My Word for 2019

…and why is every one choosing a word for the year?

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but there seems to be a relatively new thing happening around the New Year these days. Perhaps, it’s not too new and I am just behind the times. Either way, it is a really neat practice that I have adopted this year: Choosing a Word for the year.

I first heard about choosing a word for the year last year. But I’ll be honest, I didn’t really understand the point of it. Plus we were super busy moving and I forgot about it before I did any research, so I didn’t happen.

This year, however, I have heard about it a lot more and I have even listened to a few podcasts about it. Here is a great one if you’d like some additional guidance for choosing a word for the year.

So what’s the point of choosing a word for the year? Let me break it down by sharing a few benefits that I see and have experienced already by choosing a word for the year.

Benefits of choosing a word for the year

• Helps you set a POSITIVE MINDSET for the year. Studies show that you can ultimately set your mindset. If you tell your self again and again that it is going to be a bad day, your mind will expect the negative and actually seek out the negative things around you that you otherwise may not have noticed. The opposite is true for positive self-talk. Choosing a word for the year (as long as it promotes positivity) actually helps you set a positive mindset for the year,

• Gives you a THEME for your goals. Setting goals is a favorite practice of mine for the New Year (and throughout the year). However, it can be overwhelming when setting goals in all areas of your life when there is no underlying commonality tying them all together. Choosing a word for the year provides a foundation from which all of your goals can form. Below I will share my word and how it is the theme for all of my goals in my many different areas of life from family to self-care to business.
• Gives you FOCUS and helps you stay on track (or get back on track). Let’s just put it this way, if you set goals you will eventually fall off track. It’s normal, and it’s inevitable because we are fallible humans who need Jesus. However, the worst thing you can do when you fall off track is give up on your goals. Always strive to get back on course. Choosing a word for the year can help you do this. Reminding yourself of the one simple word can realign your mind with where you were originally headed and help get you back to moving in the right direction.

The number of times a person falls off track does not determine if that person is a failure, however, the number of times that person gets back up will determine their level of success.

So what word did I chose for 2019?

Diligent– constant in effort to accomplish something.

This word excites me! I chose this word because it is the overlying theme I would like to have in my life in 2019. The Lord has assigned me a few important tasks in this season and I would like to diligently accomplish those things according to His will.

Diligent does not mean perfect effort… it simply means constant and careful effort. It creates a mindset of slow, steady progress forward, rather than the messy, rushed, sporadic effort which filled my 2018. I don’t regret 2018, I am pleased with what I have accomplished. However, there were many moments of unncessary self-induced stress that can be avoided in 2019 with careful, slow, intentional, DILIGENT effort. So that is the word I am choosing for the year.

How this word applies to every area of my goals

I like to set goals based on priorities in my life. (If you’d like a FREE fun, quick tutorial of how I set goals sign up here for my 3 Day Goal Setting Email Challenge).

My priorities include: My Faith, My Marriage, My Children, My Self-Care, My Family, My Home My Business, and My Blog. With in each of these priorities I set goals based on what I think the Lord would like me to focus on in this season. No matter the goal and no matter the priority, I will be DILIGENT in accomplishing each and every one. I will work my goals steadily and with careful focus.

Another must-have tool to help me stay focused on my WORD and my goals each week throughout the year is by the Intentionally U Planner designed specifically to help me stay on track! PLUS with the custom cover option, I can have my WORD on the front of my planner to remind me each day what my theme and focus are for the year!

I hope this inspires you and helps you in choosing a word for the year.

Happy 2019! Make it amazing!

xoxo Allison