Might I have a word??

Have you had your fill of "Who are you going to be this year??" type posts?  January for me is a month long exploration of what has been placed on my heart for growth in the new year.  I spend the next 11 months putting my money where my mouth was.  Or doing my darndest anyway. :)  I truly believe that if you don't have a plan, or goals, you will wind up achieving exactly what you set out to achieve.  Not. Much.  So - I plan.  But I take my time.  Because I don't make plans lightly.  I don't plan casually.  If I'm going to have a goal, it's going to happen. I will stick with it until it does. It's just who I am.  That stubbornness has done me well, and it's done me not so well at times.  But it's still who I am.

So - I've made the process a bit more streamlined the last couple of years.  I've come up with a word for the year.  Sometimes, like last year, I wound up changing my word mid year.  I needed to, based on life's circumstances.  Choosing a word is an abstract yard-stick that I've found to be very helpful.  Have a couple of choices you could make in your daily career life?  Which choice measures against and works well with your word for the year.  A word you chose during a 31 day window of thoughtfulness, intention, and ambition.  Unsure which direction to head when life gets a bit murky?  Rely on your word o' the year.  It was chosen during much more clear-headed times.  Trust your own process.

My word for the latter part of 2014 was Resilience.  It got me through some pretty foggy months of upheaval, and by the Grace of God, we came out well on the other side.  You know I must throw this in here right now, but bear with me.  A HUGE example of resilience took place yesterday with my beloved Seahawks and their scrabble for the NFC championship.  It's been so interesting to hear the stories of people leaving the game, switching channels, etc when they thought all hope of a Seattle win was gone.  I was pacing.  But I had a feeling.  I knew that if any team in the whole NFL could pull a win out of sheer will and grit, it was the Seahawks.  I've seen them in action.  I've seen them in the clutch.  And with Russell Wilson at the helm, they do very well.  Obviously.  But again, my football team provided an outstanding opportunity and reason to include resilience in my every day vernacular.  I kinda wish I could retain it as this year's word....but that's not how my process works and I need to stick to it. ;)

So the word I've chosen to govern my actions and decision making this year is....drumroll please....PROGRESS.  Yes.  Like the pilgrims....lol.  A thesaurus search further adds to the definition.  Words like development, evolvement, movement, stride, journey, momentum, step forward.  Oh how I love my new word!!  Every single one of those meanings is one that I can just sink my teeth into.

I've got a new career that I have all kinds of room to expand into and become excellent at.  I have a new body type that I can sculpt now that I don't require as much physical power during my everyday job.  I have a new schedule that I can form into a plan that gives me more family time and works well with my son's school schedule.  Yes.  Everyone of these things changing at once during the last year was stressful.  There were many uncertainties that at times threatened to paralyze me.  But remember the resilience part?  That, coupled with an amazing God that fed me new opportunities as fast as I could digest them, a supportive husband and kids, and a humbling network of truly gold-hearted friends got me through.  I still have days where I have an absolute kick in the gut pang of loneliness for my life as a firefighter.  I've come to realize that I always will.  It simply meant that much to me.  But I have seen the value of stepping forward through the ache.  It helps somehow.

So here's the challenge (you knew there would be one!!).  Find a word.  You have a few days.  Find a word that you can rock in 2015.  One that you can repeat to yourself on those days where life is busy and at times discouraging.  Find a word that will focus your efforts, hone your decisions, make your time well-spent.  And then repeat it often.  And as always, I would dearly love to hear all about the word you chose and why.  That's what the comment section is for.  I love learning from and about people!

Have a fabulous 2015!!  May you make it all you want it to be.  May the wind be at your back, the sun be on your face, and the love of God and your circle of friends celebrate and support you through every day.

Make it a great day!!