New Year’s Resolutions or Something else? That is the question!
How many of you make resolutions before the beginning of the new year? I was a big fan of resolutions in my younger years, I thought they would spur me on and support me to attain my goals. Honestly, I didn’t know there was an alternative. The data shows that 50% of resolutions makers will fail to continue with their resolutions past the end of January. That is not very encouraging!
The new year is still fresh and I have good news! How many of you participate in a Word for the year?
Jon Gordon wrote a book called One Word that Will Change Your Life. The focus of this book is that by dialing in on one word instead of “I should” resolutions and goals, you simplify your life by bringing your attention back to that one word. Having a yearlong awareness of this word teaches you how can you apply it in the situations where you need guidance. Finding your one word creates clarity, power, passion and is life-changing. Jon claims the simple power of your one word will impact all six dimensions of your life – mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial. The One Word approach sticks. I was introduced to this concept several years ago. I want to challenge each of you to consider which would be more helpful for you in 2025, to create resolutions or to come up with one word that is your North Star for 365 days.
In October I usually start mulling over what my word might be. I never find it, the word finds me. My words have ranged from receive, believe, curiosity, love, practice, perspective to name just a few. What I have learned is that every year, significant events happen that help me embody that particular word.
Let me give you an example. Last year in September I had cancer surgery and spent a few months recovering from it. Ironically, my word for 2023 was perspective. Perspective means a point of view or way of seeing relevant information in a meaningful way. What a curious way to view cancer. Being headstrong, I knew I needed to view cancer from a different perspective. Instead of viewing it as a life sentence, I chose to view it as getting a PhD in minding my mind/healing my body.
I frequently ask my clients this question at some point, “If you knew you only had 3 years to live, what would your life look like?” Little did I know, I would have to answer that question for myself last summer.
That powerful question led me to determine that I needed a new filter for making decisions. It quickly became: Am I willing to I live with this decision or am I willing to die based on this decision? Knowing and trusting I was making the best decision I could, with the information I have at hand, in that moment. It was a relief! AND as I gained new information, I could change my decision without second guessing myself. Regardless of the situation, this filter still met the criteria of helping me decide independent of the outcome. That realization was incredibly liberating for me. Decision making was no longer a grueling process.
Let’s be real, each of us in this room have survived every decision we have ever made. We have also survived every hard thing we have had to go through. You and I may not like it, yet we accept it in order to make a decision that supports our next best move with space, time and perspective, we can eventually flourish. One of the meanings of flourish in Hebrew is SHALOM. I have attained a deep sense of fulfillment with this new perspective and to understand more deeply what it means to flourish and have peace!
My challenge to you is, figure out if creating One Word instead of resolutions is a “next best step” for you. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the word perspective would reshape my world and future when I entered 2023 with my new word tucked under my belt. My desire is that you find meaningful guidance this coming year through the power of words.
If you are looking for a group of like-minded women this year, who are supportive and encouraging, please join the Circle of Trust FB group.
Here is to your success and fulfilling your deepest desires!
XoX
Betsy