From My Perspective

So there's been some buzz the last few years in regards to having a 'word of the year." I've known people who have practiced this method since 2016 or so, and they say it has helped them live more intentionally, as well as kept them on track with a sense of accomplishment each year. I've thought about it in previous years, but not enough to consciously go out there and pick one for myself.

This year, I overheard friends talking about their "Word for 2020" and what some of those words meant to them. It really got me thinking about it again myself. Maybe this year I should "try that word thing." Some of the words they spoke of were things like creativity, organized, calm, joy, and the list went on. Side note, did you know there are more than 50 different lists, suggestions, and even quizzes online to help you find YOUR word of the year? Well, up until doing research for this column, I had no clue.

From the research I read online, words of the year often work in conjunction with one's resolutions. A "theme" so to speak. To quote one of the research articles "A word of the year serves as a theme for the next season that helps us focus and be clearer in what we want to create and achieve." While I don't believe in "resolutions" I do believe in setting goals to create life changes. Some may say that's mincing words, but here's where it's different. Resolutions, by definition, are "a firm decision to do or not to do something," while the definition of a goal is "the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result."  

I'd like to think the words we might choose each year build upon one another. For example, in 2016, I'd just completed some classes that required me to be creative, and most things that year, while I hadn't intentionally picked the word, were of a creative nature. In 2017, whether the decision was conscious or not, the word for that year was focus. I had a tendency to start lots of things and have so many ideas, I found myself so scattered. I had to reel myself in and find a way to complete things, even if it was a small number of things, rather than doing a lot of things half-heartedly. In 2018, my mantra was family, and as it turned out, that was the year I moved back to Lincoln to spend more time with my dad and reconnect. 

Then there's last year. While I didn't actually choose a specific word, a different theme emerged for me, but seemed to be building on those previous years as well.  Narrowed down to just one word, I believe it was bravery. For a long time, I had just been too scared to try too many things. In my defense, my heart was pretty broken and my soul completely exhausted. I lost my dad, two of my cats and my little Pug who had been with me for almost 14 years. All within about 18 months. There were some days even in early 2019 when even getting out of bed seemed like the bravest thing I could do, but I did it.

I took chances last year. I applied to teach at festivals and workshops. I began creating a new kind of art. I was accepted to teach at some of those festivals, way outside my comfort zone of Montana. I traveled to places I'd never been, taught classes I'd never taught before and I took a job doing something I've had a passion for almost all of my life. I learned to say no, more than I ever had, and I put myself out there.

In my eyes, it all added up to being braver than I'd ever been, and I began to heal. Amongst all the being brave though, everything was hit, miss, and sporadic. I was busier than I had ever been, but it was all up and down and no real method to the madness.

So up until now, my words have been creative, focused, family, and brave. This year, my goals require me to be more. They require me to become more focused on the outcome, and, in general, more focused than I've ever been before. And no, focus is not the word I've chosen again for this year, though it does play into it.  My goals require me to be fairly task-minded, meaning to reach the goals I'm going to need to complete tasks that move me forward to the next point. In my mind, what makes tasks so good is that they are like little dots on a map, or a roadmap, if you will, that takes me from point A to B and so on, until I've reached the final destination, aka the goal.

Now that I'm looking back on those previous years, and the things I accomplished, it seems very clear to me what my word for this year should be, and that's "consistent." By definition, consistent means acting or doing in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate. And this year, those goals I've laid out and the game plans I've put together for them all require one same thing: that I do something that moves me forward towards each one of those goals daily. This year isn't a sprint to see what I can accomplish faster, but rather a marathon, a 12-month, 52 week, 365 day marathon of consistent, manageable tasks that allow me to create a more meaningful and happy life for me and those closest to me in 2020.

Now, while my word may not be yours, or even one that you would choose, I'd still pose the question, "What can you do consistently, each day, to move towards your goals and your dreams?" Maybe the first step is choosing a word of the year for yourself.  If you want to choose one, I'd recommend a Google search, as well as a look within to see what really resonates or clicks for you and your life.

I'd also be interested to hear how many of you out there do this already and how it works for you, because from my perspective, this whole "Word of the Year" thing is pretty cool.