It’s almost the end of the first month of the new year. How are those New Year’s resolutions going? Did you forget or do you keep saying you’ll start on Monday? Maybe you’re going strong but you took on too many and now burnout is right around the corner? Or maybe you’re good and this is the best year yet! No matter where you are with your goals I have a spin on the New Year's resolutions that might be a little less stressful and is something you can accomplish this year. I mentioned it briefly in my last post, but I wanted to take the time to share it again. A word. Not just any word though. One that you take the time to think about, journal about, pray about, and then commit to. It's a word that will guide you throughout your year and something you can constantly come back to. You can think of it as a broad goal, or if a goal sounds intimidating, a path you want to follow or who you want to be. It is a way to help you grow. The best part about a word is that it can fit in every aspect of your life. For example, your word could be “energy” to remind yourself to cultivate energy for work and home. Or it could be “positivity” and could be remembered when you’re having a bad day or stuck behind an 18 wheeler on the highway. It can be any word that you feel you want to work towards in your life. Last year my word was balance. There were many days that I forgot about the word, I’ll admit, but there were more days that I remembered and because it is just a word, I never needed to feel guilty for not following through one day or one week out of the entire year. I chose balance because I felt I would go all in on something and wouldn’t take time for the other things that I truly wanted. I would focus all my time on school and not have any time to talk to my friends or do yoga. I wanted to find balance in everything. Now the crazy thing is - it worked. I found a lot of balance in my everyday life and now it is a core value that I have. I reflected at the beginning of this year what my core values and mission statement were and the word that came up most often was… balance. So this word didn’t just become something I strived to be, but a part of who I am. Now, that may sound a little extreme for a word for the year, right? I might sound crazy, but if you take this word and you think about it, put it in your schedule somehow, share about it with others, and live by it - it can become a part of you. You have to want it though, which is why taking some time to reflect is important and maybe even worth waiting a week before committing to it, so you are sure that this is what you want to work towards. (Yes, work towards - it isn’t just going to become a part of your life because you wrote it down.) This year my word is “moment”. I feel like I keep looking to the next thing (or keep peeking at how much time is left on yoga) and I want to be present. I don’t want to miss life and wish it away. I want to take in every moment and learn something from it. I find that being in the moment gives me more reasons to smile and that is something I want. My mom shared with me a quote that Ann Voskamp recently said saying that "no amount of regret will change the past, no amount of worrying will change the future. But any amount of being present and being grateful will change the present." Now that you’ve heard two of my words, maybe you want to have your own for 2022 (It is definitely not too late!) Remember to take some time and think about your word and make it something you want to incorporate in your life. If you’re feeling rushed all the time, maybe your word is be or calm. If you’re experiencing a lot of sadness or loss lately, maybe your word is appreciate, feel or peace. If you’re feeling tired a lot, maybe it’s energy or progress. If you want to work towards being healthier maybe your word is mindful, movement, or wellness. Your word can be anything (as long as it is for you). If you need some more ideas, just google words of the year and check out the images… there are SO many words! The last step is to write your word down. It doesn’t have to be boring either. I have friends that do this with their whole family and they get together and paint their words and then hang them up in the hallway to see every day. You could also write it with a sharpie on a sticky note and put it on your laptop if that's more your style. I personally buy a $10 bracelet with the word (I’m excited to have a collection some day). This way I’m constantly reminded. I also suggest talking about your word with people as a way of accountability and also because it's exciting to be working towards something new. If you’re comfortable, comment your word below and share it! You don’t have to describe it, just a simple word and then you hit the first step :) Feel free to come back anytime and comment how the word is going for you too! I’m excited to hear your stories. As always, don’t forget to smile and remember that you are amazing and you can do anything you set your mind to. I’m always here cheering you on!
* Thank you to Matt and Carrie Silver (experiencecc.org) for teaching me about the word of the year and helping me incorporate it into my life.
2 Comments
Michelle Rinda
1/30/2022 04:32:38 pm
My word : Fork. Because the best is yet to come. In this life and the next ......
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Hannah Sohn
1/30/2022 06:06:28 pm
I absolutely love this idea! I think my word would be "gratitude." Sometimes our blessings can go unnoticed or get lost in the chaos of our day! I think taking more time to reframe my thoughts and focus on my blessings would be very beneficial :)
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