Hi friends! If you’re coming here as a blog reader, you’ll see this bizarre little media player at the top of this post. Ignore it and scroll right past, unless you’d like to give the podcast a try 🙂
I released it as a podcast episode this week, but I also wanted to write out a not-quite-transcript version since this #OneWord365 thing is commonly shared and archived as a blog post. Quite frankly my brain is mush and I couldn’t come up with a better way to accomplish both things without cluttering your inbox. So read, listen, whatever you prefer – and we’ll look “normal” (ha!) again next week.
Maybe you’ve heard of #OneWord365? This post is later this year than I anticipated, because I just wasn’t able to land on a word. If you’re familiar with it, feel free to jump down below the break to find out my word. If not, read on! 🙂
First of all, maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about. This idea of “One Word” is not a new concept. It seems to have started with a book in 1999 by John Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page, “One Word that Will Change Your Life“. I will be perfectly honest – I haven’t read it. If you’d like you can read reviews from people who presumably have read it, and see if you would like to. I do know that it started a really cool concept.
There is another book, “My One Word” (2010, Mike Ashcroft and Rachel Olson) that digs into church plans, Bible studies and the like. Their website has a lot of really cool stories of motivation behind why people choose their one word. This is another book I have not read; transparency wins around here 🙂
The place that I first really latched onto this idea is the website OneWord365.com and the accompanying hashtag #OneWord365. This is a really neatly designed site that shows current words, and allows you to find both inspiration for your word and a “tribe” – a group of people working on the same word and headed in the same direction as you. It also does a great job to explain the concept.
According to statistics, probably 25% of us have already failed on our new years resolutions. Honestly, I haven’t even written my goals down yet. Hopefully you’re doing better than I am. One Word sort of encompasses or complements our goals or resolutions. All of our interactions and decisions we make on a daily basis certainly aren’t going to fall into a spelled out goal – that just wouldn’t make sense. But they do paint a picture of who we are.
One Word:
“…sums up who you want to be or how you want to live”
“…can be a compass that directs your decisions”
I love that it can change with the season that you’re in. My friend Corie Clark has a cool story (and I hope she will share it with us soon, if I can get my act together!) and it is a beautiful example of this. She has been on a journey the last few years as she has figured out what direction she was headed, started a new endeavor and listened to God’s instruction, become successful in a new venture, and is now figuring out where she is supposed to go from here. Her word has changed throughout this journey. Just like with the goals in our life, our word may come from a place of healing or rest, it may come from a place of motivation. For whatever reasons, the big picture of who you are and the direction you are headed and the way you are focused may look different now than it will next year, and than it did two years ago.
We talked recently about goals that are specific and measurable and sound more like an action plan… this is sort of the opposite idea. It’s like the fluffy, feel-good version of that, but I think they’re equally important.
Some of the ideas below are words that my friends have come up with, some are words I have used in the past, words I considered this year and mulled over. Some are words I read on different “One Word” sites that stood out at me – not necessarily as words for me, but as words that might speak to you. If you think this is a great idea but don’t know where to begin, maybe something will stand out to you or remind you of another word that has been speaking to you.
hope health increase intentional complete freedom strength discipline courage simplify soar adventure trust love forward risk believe balance rest present grace embrace serve pure enough
These words are sort of all over the place. Some make us feel like we are moving forward, some evoke a sense of rest and stillness – and that’s on purpose. There are times in our life that we need all of these things.
My favorite conversations around this idea are the ones that describe why people have chosen a word. Some come from scripture or quotes or song lyrics that have spoken to them and resonate really well with where they are. I love chatting about what you anticipate they might do for you; and at the end of the year, it’s really cool to see how they impacted your life in away you weren’t expecting.
Once people come up with their words – from their different backgrounds, with their different interpretations and reasonings – even at that point, people use this tool differently throughout the year. Some prayed about how to come up with a word and pray over it continously. Some make beautiful prints or wear jewelry or have something that is a tangible reminder of that word in their home, in their car, on their phone – something they will see and be reminded of throughout 2015. Some people use their word as a lens through which they can make decisions. Whatever it looks like for you will look different, but I think it’s an idea worth exploring.
My One Word for 2015
Last year, my word came really easily to me (you can read about that here), but this year I had so many things I was contemplating. Part of me wanted a word that spoke to me as a mom. I wanted something that addressed the projects I have going. Others were about relationships and seeking out good friendships. IÂ felt like I was being pulled in different directions.
I kept having this one word on my heart… but I didn’t like it. I heard this word over and over and just wanted to ignore it. In part because of that, and mostly because it’s the right word for me right now, my word is LISTEN. I want to listen in a lot of capacities, and it turns out this word does speak to so many of the things I was looking for.
I want to listen to the call on my heart, the things I think God has called me to do. Listen for clarity on what sounds like a good idea because I’m a creative and have a lot of ideas versus what things might be used for a greater impact.
I want to “listen” to the books I’m reading, and the messages and podcasts I’m hearing. I do listen – I get wonderful information and lessons and encouragement from all of these things, but I imagine as I sit and really struggle not to multitask while I listen… I wonder if I would get more out of them if I were only listening. I know there is the reality that some people’s brains take in more content if doing physical things while listening. I also know that I’m uncomfortable with stillness and silence.
I want to listen to my kids. There are times that my older children will say, “You didn’t let me finish my sentence”.  I know this is in my vocabulary too, because let’s face it – kids interrupt a lot; Apparently, so do adults. And don’t think I don’t know that you’re on my side! There are lots of times they don’t need to finish – they’re wrong, we aren’t changing our minds, what they’re asking for is ridiculous, what they’re complaining about is silly. There is no point, on one hand, for them to finish their sentence. But gosh, how disrespectful of us to interrupt. How little they must think we value what they have to say, even if only in that moment.
Certainly this won’t solve all of our problems. They aren’t going to get their way and be happy with me all the time, and I’m not always going to learn new lessons. But letting them know that they are valued and that I hear their frustrations – with consistency (like, all the time) – will model for them how to treat others and how to make better choices themselves.
I want to listen to my husband. We have great communication and can talk forever about everything and nothing. The important stuff and the totally geeky stuff. But many times we just talk over one another. And sure, he does it too – but I need to stop and listen. First.
If I choose to listen more, I think we can create a culture of listening where everyone listens to one another more. Part of me feels like that is a selfish motive, but I don’t really think so. I think it’s a side effect: as we model good behavior in areas we want to grow, it spills over to everyone around us.
Finally, I read an article that resonated with me: “One Quality in Writing and Life People Appreciate“. {Spoiler: Talk less, because people don’t care about what we’re saying. ;)} It sounds mean when I put it like that, but it’s really not. It’s full of practical advice and an important reminder:
The world is noisy. Your story IS important – I am not backing down from that. But for me, it’s important to continue listening to what I’m putting out there, whether it’s adding value or adding noise. To listen to the people around me because they will share things of value and I may miss it because there is so much noise. To listen so that I’m familiar with the things of value and can pick them out in and above the noise. To listen so that I can hear God’s voice and the voices of the people who matter most, over the noise.
It’s a word that I don’t really love. I like listening to other people when they need me – but I struggle with the part of listening that implies stillness and quiet.
Sometimes the word you choose might put you out of your comfort zone. Like goals and like most other things in life, that’s probably good. If you want to grow, you need to step outside, expand those walls.
Think about a word for 2015 that challenges and encourages you – to be who you want to be, or live how you want to live.
Do you have One Word? Share it in the Facebook Community!
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