2017 Word of the Year
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Does anyone remember the New Year’s resolutions you made last December 31st?
If you do remember the resolutions, did you keep them? All of them?
I didn’t think so.
The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that we get swept up in the idea of a fresh start and take on more than is realistic. We seem to think now is the perfect time to change everything we don’t like about ourselves. Making too many changes at once won’t work Especially when those changes are planned while coming off of the sugar high that is Christmas.
Over the years I have tried a variety of strategies to take advantage of the fresh start we get each January 1st.
-Creating a traditional list of resolutions.
-Setting actionable steps and measurable goals.
-Adding something new instead of taking something away.
Nothing ever stuck and by March I had completely forgotten what I was supposed to be doing.
Last year was different though.
Following the advice of a member of my book club, I made a change. The simple change I made was to choose a SINGLE WORD for the new year. What one word summed up what I wanted to accomplish in the coming months?
By choosing one word you are forced to streamline your goals and think of them as one unit.
I have heard this strategy referred to as Word of the Year, Theme of the Year, and a One Word Resolution.
Call it whatever you want, it works.
Last year my word was organized. I wanted to fine tune the organization of my home and my lesson plans. Last New Year’s Eve we had recently settled into a new home in a new state across the country. Things were a little crazy. I needed to organize every part of my life.
Organized spaces help me feel calm and in control. When life feels crazy and chaotic you can often find me rearranging a closet or organizing a junk drawer. Organizing brings me peace so my word of the year brought me peace while also getting my home in shape.
Having just one word to keep track of made it easy to remember. No more long lists of resolutions!
When you choose a word for the entire year, you are giving yourself permission to accept that this goal is a work in progress. You can not fail. If you make even the smallest step forward, that is progress.
My word for 2017 is intentional. I want to be more intentional with how I spend my time and how I spend money. Being intentional will help me get rid of the excess fluff in my life.
Hang up your word of the year on your refrigerator. Spell it out with magnets. Write it out with sparkly pens. Do whatever you need to do to own this word. Make it your own.
What is your word of the year?
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