The Word for 2014 - UNDRAMATIC



Okay, I was seriously torn between a couple of words that I wanted to focus on. I really felt like last year's word, DELIBERATE, was a good one for me. I thought about the word and put it to use as I made some important decisions about my family, this blog, and the direction I wanted to go with my writing. I'm hoping to have this year's word have an equally "dramatic" impact. (just a little joke)

Some words that define DRAMA: incident, scene, spectacle, crisis, disturbance, commotion, turmoil.

Okay, I know there are some positive definitions for the word drama, but as far as my word of the year, I'm using the above words. And since my word is the uneloquent sounding UNDRAMATIC, I'll tell you some of the words I found defining the word.

UNDRAMATIC: Boring, natural, unaffected.

And this is why I want to focus on this word.

I have discovered lately that when it comes to my family and my associations with other people, I want our dealings to be undramatic. I believe drama in marriages, sibling relationships, friendships and business relationships is unhealthy. Perhaps even of the devil. It sounds like I'm being overly dramatic about the word, but I have witnessed (and been involved in) dramatic relationship situations lately that have been frustrating and unhealthy. I've seen how drama can destroy friendships, can cause high blood pressure, can strain relationships and can cause serious frustration and hurt feelings. I've seen how drama feeds off itself and leads to more drama. I've seen how some people become addicted to drama and HAVE to have a crisis of some kind or they almost can't function.

And I don't want it in my life.

I want a marriage that from the outside looks boring. I want to react to difficult situations in a genuine, unaffected way. I don't want to be rushed and panicked. I want to be calm and cool and even-tempered. I don't want to see the huge, glaring flaws in those around me. I want to see people's goodness and their hearts. I don't want to be involved in the gossip that inevitably comes with drama. I want to be kind and patient. I don't want to feel the stress that comes with drama. I want to feel peace.

I want to stew less and smile more.

I want to steer clear of the drama. I want to minimize the effect of drama addicts on my life. I want to be an undramatic, stabilizing influence on those around me.

So my word for 2014 is UNDRAMATIC. I'm going to spend the year trying to make the only drama in my life be the drama I write in my books.

Happy New Year!