It is New Year’s Eve… some are at work eagerly anticipating another day or two off. Others are eagerly preparing for the festivities or maybe even started to celebrate. Somewhere in the midst of all of the craziness, there is always the talk of New Year’s Resolutions, right? Most people pick a resolution because of a plaguing problem (sometimes for years) and vow to change it. Has resolutions worked for you?
Here is usually how it goes:
January – motivated, committed and on track to keep resolution
February – some motivation, mostly on track
March – motivation gone and Resolution forgotten
Does this sound like you? I have taken a different approach…
What started as a challenge in 2013 has become a new way of approaching the New Year. With all the happenings of the past year (personal and business), I am looking for a word to sum up my plan for 2017.
The “One Word” experiment moved me from the long list of changes to ONE WORD. This year I am adding an acronym to help me stay on track. In the past, my one word has helped me to take all my big plans, and narrow them down to a single focus. When things got tough, when Doubtful Debbie and Negative Nellie visited; I went back to my ONE WORD and gained focus. It isn’t always easy but it helps me to focus on the goals I had for the year. Notice I didn’t say resolutions, I said goals.
Here are the steps I use to finding my word as recommended by “the one word experiment”:
Step 1: DETERMINE THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT TO BECOME
The first step is to simply take some time and decide what kind of person you want to be at the end of this year. This goes beyond simply being healthier and wealthier, but it must drive deep into your soul. What about the condition of your heart? What about the person God Himself has created you to be?
Step 2: IDENTIFY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERSON
Picture the person and then simply identify their major characteristics. Is the person gentle? Is the person generous? What are the qualities of the person you want to become?
Step 3: PICK A WORD
Once you have a list of the characteristics, simply pick a word. There might be fifteen things you want to change, but you must resist the temptation to promise you will do them all. Instead, simply commit to ONE WORD.
Step 4: MAKE IT AN ACRONYNM
Now you have a word, add steps for each letter of the word. Not only will the word help you to focus BUT when the struggles come, the words or action steps attached to the word will help you persevere. This doesn’t mean you add “goals” or another word, it is all about reminding ourselves of the positive steps to take to achieve our dreams.
One Word will provide you with a lens to see the changes you need to make as well as a way to determine whether or not change is actually happening. Understand this process is hard, but staying focused on your word will help you to struggle in the right direction so you can actually see God working in your life.
I have my word for 2017 and despite my best efforts to move to a different one, God has continued to bring this word up. I can see how this ONE word will be my guide as I strive for the goals I have for 2017 in my personal, professional and business life.
What is your ONE WORD for 2017? Or are you still in the “resolution list” mode? Either way, share them with us.
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 