My word for 2021 is shift. Like everyone I know, I’ve learned a lot, since this time last year. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that change and uncertainty just are. Since I’m not in control of much more than which yoga pants, Zoom-appropriate top, and slippers I’ll wear each day, I needed to figure out how I could deal with all the change and uncertainty. That’s where shifting comes in.

For me, shifts involve acceptance and adjustment. I know I don’t have much control, but I have unlimited choices. I can shift. 

Some of my recent shifts have been pretty significant. Some have been tiny. Some haven’t happened, yet. And I’m sure I’ll make a lot of shifts I can’t even imagine.

A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, or earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos typically consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements. They generally form within sedimentary rock and volcanic rock formations.

The ones Tom and I create aren’t as geologically complex as the ones described above. Ours are all about finding stones that fit well together proportionally, being patient, and allowing balance to happen. The process of creating hoodoos is a shift all by itself.

In creating one, I have to let go of: quick fixes; certainty; and perfection. In creating one, I get to experience: patience; acceptance; and simple delight. Those are all good shifts for me.

What kinds of things do you like to do or create that help you shift?