I’ve heard a few bloggers post lately about having a guiding/theme word for the new year. Maybe I’m just hiding under a rock, but it’s a totally new concept to me. Am I alone? Over the last couple days I’ve been thinking about what word I think seems best suited for the year to come.
If I could sum-up 2013 in one word, it would be discovery. Joe and I experienced so many new things this past year. We explored a new city, embraced new jobs, met new people, made new friends, started learning how to train a puppy, tackled home projects we didn’t know we were capable of. It was as if we were discovering something new every day, and it was exciting.
For 2014, I think I’ll choose two words if that’s okay. I suppose I’m making the rules, so 2014 is going to be guided by the words discipline and patience.
Lately, God’s been pressing upon my heart that I need to strive for greater patience in my life, that I need to feel at peace with his plans and his timing in all things, not just the things I “allow” him to control. As someone who likes to be in control, I don’t find it easy to hand over the reigns to someone else. This extends into the smaller aspects of life, too. Joe and I joke that somehow we always end up in the line that takes the longest at Target or the mall or anywhere. It’s a running joke between us, but I have to wonder if maybe it isn’t a coincidence? Maybe it’s a gentle reminder that I need to work on having more patience and extending that patience to those who need it. I certainly ask others to have patience with me!
As for discipline, that’s something I’ve felt totally convicted about for a while now. Discipline with our family finances, with the foods I choose to eat (or not to eat), with our exercise routines, with the timeliness of my responses to e-mails and just getting stuff done when it needs to be done. I’m a procrastinator by nature and it’s driven my mom nuts for years. And although I’ll always probably be a little bit of a procrastinator, I would like to improve upon that if possible.
For me, the idea of having general words to guide the year rather than specific resolutions seems to be more applicable to daily life. I’m also hoping that it sets me up for success rather than failure, like a lot of resolutions in years past. I’m a little nervous having voiced that these words are my guiding words for the year, since I have a feeling that I’ll find plenty of circumstances where I can put my words into action in the year to come!
What about you? Do you do resolutions or have a “word of the year” that you try to live by?
Madison