I get a lot of post ideas while reading other blogs.  There are so many talented writers and I often gain inspiration for a subject to explore while reading someone’s account of a topic.

This happened on New Year’s Day.  While reading as many of my favorite blogs as I could with a day free of obligation or industry (I was typically behind in my blog reading due to fun with my granddaughter/Christmas celebration) .  When I read Layla’s {The Lettered Cottage} account of her choice of a Word Of The Year for 2014, something she does annually, I knew this word would fit with some of my goals for the year.  As Layla explains,

That’s what choosing a Word Of The Year is all about. You live with it, you let it speak to you…you follow where it leads. There are no rules…it’s just supposed to be a little spark.

With the new year comes analysis of life in the rear view mirror and ideas for tweaking this or that.  The goal is to improve in some small way, or to maintain things that are working well.

So with that grain of wisdom and inspiration, I decided to go with the word Simplicity as well. That decision sparked the need to share, it’s what we bloggers do, right?  

Clearly, great minds think alike.  I’ve since read a reference for using a word as inspiration for writing.  Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project guru, posted a helpful tip for writers about using a single word to stir creativity.  Posting a single word in your conscious to help with self-improvement holds great appeal for me.

I then came across the post by Ted Kennedy Watson sharing the cover of his new book, Style and Simplicity, An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life.  For those who have not had the good fortune to visit one of the Ted Kennedy Watson stores in Seattle, or visited his blog, you’re in store for a treat. This is what he had to say about the title to his book…

Simplicity is such a prevailing theme throughout the book, and the table I set that was chosen for the cover speaks to that word and philosophy.

I even had two dear friends mention in a comment on my blog that one of their goals (respectively) for the New Year is to simplify {thank you, Linda and Gretchen}.  So that will be my goal for 2014.

So, I pledge to give simplicity in life a try this year.  I hope to pare down and simplify my lifestyle in every way I can.  With that, I hope to take more time to relax and appreciate what I have and the great beauty in nature that surrounds us.

Here are some simply lovely images for your viewing enjoyment.

♥ Karen