So, I’ve never been one for resolutions. The idea of sticking to one goal for an entire year seemed like too much. Heck- the idea of making one goal for an entire year seemed like too much! I always figured that life would move along and my goals would shift. And, what if I did reach that goal before the year was over? Do I pick a new one? Or do I have to wait until New Year’s Eve to officially declare a life goal? Nope–new year’s resolutions just aren’t my style.
A couple of years ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed when I saw a post about something called My One Word. Hmm…the idea sparked my curiosity. The basic concept is really pretty simple. You choose one word that has the ability to affect multiple areas of your life. One word to give your life some focus. One word to guide your year. This sounded like something I could get behind. It wasn’t a resolution by definition. It was a touchstone, a guidepost for the new year.
My first One Word was PRESENT. Not present as in gift, but my word helped me to stay PRESENT in my life. I was guilty of looking too far into the future, of planning every moment and of worrying about what could go wrong. Sometimes, I wasn’t present with the moments because I was on my phone or reading instead of having a conversation. PRESENT. That word was exactly what I needed. There were many times throughout that year when I found myself overwhelmed and I simply said that one word to myself. PRESENT. It centered me. It worked.
Last year, I thought about choosing a new word. I loved my word. I counted on my word. How do I pick a new one? After many possible choices, I settled on the word LISTEN. I thought it would be another perfect choice. LISTEN– to my gut, to the whispers from God, to the noise, to the silence. LISTEN–I thought it would continue to focus my life. It turned out to be a bust. I didn’t relate to it at all. By the end of February, I mentally ran back to my old word- PRESENT.
For 2016, I considered a few choices. I first settled on BALANCE. Everyone needs some BALANCE in life, right? The more I thought about it, the more empty it felt. I couldn’t attach to it. I couldn’t see it as my guide for a whole year. I kept searching until I found the one.
My one word for 2016 is OPEN. There are many ways that I interpret the idea of OPEN. It means unbiased, unprejudiced, open minded, honesty, transparency, following Christ’s example, accessible, willing to change. It means that I am OPEN to the blessings and challenges of the year. It means that I will give the best of myself.
Happy New Year! Here’s to being OPEN in 2016!! Bring it on!!
sharing the stairs 