It's the end of January already, how has 2022 been treating you? This is about the time of year many New Years Resolutions start to fade if they have not already left.
I know I've struggled to be as consistent as I had planned. I've even just nursed the type of hangover that I honestly haven't had since college. I did have a blast at the Walker Hayes concert while doing it. A dear friend said, “At least you were living your best life.”
So how do we balance between our responsibilities, goals, and all the other stuff in our lives? Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves by listing all these unrealistic goals, putting ourselves into a position where success is not possible. While other times we start with the defeatist attitude thinking it's not even worth trying. This attitude makes it so the world happens to you, rather than you being intentional and directing your own life. Realistically the Goldilocks perspective is best, but where do we find it?
I feel like this entire month the idea for this very blog and how to put intention to my year has been floating around me but only recently did I grab for it and put it into practice. How do you put a direction to your life that isn't overwhelming, or add tasks to an already crowded schedule? Guide your year by choosing one word to focus it. This idea stems from the book One Word that will change your life.
I started doing this without realizing it. I was focusing on the word believe without acknowledging it. Once I started to put intention behind this word my whole body felt excited. I already had a gorgeous ring from Valencia Keys inscribed with Believe, and I found a screensaver for my phone that spoke to my heart. A smile comes to my face when my screen lights up with the simple word Believe. And now I guide each day through that word.
As I realized the power of having a word to focus on myself, I wondered if those around me wanted to choose a word. Liam, my son, looked at me, paused, took a paper out of his folder, and said, "Focus." The paper he handed me had a list of suggestions that his teacher went over. As I started to look around more, I found a few friends who had selected their word and also felt the power behind their choice. One had a bracelet with the word on.
So how do you go about choosing one? According to One Word ask yourself these three questions:
1. What do I need?
2. What's in my way?
3. What needs to go?
As you look over your answers take a look at the handout attached and circle three words that speak to you from the answers. Really focus on these three words and which one speaks to your heart. That is your word for the year.
Here are some guidelines from One Word. You can start this process at any time and change at any point that feels like a new season in your life. Select a time frame, like a year, and at the end of that time continue your growth by selecting a new word even, "if you don't make the progress you think you should or feel as though there is more to learn, that's okay...resist the temptation for a do-over." Therefore. when you do move on to a new word, don't look back to repeat words rather look forward to continuing to grow as a person with a new word. After all, the list provided includes 150 different possibilities of new words to shape your year or season, and this list only scratches the surface.
Once you do pick your word, what do you do with it? First, own your word by sharing it with your circle of friends and family. Then bring it into your life by finding meaningful ways for you to display it. I included my whole family, so in addition to our individual words, we have one for the family. We are painting the words onto canvases and displaying them in the dining room since it is a good reminder to discuss at dinner. I also wear a ring with my word, If you'd like to make it into jewelry or other ways to display here are some ideas. You could title a journal with your word and write each day how you are embodying that word. You could put a post it on your mirror where you can tell yourself each day how you will do it and each night how you did. You could focus on your word as you exercise, meditate, and even dance. The possibilities are endless.
So why one word? It is so easy to remember and yet sets an intention to your thoughts as you remind yourself of your word. It fits right in with the Goldilocks perspective not too much to be overwhelming, not to little just let life happen. But that balance point where you set the intention to your actions.
Share your word below and how you plan to integrate it into your life. Let's be intentional.
Our Circle of Grace Word for the Year Ideas
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