goal, take a risk, make progress on a dream

Create a reasonable and attainable plan within a year to reach a goal, outcome, or way to accomplish progress. Work quietly on this.

When you decide you’ve reached YOUR goal, took a risk, made progress on your dream…

Only you know what that end outcome is.

Leave an ace behind as a calling card.

Wherever you have accomplished a goal, dream, or risk - leave your ace behind. Take a picture. Hold a ceremony and celebrate the work you did to get you there.

JOIN / FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

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#playedmyace #playyourace #theacedare

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The Ace Dare