Rather than make New Year’s resolutions, each year I select a single word to focus on in the upcoming year. In 2019 I’ve selected a brief phrase—Joie de Vivre! Joy of Life!
At not quite three months old, this brief video clip captures one of our granddaughter’s first laughs. Luna’s expression of joy is the epitome of Joie de Vivre!—Joy of Life!
JOIE DE VIVRE—A delight in being alive; an exuberant, keen, or buoyant enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit.
JOIE DE VIVRE—A philosophy of life; a sentiment that involves one’s whole being.
Do you have a focus word this year?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
She is beautiful!
Relax — Thank you. She’s got a sweet, happy spirit. Just like her mom and dad 🙂
Happy 2019! Lovely to see Luna again!
Olga — Happy New You to you and yours. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing Luna. We’re so fortunate in that we live close to her 🙂
Luna is so cute. Happy New Year Laurie 🙂
Arlene — Thank you. Happy New Year to you and yours 🙂
So cute she is! ❤ New year greetings to you! 🙂
Minnu — Thank you. Happy New Year to you and yours! 🙂
Yes, Laurie. Achievement is my focus word this year. I have achieved some important things last year and this one will make no exception. I wish you a joyful 2019.
Alessandro — ACHIEVEMENT is a fantastic focus word. Go get em’! 🙂
Love this laughter, Laurie. You now have an ambassador of joie de vivre so fresh from the Source. May you share much laughter in 2019.
Shirley — Yes, you’re right in that she’s “fresh from the Source.” Luna will celebrate her 3-month birthday on January 4th.
May you and yours share much laughter in 2019, too 🙂
I think I inadvertently landed on “potential” as my word. There’s lots of potential there … 🙂
Arlene — POTENTIAL. I love it ❤️
Hi Laurie. A joyful new year to you and yours!
Neil
Yeah — Happy New Year to you and yours 🙂
Luna is exuberant with great muscle control at 3 months, a “noticer” too. And she talks with laughter!
Yes, I have a word for the new year, to be revealed later this month. 😉
Marian — We do “tummy time” on our yoga mats with Luna to help build leg, arm, and neck strength. The smiles, laughter, and exuberance she comes by naturally 🙂
I’m looking forward to you revealing your focus word.
Laurie, such joy in a little laugh! Love that Luna! After the severe pruning my Life has undergone in the past year, my husband passed from this life to the next right before Christmas in 2018 and was buried in the Georgia National Cemetery yesterday. The word I would choose to focus on will be “Regrowth”, time to heal and then to regenerate.
Sandi — REGROWTH and REGENERATE are good prescriptions for this time of tremendous loss. Dennis was such a wonderful human being.
Well, I wasn’t going to assign a guidance word this year till I came across yours. Mind if we share? May your New Year live up to every bit of its focus! Reblogging to my sister site Timeless Wisdoms. 😚
Ana — JOIE DE VIVRE is for any and every one to share 🙂
Woo-hoo!!! 😊
Happy New Year, Laurie! I think a good focus word for me would be minimize. I want to ramp up my de-cluttering efforts and make space where things now take up too much room.
Patricia — MINIMIZE. Anyone who clears their clutter and minimizes is my hero. My hat is off to YOU! 🙂
Isn’t that the most magical and joyful of moments? Luna Bleue is adorable! And yes, she looks so happy to be alive! It must have something to do with having a very loving and doting family. Best way to start the year.
My catchphrase for this year is “Keep it simple” 😉💖
Fatima — You simply can’t go wrong with KEEP IT SIMPLE 🙂
Baby laughs are wonderful, and Luna is a beautiful baby. I have never adopted a word for the year before, but perhaps I’ll give it a try this year. First, I must find a word that seems right.
Carol — Once you decide on a focus word for this year, please come back and share it 🙂
Awe. I am more readily open to experiencing it this year.
Enjoy the babe. They grow so fast. It’s quite awesome. (I’m practicing).
Janet — AWE. That’s fantastic! 🙂
That was precious and awesome. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Mona — The happiest of new years to you and yours! 🙂
She is beautiful…. such a special, sweet moment…. happy New Year to you and yours, dear Laurie. 🍾🎊😘♥️
Aquileana — happy, Happy, HAPPY New Year to youo and yours 🙂
Happy New Year!
Henry — And to you and yours as well 🙂
Laurie
Luna is so cute. Also, think that she looks a lot like you. Especially at the end when she turned her head, that had your look. Enjoy every minute. Grandchildren are so much more fun than our own babies. We had so much to learn & fast.
My word this year will be “accepting”.
Life has it’s own path & I have to be more accepting.
Pat — Trust me when I say we’re enjoying the bajeebers out of Luna every moment we’re with her 🙂
ACCEPTING is a great focus word!
I’m going with “Quality over quantity.” I’ve espoused it for years, but I’ll examine all aspects of my life to make sure I make that choice wherever possible.
Chris
Chris — yes, Yes, YES. Quality over quantity any and every day of the week! 🙂
Love Luna’s laugh. I have a 3 month old grandchild too: Edward Leo turned 3 months Dec. 22. He’s not been enjoying tummy time, at least when he was here for Christmas, but my daughter sent me a video yesterday with him talking to her and cooing while doing the time on a blanket with lots to look at. Maybe I’ll steal Lynn Miller’s and Shirley Showalter’s “jubilación”–Spanish for retirement. That’s my big R focus for this year. 🙂
Melodie — With your Edward Leo and my Luna Bleue, we’re at the same place on the grandmother timeline. Cheers to us!
