One of my best friends – I’ll call her E – and I met when we both were transplanted to Pittsburgh and very probably originally connected online via Twitter. She brings youth to my “old lady” perspective and in a lot of ways we couldn’t be more different. And that is exactly why, I believe, that we connected so strongly and why – even after both relocating to new cities – we are still friends today.
Her response when I requested my word via text was: Fiery.
Now, when requesting my word, I didn’t prompt for reasons or provoke with any follow-up questions, I just sat with the word and reflected on why this important person in my life would describe me as such. I LOVE THIS WORD. And I feel it is a clear descriptor of my tenacity to keep moving, to question everything, and do such with passion. I really, really hope it’s not because of my Irish temper or my hair reverting back to a childhood tint of red, which I spend hundreds of dollars per year trying to reject… my Irish roots, I mean, my hair.
What?!
I consulted the thesaurus to give more dimension to my word: combustible (last I checked, I was not literally on fire; though I like to figuratively burn things down), passionate (yep, me!), excitable (very much), and intense (not emotionally intense, but strong in my opinions and often too serious). E and I also ended up working together in Pittsburgh, and had the extreme joy at being able to plan her wedding shower. She was around when I was fired up to go back to school in my 30s to finish my undergrad and my seemingly-endless efforts to find a marketing & communications job (which took me THREE YEARS). She knows how intensely passionate I get about personal causes and principles. She has also probably been exhausted by my excitability. 🙂
How I plan to use this word in the future: I think sometimes we all can lose sight of why we do something – or why we started something. Reflecting on what fires me up – or makes me fiery – will help tie my projects and goals back to my passions and purpose. I need to keep perspective on what originally got me excited to pursue something in the first place and be OK changing my goals if my fire burns out. Also, maybe, not burn things down so much?
BE LIKE THE SRIRACHA KETCHUP.
What is the One Word Project? I asked some people in my life to describe me/sum me up in one word to explore areas of strengths and for personal/professional development. I plan to make this part of a regular (and evolving) series and will continue to ask those around me to participate.