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abracadabra: my one word focus in 2022

12/31/2021

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The last week of the year is one of my favorites. The warmth of the holidays with family is lingering, and there is time to rest, rejuvenate, and reflect before the hustle and bustle of a new year begins. I wrote a blog last week called Abracadabra: I create as I Speak inspired by the holiday series, Dash & Lily, that I watched on Netflix this month. Following my post I continued pondering the magical word "Abracadabra". It is said to originate from the Aramaic word “avra kehdabra” meaning “I create as I speak”. As I thought about that phrase, I wondered how often I create my own reality by the words that I speak aloud and quietly in my thoughts. Why am I my own worst enemy? I continually am questioning my actions, my words, my creations, my thoughts and conjuring up false realities in my head of what others think of me. It’s something my empathic self has battled my whole life. I feel emotions across a room, a text conversation, or a Zoom screen. The internal dialogue goes something like this: Why did they not use a period rather than an exclamation point in their text…are they mad? Why did they leave me on “read”...did I say something that offended them? Their tone is different than normal…is it something I did?  It’s sounds childish and it's embarrassing to admit, but it’s true. As an empath, I know when something is off…I feel it. The issue is, I too often absorb the emotions or actions of another and take them on as my responsibility to fix, or worse assume that the emotions are related to something I did or didn’t do. It is exhausting, and quite honestly destructive. It saps my energy and joy and causes me to spin into a lonely and negative place. 

I know that I was given the gift of empathy for a reason. It allows me to be placed in someone else’s shoes. I’m able to read a room and respond accordingly. I can sense when someone needs to be listened to. I want to embrace the beauty of this trait and establish some healthy habits to keep my negative self-talk in check. As I look towards a brand new year, I’ve decided to choose Abracadabra as a one-word to help me speak into existence the reality that I want to create in 2022. In each daily interaction I have a choice to filter the emotions rather than absorb them as my own. I have the choice to speak words of kindness, praise, and truth to myself, rather than allow myself to spin into a negative spiral of self-talk. I have the choice to speak words of courage, love, and joy to those I serve, regardless of whether I think they want to hear it.  I have the choice to speak my big audacious dreams into reality, rather than talk myself into thinking those dreams are for someone else. I will be saying abracadabra a lot this year. It will mostly be in my own head, but if I say it out loud you’ll know why! Let’s create a magical 2022! I’m ready! Abracadabra!

Would you like to create a one-word focus for 2022? Find some One-Word templates that I created in Canva below. Share to #CanvaOneWord and #OneWord2022! Would love to hear what your focus is for the year ahead!
Canva One-Word Challenge Template
Canva One-Word with Overlapping Circles Template
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Abracadabra: We Make our own magic

12/24/2021

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I heard about a fun little Netflix holiday series called Dash & Lily over the holiday break, so I thought it may be a light-hearted watch as I wrapped gifts and enjoyed relaxing days in my jammies. True to the reviews, it is a fun and inspiring show about a friendship that develops between Dash and Lily all because of a little red notebook of clues found in a NYC bookstore. As they pass messages and dares back and forth through the notebook, they are sent on a series of adventures that lead them to discover truths about themselves.
I was in a heap of wrapping paper and ribbon, when a scene in episode four made me put down the scissors and tape and hit rewind. In this scene, Lily has written a series of clues in the red notebook that lead Dash to a home extravagantly decorated and lit for the holidays. When he arrives, she asks him to write down what he sees. Cynical Dash, lacking in the holiday spirit, replies: “Plastic nutcrackers and fake Santas…nothing that is real.”
Next, Lily instructs Dash to take another look at the holiday scene and give it another chance. He scans the extravagant display again and pauses at an affectionate elderly couple taking pictures in front of the house. He replies, “I see an older couple who probably come here every year to take a picture at the same house. They probably have those photographs on their wall. I see them holding hands. I think they must know each other very well”
Lily then responds by writing, “I told myself I didn’t fit in anywhere and kept telling myself that one day it would magically change. But a little known fact, the word abracadabra comes from an Aramaic phrase, Avra Kehdabra, meaning, I create as I speak. We make our own magic. We see what we look for. I hope you’ll keep looking for the good stuff. I believe in you.”
Woah! Think about that for a minute. 
I create as I speak.
We make our own magic.
How often do we chain our possibilities by limiting our thoughts and speaking words of negativity and doubt into existence? What if we unchained our possibilities by looking for the hope and promise in our circumstances, rather than the constraints and limitations? What if we stopped doubting, and started doing? What is we stopped complaining, and started praising? What if we stopped fearing, and started trusting? We all have the power to make our own magic! What could we dream? What could we experience? What could we accomplish? If only, we believed it could become our reality.
In the current state of our world, it is easy to focus on the negative and quickly become overwhelmed with discouragement and despair. However, as I look towards a brand new year I will choose to see hope and joy in the world around me. I will choose to speak words of positivity and possibility. I will choose to create my own magic. I hope in the year ahead you’ll join me in looking for the good stuff. I believe in you.
Abracadabra…
​let’s make some magic in 2022!
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    Tisha Richmond

    Student Engagement & PD Specialist in Southern Oregon, Canva Learning Consultant, Canva Education Creator, and author of Make Learning Magical. I'm passionate about finding innovative ways to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom.

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  • HOME
  • SPEAKING
  • RESOURCES
    • Memorable Beginnings >
      • PlayDough
      • Magical Planning Pages
    • Authenticity & Agency
    • Gamified Experiences >
      • Anywhere Learning Plans
      • The Amazing Race Game Plan Resources
      • The Race to the Golden Ticket
      • Ready Player One
      • The Amazing Food Truck Race
      • The Great Interior Design Challenge
      • The Final Table Challenge
      • Challenge Rubrics
      • Challenge Ideas
      • Kitchen Utensil Race & Other Variations
      • Code Names for the Classroom
      • Badges
    • Innovation
    • Creativity, Curiosity, and Collaboration
    • Authentic Audience
    • Legacy
  • ABOUT ME
  • BLOG
  • BOOK
  • PODCAST
  • T-SHIRTS
  • YOUTUBE
  • RECIPES
    • DESSERTS >
      • Mini Apple Clafouti
    • QUICK BREADS >
      • Dutch Babies
    • CAKES >
      • Southern Caramel Cupcakes
      • Chocolate Lava Cake
      • Chocolate Chip Chiffon Cupcakes
      • Hot Milk Sponge Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping
    • PIES & PASTRIES >
      • Eclairs
      • Pies
      • Puff Pastry
    • YEAST BREADS >
      • Bagels
      • Pullman Loaf
      • Cinnamon Rolls
      • Pretzels
      • Pizza
    • PASTA >
      • Macaroni & Cheese
      • Fresh Pasta
      • Italian Spaghetti Sauce
    • CHICKEN >
      • Chicken Satay
      • Chicken Enchiladas
      • BBQ Chicken Pizza
      • Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
  • Workshop & Session Resources