You can’t go wrong with jubilación for RETIREMENT. I love that approach!
My focus word is movement.
Jeri — MOVEMENT. I ❤️ it!
Happy New Year – Luna and baby laughter is so infectious Thank you for sharing.
I have not settled on a word this year. Just reading and reading these days
Patricia — I always enjoy reading your book reviews. In fact, I read one of your reviews today (Barbara Kingsolver) and had to add it to my reading list 🙂
I choose the word: MEANINGFUL. After losing two daughters this past year I am reminded how precious each day is. I resolve to make each day meaningful in my words, actions, and deeds. Thank you Laurie for the suggestion of a focus word.
Rose — I’m so very sorry for your loss. I think the focus word you’ve chosen, MEANINGFUL, is ideal.
What a precious little one. Enjoy this time, it really does pass by in the twinkling. Yes, I’ve chosen a focus word. I’m settling in to it and will reveal it soon in a post on my blog. Happy New Year, Laurie.
Linda — I’m looking forward to finding out your focus word in the near future 🙂
There is nothing better than a baby’s laughter and smiles …Luna is beautiful…I don’t normally have a word for the year but this year and in the world, we live in I think my word will be” Peace” Happy New Year, Laurie 🙂 x
Happy New Year, dear Laurie.
Lunas smile is fantastic and it inspires me to take this as word for my year :”smile”.
We need much more smiles and joy in our lives.
🙂 ❤
Vera — SMILE is a fantastic focus word for 2019! 🙂
Dear Laurie, thank you for your post and the precious video of Luna smiling and laughing, your New Year’s greeting and 2019 word. I also find a new word for the year. However, since our family life has so tragically changed, I have not thought about a new word. Thank you for the smiles. Wishing you and yours a Healthy, Joyful, and Peaceful 2019!
Sheila — You’re a bit ahead of me on the grandparenting path so you know the joy it brings.
Happy New Year Laurie to you and your family – beautiful granddaughter. My focus word for 2019 is CHANGE, as it seems to have found me if any of the signs in the latter part of 2018 were any indication – everything from old appliances and the like having to be replaced – and in two cases kindly replaced by my son and a close friend, to a another close friend betraying me. So I am making many changes, including what is important to focus on, some unfinished business to take care of, try not to do too much each day, and write, write, write.
Sharon — CHANGE is a great focus word. Onward! 🙂
Hello- My word of the year is ‘Clairvoyance’, as I’ve learned to always listen to myself without proof. I didn’t used to, and that caused me lots of trouble when I listened to others over my gut. But, kids on the other hand, are always a joy to behold. Especially, when they are old enough to open their Christmas presents!
Steven — yes, Yes, YES! I love your focus word, CLAIRVOYANCE 🙂
Thanks!
Perfect word for the year, and using Luna as a base, a winner! She’s just adorable, Lori. I am sure your joie de vivre will not only serve you well, but be infectious! 🙂
Debra — Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂
fresh, sweet
continuation
into this new year 🙂
SmileCalm — Yes, indeed. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
This baby is as pure as an angel and as fresh as a blooming flower, 😍
Mehakkhorana — Thank you 🙂
The giggle of a baby…a perfect way to start the New Year.
TimelessLady — Absolutely! 🙂
Luna’s laugh is so sweet! ♥
Barbara — Thank you. It’s music to our ears 🙂
She is adorably lovely!! New years best wishes to you and loved ones!! XOXO❤❤❤
America on Coffee — Thank you. Happy New Year’s to You and Yours, too! 🙂
I love your darling granddaughter. Enjoy her as much as you can as they don’t stay little for very long. I just spent two weeks with mine and they seem so grown up. I am working on my word or words for the year and will post soon. Happy New Year!!
Darlene — I’m glad you get to spend time with your grandchildren. It’s like an elixir! I’ll look forward to reading about your focus word for 2019.
A child’s laughter is pure sunshine! My word this year is “focus”. I wrote about it last week but already, it’s been a challenge! lol
JennsMidlifeCrisis — FOCUS is an excellent (and challenging) word. Best wishes to you and you FOCUS on your New Year’s FOCUS word 🙂
Joy of life is a great thing to focus on.
Inese — Amen siSTAR! ⭐
Apostar no positivo, tentar ver o lado bom das coisas. Sei que não vai ser fácil, mas vou me esforçar para ter pensamemntos positivos. Longe de mim o pessimismo!
Feliz 2019, Laurie!
Maria — El pesimismo se ha ido. ¡ A los pensamientos positivos! Feliz año nuevo para ti y el tuyo 🙂
Adorable and one of your most beautiful posts ever Laurie.
The key word for me moving through this year is….beauty.
Sam — “Beauty.” You simply can’t go wrong with that as a focus word.
Isn’t it wonderful being a grandma? My newest grandson is 5 months old so I know the excitement you feel.
The word I set at the beginning of the year was Bloom. I’m not sure if it’s working yet… but I still have 6.5 months to bloom. 🌻
Ali — Ohhhh, I love it. BLOOM! 🙂