Do you pick a word for the year? I started doing this for the last three years with incredible results.
This word picking is not a frivolous, flippant exercise. Watch, listen or read.
[fvplayer id=”1″]Why You Lose
By not picking a word, you could miss out on the joy and flow that comes with how the word will manifest in your life in so many ways.
Picking a word is one of the simplest ways to stay focused and live your life with intention.
Why I Chose My Word and the Word I Chose
Last year my word was Simplify.
I am a master at over complicating things, and I was sick of living this way.
How I Used My Word With Intention
I decided I would simplify my life by intentionally:
- Saying no to activities that would drain my energy or not be in alignment with my goals
- Clearing clutter from my surroundings. I became intentional about making a place for everything and by asking myself about any item:
- Is it useful?
- Does it bring me joy?
- If I lost it in a fire, would I replace it?
- Finding ways to work more efficiently like focusing on managing one website instead of four, and to focus on finishing my second book.
How A Focused Word Led to Manifested Dreams
My intention to simplify was to live my life into what I write about: living life with greater ease, joy and flow.
I never expected that word to manifest into a dream home.
Before we met fifteen years ago, Robert had always imagined that if he met his future wife, she would own a house. The plan would be to sell his house and hers to purchase one together.
At the time we met, I was renting a house. When we were married, I moved into Robert’s house. It was very cozy and comfortable, and we just settled in.
There were a lot of ups and downs in our employment, so we never entertained buying another house.
In the back of my mind, I always had my dream home in mind, especially since I consumed endless episodes of HGTV programs showing before and after projects.
When Robert was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago, our comfortable home wasn’t so comfortable with the laundry in the basement, two levels down from our master bedroom. And we both are not getting any younger.
The thought of a main living area with the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and laundry room was not strictly a dream, but could be a necessity in the not so distant future.
We contacted a real estate agent to “just look” at houses in our area. It’s a very, old established area with little space for new construction unless an existing house is torn down.
None of the existing houses had what we wanted. There was, however, a listing with the floor plan we desired but with no picture. It turned out to be new construction.
Our agent set up a meeting with the builder. The home had everything we wanted, plus, we would be able to customize it to our exact needs.
I know that this seems pretty over-the-top; but everything aligned for us to be able to do this.
We are now in our dream home.
The Power of Your Thoughts and the Power in One Word to Focus
Have you ever considered that anything that was created in the world was first a thought someone had from paper clips to rocket ships?
That’s because thoughts become words. Words turn into action. Action turns into manifesting results whether it’s greater peace you desire, a song you wish to write, or a home you wish to have.
By focusing on that one word with intention, people and opportunities will flow into your life.
By simplifying last year, I was able to let go of the minutiae in my life to open the way for new opportunities. (Which being Open is one of the Four Steps to FLOW.)
This is a two-part post. In the next post I’ll share what my word is for the New Year.
If you are struggling with a word for the year, you can follow my lead and let the word choose you.
So, did you choose a word for the year? I’d love for you to share it in the comments below. If you found this helpful and could help others, please share. Thank you!
HELEN HOFER
January 28, 2019 2:12 pmMy word for 2018 was “self-control”. It appeared in so much of my study time and life living experiences. But it also gave Satan a way to sneak in and challenge my resolve. Being aware of my need for self control was magnified. I have not conquered my weakness in that area, but I continue the journey.
Jackie Trottmann
January 31, 2019 10:33 amHi Helen,
I believe that self-control is listed last as the fruits of the Spirit because it’s the hardest! For a recovering control freak like me, self-control is the only true control that we have. We need self-control in controlling our thoughts, our choices, our health habits, in so many areas of our lives. Because our small choices we make each day add up to a life that is either meaningful or meaningless. It is a journey, no?
Peace to you,
Jackie
Aldona
January 30, 2019 11:50 amThanks so much for reminding me to choose my word for 2019. Since David and I retired in 2018, we are uncertain of our futures. My word is COURAGE, courage to be open to the path our Heavenly Father wishes us to follow in our retirement years.
God Notes along with your Ezines, continue to provide me daily with inspiration and peace. Thank you 🙂
Jackie Trottmann
January 31, 2019 10:26 amHi Aldona!
So good to hear from you. Congratulations on your retirement. Courage is an awesome word. I’m so glad that you find inspiration and peace through God Notes and my writing. You have encouraged me so much in return!
Wishing you courage now and always,
Jackie
Aldona
January 30, 2019 11:56 amThink I accidentally unsubscribed – sorry!
Jackie Trottmann
January 31, 2019 10:23 amHi Aldona!
No worries. I’ll check it out if you want me to add you back in. Thanks for subscribing to the blog. I’m going to be intentional in posting each week here, so you’ll hear from me!
Blessings,
Jackie
Ange Ramaite
July 21, 2019 10:04 amHi, Jackie.
I’ve just re-read, and again enjoyed, this post.
On New Year’s day 2018, I came for breakfast with my gathered extended family and asked to speak. I proceeded to tell them that I had decided to start “practicing joy”.
I’ve had a hard time, where, many a time, attempts at success got tripped and aborted. And everytime it happened I’d be angry and be depressed. It was such a vicious cycle that I had a permanent scowl!
In time I learned that, just like our LORD loves a worshiper and blesses him so he will worship Him some more, the counterfeiter, satan, relishes the same. And we don’t realise that being angry and telling him how horrible he is is his kind of praise! he takes it as worship! And he wants it so much that that he’ll orchestrate more failure for anyone who makes a habit of recounting and retelling their woes!! And he loves it even more when we, like Job, ascribe it to the LORD!
Even though I’d realised that my anger, as justified as it was, had to hit the kerb, letting go of the bad, destructive habit was so difficult! It needed its own “AA”!
I came to understand that I was in the vicious cycle because things in my life were always going “back-to-default! A default that I myself had set the first few times I became angry! And, as I prayed on New Year’s Eve, God showed me that I’d have to be intentional in changing my default settings!
Hence my announcement at breakfast.
It wasn’t easy! I had to 😂😂 “manually” set my face in a smile! I would make myself laugh without a reason, and to laugh even harder when there was something funny. I’d return again and again to verses like 1 Sam 5:7 “The Ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh towards us and *Dragon* our god”, just for the laughs of it!
I saw a lot of growth in 2018 but the work still continues. And the Lord was even making me aware of someone who was cultivating the ugly habit that I was getting rid of! My intervention in that instance had good results.
Jackie Trottmann
July 21, 2019 1:24 pmHi Ange,
Thanks for the beautiful post – it warranted the name of post as opposed to a comment in my book. 🙂 I found myself reading this over again too. So thought-provoking. I love that you say you are “practicing joy.” It is a practice, but I am confident that you will be on your way to mastery.
I also love the you recognize your “default.” What’s kind of sad is that our natural default is joy. Certainly, as children we have joy, but that default gets switched along the way. I’ve been wanting to write a post called Manufacturer’s Warranty. Our settings are set by our Creator but we get messed up and broken. But we have a Manufacturer’s Warranty that puts us back together to wholeness again – like resetting your default. 🙂
I would love to hear from you again and hope that you will share more insights on other posts.
In the meantime, keep that smile instead of a scowl.
Joy-fully,
Jackie