What lies down the road? None of us ever really knows for sure.

A new year can seem like a fresh opportunity to take a step forward in a different direction. Some people make one or more resolutions. Some people make a list of all the things they haven’t yet done and want to do. Some people set very elaborate goals and targets.

There is no right or wrong, only what works for you.

I find what resonates most with me is setting a fresh intention — a way to meet and respond to life on a daily basis, summed up in a word. That makes it easy to remember and call upon.

For 2013, my intention is to “discover.”

“Discover” has many meanings — all of which challenge and energize me. And that is what a word needs to do for you, if it is to be meaningful.

The word discover goes back to the Latin, meaning to remove the covering. By 1500 it was used to mean “seeing” or “gaining knowledge of something previously unknown” and “finding out” and “bringing to light.”

Now the word has many other meanings: To notice, to see, to find a new place, to become aware of or realize, to uncover, to gain knowledge, to be surprised by something, to invent/originate, and to recognize the ability of a person, among others.

Being passionate about photography lends itself to learning new things and discovering the world around you, whether that is through finding new things to see or seeing familiar things in a new way. This year I am eager to learn more about my new equipment as well as different camera and post-processing techniques.

But there’s lots more to “discover.” There’s even more to bring to light. As the year goes on, I hope to share some of that through this blog.

Choosing a word is like putting a lens or a filter on a camera. It affects how you view everything. And according to many who’ve experienced it, choosing a word can bring untold and unexpected magic to your life.

What calls to you this year? Do you make resolutions or choose a guiding word?