While laying in the grass on a wet towel on a breezy day at the pool this summer, I wrote the above words on a fresh page in my journal. My mom was watching my daughter so I could have a few hours to myself, to stop, slow, think, breathe and be quiet. On that fresh, unblemished journal page, these are the words that poured forth.

When I wrote them, there were still four whole months left in 2012, and I thought that "change" was the most important word of the two, as you see I scrawled it in all caps. But through the last several months, I've come to learn that "EMBRACE" is the most important for me - the word that will hopefully define my life in 2013.

I love the idea of choosing one word to focus on throughout the year. Several of my favorite bloggers (like Sarah & Amanda to name a few) have done the same, and it's inspired me to choose my "one word" for 2013.

Here are some of the dictionary's definitions of embrace:

to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea
to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity
to take in with the eye or the mind

Yup, all of those. I'm in. So here's what I'm thinking...

Now, where do I start? Embracing who I really am is a big one. You see, at age 35, I've just had a huge epiphany - I am a different than who I thought I was. I have an entire post on this coming soon, so let's just say this: I'm still an introvert. But after living in this skin for thirty-five years, it's like I'm meeting myself for the first time.

Yes, this year is about embracing. I love the way blogger Sarah Bessey says it:

Let me be fearless about aging. Let me welcome each day, each year, as a friend and own them as a gift. Let me welcome the changes in my body and in my opinions.

And this goodness from Psalm 27:1 in The Message: