Over the years I have lived the words Abundance, Surrender, Love, Conquer, Inspire, Grit, and Rise. Each journey brought about a deeper connection not only with myself, but with the those in my life who I came to trust during my year of “conquer.”
I confided in my mother recently in order to sort through many frustrations that keep me up at night. Rise was the theme for the year, and she reminded me that I have risen both personally and professionally over the last year. The focus I placed on rising came with sacrifice. Recently, I have begun to wonder whether I sacrificed too much. I am physically and mentally exhausted. I have been sick more frequently. I have not been present at home. I have not been present in relationships. And, I have spent less time with my friends.
The indicators and questions I am in the habit of asking when I lose my balance are:
1. Has my focus become narrow?
2. Does my to-do list feel like the end all be all of existence?
3. Is the matter at hand really a big deal, or are you overreacting?
4. Are you flat out thinking that you need to have more fun?
5. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being highest, how much fun are you
having on a regular basis? On average?
6. Do you think at the end of your life you might say, “I wish I had had more
fun?”
7. Are you envious of others who are having more fun?
I invested so much of the last year focused on work. I set aside goals, hopes, and dreams. I have definitely set aside my 5, 10, and 20 year plans that I had made growing up. Over the next 5-weeks on my ‘One Word’ journey, I am shifting my focus to get back to being the best version of myself.
Je Prévois de vous promener à pied sans but sans un plan. Translated it reads, I am planning to walk around aimlessly without a plan. Over the last year, I have set my focus on one thing, and I feel like I missed everything around me. The next five weeks are a great opportunity to walk aimlessly as I answer the following questions with intention and arrive at “One Word’ for 2020.
1. What skill, hope, dream, or intention have you set aside?
2. Write it down. Commit to actively brushing the dust off and enhancing it.
3. Track your progress on a daily basis. Use stickers on your calendar, check
marks, anything.
4. At the end of the month, measure your progress. Did you do well? Do you
need to tweak?
5. What steps do you need to take next?
6. Reward yourself!
What traditions do you have for the New Year?