ONE WORD 2018

It's that time of year again!  

Time to choose my ONE WORD for 2018.

Here are my ONE WORDS for the past several years:

 2013

2014

 2015

2016

2017

I look forward to choosing MY WORD for the next year starting in November.  I have had several words floating around in my head for the past couple of months, and guess what?  I can't remember a SINGLE one!  Not a one!  The interesting thing about that is, I DO remember the word that I chose for 2018, was NOT one of them.  

When I first thought of this year's word, (and it just came to me like...viola!), I still wasn't certain it was the right one.  Maybe because it came so effortlessly and easily, that I thought there was no way it could happen that painlessly.  I mulled it over in my mind and really doubted if it was "the one", but then I had confirmations every where I turned manifesting to me beyond any doubt that it was to be my word.  The word popped up in conversations, in quotes, in my Sunday School lesson, in the talks at church, in my readings, on billboards, on the radio, even on the back of car.  I never look at the name of cars -- ever --but I was prompted to for some reason, and when I saw my word on the back of car (the car's name), I had to just laugh up at heaven!  I'm telling you this word was trying to make sure I had zero possibility of replacing it with a different one.  It was everywhere!  It wants to be my word. It has more than proven that to me at least a dozen and a half times.  Sooo.....I consented to it and I chose it for my word for the entire year of 2018. I mean how can you doubt something that obvious when it keeps appearing to you in the strangest of ways?  It's like heaven was trying to knock it into me with all the powers that be.  Okay, I give!  I get it. I have acknowledged that this word is to be mine.

It is a great word.  

The more I have thought about it, the more I see why it is supposed to be my word this year.  It has been amazing how my brain has opened up to see the reasoning behind the importance of me choosing this word. I love when things like this just fall into your lap without a struggle.  It doesn't happen often for me and so I am counting my blessings. 

What is the word?  Well, I guess you could scroll ahead and find out because I will have it everywhere in the rest of this post, OR you could try and guess it?

Here are a few hints:

• Most people probably use it in their conversations at least once a day.
• Some of it's synonyms are: hub, center, target.
• Some of it's antonyms are: outside, exterior, surface.
• One of it's Webster definition's is: a center of activity, attraction, or attention.
• It's something that I need to do to improve many aspects of my life.
• If I can improve those aspects of my life, I will feel like I lost a 150 lb weight on my shoulders.

One more hint via story form: (another one of those things I happened to read that told me, "'Ah-ha'....this is your word."

A lady went to the Bishop and said, "I won't be attending church anymore." He said, "May I ask why?"

She said, " I see people on their cell phones texting and typing during the service, some are gossiping, some just aren't living right, some are sleeping, some are staring at me, they are all just hypocrites."The bishop was silent. Then he said, "Can I ask you to do something for me before you make your final decision?"She said, "Sure, whats that?"

He said, "Take a glass of water and walk around the church two times and don't let any water fall out of the glass." She said, "Yes, I can do that!" She went and got a glass of water and walked around the church two times. She came back and proudly said, "It's done."The bishop asked her, "Did you see anybody on their phone?; Did you see anyone gossiping?; Was anybody living wrong?; Did you see anyone sleeping?" She said, "I didn't see anything because I was so focused on this glass, so the water didn't spill out."

He told her, "When you come to church, you should just focus on the Savior, so that you don't fall. That's why Jesus said, "Come follow me, He did not say follow Mormons."

Don't let your relationship with God be determined by how others relate with God. Let it be determined by how focused you are with God.

Figure it out YET???

Okay, one more hint:

So, what is it????

 DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

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FOCUS!!!

Yes, FOCUS!

So, WHY did I choose this word, or rather why did it choose me?

I believe the main reason is because I have a load of weight I have been trying to lose for the past several years and no matter how hard I try, I can't get it to budge.  This weight has been literally weighing me down and has prevented me from moving forward in many aspects of my life.  I know once I can get rid of the excess pounds I will feel free and more alive.

What is this weight?

Well...mainly those things that I have had hanging over my head for a while that I have a hard time accomplishing.  Most of them I have a hard time even just beginning.  I won't list them all here, but a few of the most pressing ones are:

• Tyson's headstone
• Print my blog books (from 2008 on)
• Organize my bedroom so it's more of a haven
• Remodel master bath
• Finish basement
• Organize gift stock
• Purge garage and basement
• Family History names done

You get the idea...

Most of them have been on my list of things to do for a very long time which tells me I need to start doing something different in order to accomplish them.  I hope putting my FOCUS on them is the ticket I've been looking for. 

I think I have lost my ability to multitask like I could when my boys were small.  I think multitasking is one of those gifts young mothers develop out of necessity and when the necessity is gone, so is the gift.  At least in my case.  Now, when I multitask, I tend to lose my focus.  So, it's like chasing two rabbits, I catch none.  

I have tried to convince myself that the reason I am not accomplishing these things is due to a lack of time, but deep down I know if they were a priority, I would FIND the time.  We all find the time for those things we really want to do.  

I think some of them have not been checked off my list because of fear.  Simple fear.  Fear they won't be done perfectly (headstone) or fear I will get so bored doing them that I can't finish the task (blog books) or fear of not being able to make decisions (bathroom and basement).  

Whatever the reason, I feel like this is the year I MUST get them done.  I honestly feel like my word was given to me in order to help me achieve this.  I need to stop allowing myself to be distracted either with excuses or with things that don't matter in the long run.  I am going to make a weekly and monthly plan and pick at least one to accomplish.  I will not expect perfection, just improvement.  What I have learned is the hardest part of ANY task (in my case) is just BEGINNING!  If I can take that leap and just BEGIN (my one word in 2014), then I know I will be able to accomplish all of them. Maybe not 100% this year, but hopefully at least get a good start on most of them.

"The successful warrior is the average man with laser like focus."

My plan is to eliminate distractions as much as possible.  How am I going to do this?

• Make a plan for each day of week with specific ways to accomplish the big things in small chunks. (Prepare this on Sunday).
• Get up early and immediately follow daily plan (will be different each day) which includes a plan to accomplish big goals.

Also do the small things (below) which in truth really are the BIG things:

• 10 minutes of meditation
• Scripture reading and daily morning prayer
• No social media, no email, no correspondence until planned quota for the day is done
• Practice harp before begin day
• Reward self when accomplish major goal

It might not always be done in this order, but I plan on my making my mornings much more productive by following through on this.  Do I plan on succeeding at this list 100% every single day?  Nope.  In fact, the reason I choose ONE WORD each year instead of a bunch of New Year's resolutions is because of the fact that I know I have great ideas and great plans on January 1st, but come March 1st, I am usually very discouraged my plans have not panned out.  Therefore, I am going to FOCUS on the word FOCUS and that is good enough.  If I only accomplish 50% or even 30% of the big things on my list, then I will be happy.  30% is better than 0% and 0% is where I am starting out right now on the big stuff.  So pressure is OFF!  But hope is ON!

I believe if I begin to FOCUS more on what I want to accomplish and learn how to FOCUS better by eliminating distractions, then I will be able to gain a lot of ground.  I know it's impossible to eliminate all of life's distractions, and frankly, I don't want to.  Some of my distractions bring me joy.  My plan is to be flexible, but move continually forward.

A few motivating quotes:

 

I am now focusing on being focused!

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Okay, wish me luck!  

This Ted Talk video (top one) came across my path as I was evaluating my word this year.  I almost chose the word STOICISM but I think I will save that for next year.  However, these Ted Talks are great motivators to help give you the kick in the pants you need to tackle those things that you are having a hard time beginning. Watch one or two....