One Word 2020

It's that time of the year again where I choose my ONE WORD for the following year.  My words usually come to me before the first of the year and come easily and leave no doubt in my mind that I chose the right one.

This year however, that did NOT happen.  It took me almost three weeks into the year to confirm what my word would be for 2020. 

This was my word for last year:

SANGUINE

It was the perfect word for 2019.

 

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Here are my ONE WORDS from the past several years:

Like I said, this year I have struggled trying to decide my ONE WORD. 

A lot.  

I have tossed around several words and each time I thought I had the right word and then I would suddenly know I didn't. 

A few of the words I have really given some deep thought to are:

EMBRACE

I want to embrace the reality of my situation with my leg and my running. I want to embrace the Lord's timing in all of it. I want to embrace the suck of it all. I want to embrace the gratitude I feel for the miracles I have had. I want to embrace LIFE!

BUT...

It just didn't settle in as the right word.

So, I thought about ...

TENACIOUS

It's a really good word as well.

Yet it's almost the opposite of embrace.

I want to be tenaciously FOCUSED on my VISION (20/20 vision in the year 2020) TENACIOUSLY! I don't want to give in or settle on not being able to get back to running as I was before the accident. I want to be determined as can be to get my leg back to normal.

I like TENACIOUS a lot. I really thought it would be my word. I even had these online downloads made with it. 

But then I wanted something to tie in with the year 2020 and the 20/20 vision and so I tossed around:

PERCIPIENCE

It just feel quite right either.  So I took a quiz on the website HERE that helps you find your word based on your answers.  The word I got was:

I wasn't too sure about that one and so I took it again and changed one of my answers that I wasn't sure which to pick and got this instead:

That one really doesn't feel right to me because I feel like that applied more to last year than this one. This year needs to be more than stand. It needs to be RUN!  Hah

I REALLY thought strongly about .....  AFFIRM.

I came close to going with that one, but I really wanted my word to have to do with 20/20 vision and focus.

I thought about the words VISION or VISUALIZE.  But, I wanted something more. 

Any of these words would have been amazing. But, none felt quite right.

After the New Year came and went, I still hadn't decided upon my word. I kept waiting for it to fall from the sky like in year's past. But it didn't.

So I kept searching for that ONE PERFECT WORD for 2020. I knew that when I found it I would immediately know it was the right one. 

I was just praying it would happen before 2021! 

After a LOT of pondering and thinking, and a lot of words that were almost right, but not quite, I finally knew what my word was to be this year.

Drum roll please......

ENVISION

Yep!  That's my word!!!

I want to go into 2020 with a clear focus. A 20/20 vision of what I want this year to become. I want this year to be one of a complete focus on envisioning the outcome. I want to make it a daily practice to envision how I wish for things to transpire. Mainly with my ankle, knee, and overall physical health situation.  I also want to envision a better spiritual, emotional, mental and overall human experience in every way.

If 2019 taught me anything, it was the POWER our minds have and how visualizing things in our minds along with actually feeling how we would feel once it happens (while going forth with complete faith) can bring about miracles and what we desire.

I have big plans for this year and so I need to be focused on working hard at doing that. It's not easy. It takes work. Mental work. It is draining but so worth it.

This word captures all those things.
So, YES! I found my perfect word for 2020!

What is YOUR word for 2020????

Sidenote: This year marks the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's First Vision as well. I didn't even think of that until after I had chosen this word. But, it's kind of cool. 

Sidenote:
I have to add this little thing that popped up on my Facebook memories because it made me laugh.

I love #4 - I'm Still Standing song by Elton John because it was so perfect, but #3 on the date of when one of my biggest dreams will come true --- it wasn't that exact date, but close to when I was told my ankle bone was not dying!  I love it all!  

ONE WORD 2019

It's that time of year again!  

Time to choose my ONE WORD for 2019.

Here are my ONE WORDS for the past several years:

 2013

2014

 2015

2016

2017

2018

I really don't feel like I did that great on last year's word.   But, even a little improvement is better than none right?  Right!   So onward, and upward!

When I started to think about what this year's word would be, I knew it had to be something that would help me get through what is up ahead for me this year.  

I knew I needed a word that would remind me to stay positive and upbeat while I am on this journey of breast cancer.  

I found a word that I have never actually heard of.  It is actually a very pretty word and the definition was spot on!!!

Without further adieu...

My word for 2019 is:

 It is pronounced:

sane - gwin (like penguin)  

I want this cancer journey to find me CHEERFULLY OPTIMISTIC!  HOPEFUL! And CONFIDENT!  I think it's the PERFECT word!  It doesn't require "doing" but "being".

I think I will do pretty well!  

I like this ↑ one. 
It reminds me of being the lighthouse in the storms of life.
It kind of all fits together.

I am excited!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What is your one word for this year?

FACEBOOK POST:
My word for the year is SANGUINE. I really gave it a lot of thought before choosing one this year and I fell in love with this word. I knew my word for the year was going to be very important to help me get through what's up ahead for me in my journey with breast cancer. It's going to be one like no other and I know my focus needs to be on staying as hopeful, positive, and as optimist as possible as difficult situations arise. #perfectword

This is my 7th year of choosing One Word for the year in place of New Year's Resolutions. I used to be really big on those and each year faithfully wrote down a long list of the things I felt I needed to improve on for the upcoming year. I loved my lists and I loved checking off my successes and it was so much fun and so energizing until about March. Then when all the excitement wore off and my humanness emerged, I felt more like a failure than a success. I have now become a believer in the ONE WORD movement to transform all those resolutions that we almost always fail at, into just one word to focus on for the year. It may sound too simple, but I truly believe it's a life changer.

What's your word for 2019?
#oneword365

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!

☺

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....