One Word

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My favorite choices for a pertinent, life changing word of the year seem to come in groups of three:

  • Don’t look back.
  • Don’t question yourself.
  • Draw some boundaries.

Or, these seven:

  • You are not responsible for everyone’s happiness.

So choosing one word is a little tricky for me.

I did it once, though. Our principal had us write our word on a Post-It note and stick it up on the bulletin board for the year. It didn’t have our names, so we didn’t feel too vulnerable, and I loved looking at what people chose:

Love

Friendship

Father

It seems we want to focus on relationships when we choose a word to focus on for the year. But, being the introvert I am, relationships do not come first to my mind.

No, I’d rather focus on getting the detritus out of my life. My thoughts. My spirit.

I chose the word trust, all those years ago, to put on the bulletin board in the lounge. It didn’t help very much. Perhaps I did something wrong, like not focusing on it adequately enough. Perhaps it was not the right word for me. Or, perhaps the effectiveness is not necessarily a magic spell as much as an opportunity to think about change.

Whatever the case may be, I’m busy thinking about my word this year. A word that will help me, and help me help those around me. Hope? Fearlessness? Acceptance? Something as mundane as Confidence?

Remember – your one word is intended to be your guide, not your harsh standard. It’s not about doing more, but about being who you were created to be. ~Alece Ronzino on One Word 365 

Do you have one word you’re going to focus on for 2018? You can leave it for us in the comments. You can also leave it at One Word 365 and see what others have chosen. I can see mine slowly forming as I remember that it is supposed to reflect who we were created to be…

(Another place to find your word is to take the quiz here.)

27 thoughts on “One Word”

  2. I’ve chosen a word at the beginning of the year for the past few years, but I don’t usually write it down and, silly me, I’ve forgotten what they were! I know one was PEACE. I think another was either BREATHE or RELAX. Maybe it was FAITH or TRUST. Whatever it was, I know I lived intentionally with that word in the back of my mind. This year I may choose something like LAUGH or SMILE or JOY. Or maybe BRAVE. We are going out on a 6-week roadtrip in the fall, after all. That requires a lot of bravery, at least when it comes to pulling a travel trailer up and down some steep mountain passes! 🙂

    I’ll be eager to see what you decide upon on.

    xoxo

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    • I think focusing on joy and hope is so important! Those are great words for encouragement and thinking positively about things that could be so negative in our everyday lives. I am also trying to be braver somehow, not taking things so seriously, or so personally, as I have been lately. I’m leaning toward “loved” to remind myself that we are loved just as we are, even though I constantly see room for improvement within myself.

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    • Trust is good. Trust in myself, yes, but even better trust in my Heavenly Father who is far more dependable than I could ever be. I think “regardless of others’ opinions” is critical, too. I tend to tie myself in knots over wondering if I’ve offended someone.

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    • Your probably didn’t say that to make me smile, but I did. Silence is wonderful! Too much talking, too much frantic thinking even, can totally rob one’s peace. And, there’s no escaping “stupid”. (Even as I was accused of being from the first lovely commenter.)

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  7. Bellezza,
    I haven’t chosen a word yet, but several spring to mind:

    Persevere
    Strive
    Limitless
    Create
    Young
    Magic
    Peace
    Enjoy

    So you see, they are all over the place! Have a wonderful New Year!

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    • Those are all good words, Suko. Persevere reminds me of determined which I was kicking around until my husband said, “But you already are.” So, I’ll try something new. Enjoy sounds awfully appealing, and I like Lesley’s thoughts of hope. You left a compelling list to choose from.

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  8. I love the simplicity for this idea. Of course th simple is often the hardest so like you it’s taken me a while to,come up,with my word. But I’ve chosen Relish. After 18 makes the of dealing it’s a significant health issue and undergoing lots of treatment I want to embrace life more completely. Enjoy it while you can is my philosophy for this year.

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    • You couldn’t possibly sit more than I do, Allie! Have you read until your backside aches? One of my friends said, “No problem, I just lay on my stomach and put my book on the floor so I can see it.” 🙂

      Moving is a good idea. I’ll join you in that effort.

      Happy New Year, my friend!

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  12. I tend to shy away from choosing a word for the year. I’ve always felt it limiting, somehow. But I’ve been thinking about it, and I have my word for the year: freedom. Of course, that would include the freedom to change my word about mid-March if it seemed appropriate!

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