You came here looking for advice on how to select your word for the year. If you are like most people, you are tired of the New Year’s Resolutions. Each new year we (humans) make resolutions to do certain things or to avoid certain things. And each year we fail at so much. But little changes over the years add up. Several years ago I started to change one thing about my cooking/eating. Years ago I began to buy mostly organic fruits and vegetables. One year it was replacing all the highly processed oils with healthy olive or coconut oil, and in another year I switched to unbleached salt. Two years ago I started making all my salad dressings from scratch. This past year we have eaten out far less. And this year I will be working on decreasing junk food overall. By replacing only one small thing per year, I have radically changed my family’s eating habits. 

And for the year 2018 I will continue to work on improving my eating habits, but instead of just focusing on eating I have selected a word to focus on. And that word is Focus!

 

HOW DO I SELECT MY ONE WORD FOR THE YEAR

1. Is there an area of your life that seems so out of control? I look to where I feel the most conflict or out of control.

My one word for 2016 was STRENGTH. I had gown weary after homeschooling for so many years and coupled with raising an autistic son, running a household, helping my husband to run a business, graduations, weddings, granddaughters, and watching my husband “die and come back to life” – well life had taken took a toll on me. I felt I had no strength to do anything. So I felt drawn to the word STRENGTH. I knew I needed God’s strength more than ever. 

And I found that sometimes strength is not doing everything yourself. Sometimes strength is removing negative voices from your life. So I worked on seeking the Lord and find joying. Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord is my strength. I worked on buying clothes that made me happy. I worked on adding color to my wardrobe. And I listened to the voices of strong women who God placed in my life. And when I am weary, I call upon the Lord to lift me to high places. Habakkuk 3:19 God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.

Above all my strength in Christ alone. Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.

And in the end I found that not only did I feel stronger, I also had more joy and peace than I had in years.

2. Is there something you keep hearing in your head (or heart) that you are drawn to?

For several years, I knew I needed to make some changes, and I resisted, but the annoying voice in my head kept saying the same thing over and over. But like most people, I get comfortable and resist change. I knew my word for 2017 needed to be CHANGE. One of the first things I did in 2017 was move my blog from Google Blogger to WordPress. I had wanted to do it for years, but was scared. I moved it, and I messed up some things, and my traffic took a dive, but I lived through it. Wiser and ready to tackle the next item on my list. 

I worked hard at doing things differently. I started to do Facebook Live Videos, bought some clothes I never thought I would wear, changed my bra (I had been wearing the same model for over 10 years), and embraced changes that came my way. And I didn’t have to be afraid because I know that God and His Word doesn’t change.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

3. What type of person do you want to be at the end of the year?

My word for 2018 is FOCUS. At the end of 2018, I want to be able to say that I completed a few long-term goals, but I have become so distracted the last few years that those goals have taken a backseat. I started my blog to minister to homeschooling families, and those dealing with autism. And I wrote about Disney because that is how we deal with autism in my household. I was writing a curriculum to use with my autistic son that uses Disney movies. And in the process of blogging and having the time of my life, I allowed too many interruptions to creep into my life. And while diversions are great – they helped me to know myself better and figure out what I liked about homeschooling, what was important to me, and how to go about finishing my curriculum, I know that I need to be more focused in my approach to blogging, business, and life. 

This year, more than ever, I became aware of the distractions that derail me. The social media world screams daily at us, “Do XYZ to build a better blog,” or “Find out how I made 6 Figures in 2 weeks.” I find myself chasing that dream instead of focusing on what God has placed in my heart. I want my focus to be on God, His Word, and His Plan for my life. 

My Child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. Proverbs 23:19

In the Pixarworld, a 2319 is a code in Monsters, Inc., that alerts the CDA-Child Detection Agency a monster has encountered a human contaminant. This is my reminder to myself that by not following Proverbs 23:19 I will allow humans to distract me from God’s course for my life.

 [bctt tweet=”A 2319 is a code in Monsters, Inc., that alerts the Child Detection Agency a monster has encountered a human contaminant. By following Proverbs 23:19 I won’t allow humans to distract me from God’s course for my life.” username=”pattyoh11″]

HAVE YOU CHOSEN A WORD YET. Drop me a message and let me know what it is! Here’s to a great 2018.

Thanks,

Patty @ A Mother’s Random Thoughts