Choosing a New Year's 'Word of the Year'

Disclaimer:  Flourish Organizing may receive commissions from some links.

Years ago, I heard about this idea for choosing a word for the year instead of making New Year’s Resolutions. As someone who thrives in environments with clear rules and boundaries, I always made goals for the year. However, I also felt frustrated... I found myself making the same resolutions each year and also never quite living up to them. It felt like I was in a never ending state of being “not good enough” and asking myself “Why can’t I succeed at this?”

I think that I first heard about choosing a Word for the Year from Sara Frankl, known as Gitzen Girl in the blogging word. Sara was a 30-something Christian woman, a writer, and a chronic illness warrior who battled multiple autoimmune conditions. She taught me so much about faith, about choosing joy, about finding purpose in Jesus when illness changes your physical limitations, about navigating daily frustrations when living with a chronic illness... and also about enjoying life, about learning how to paint, and about being creative.  I am immensely grateful to the lessons she taught me, and I miss her dearly even ten years after she passed away.

The premise of the Word for the Year is simple: choose a word for the year... a focal point. For me, this is an act of prayer and obedience. I ask God for my word. Sometimes I have to wait for it... sometimes for weeks.  Other times, it comes almost instantly.  Usually, there are layers of meaning to the word, and it applies to many aspects of my life. Often there is an element of fun, of teasing, of being so completely known and loved...
​

Always, the word is a surprise. It takes on new meaning as the year unfolds. It applies in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It is always an exciting adventure... a promise from God that He goes before me and will be with me... a remembering of His love for me.... a reminder that He knows me better than I know myself... that He has numbered every hair on my head...

I look forward to this time each year now. New Year’s is no longer a time that points to my failures and broken humanity, but this time instead is filled with hope and expectation for what God will bring forth.

~Laura

To learn more about Sara Frankl, check out her blog:  Gitzen Girl.  

Some of her writings have been published in a book, "Choose Joy: Finding Purpose and Hope when Life Hurts".  Click the link to go to Amazon. 

 (Disclaimer:  Flourish Organizing may receive commissions from some links.  This is at no additional cost to the purchaser.)

Read more on the blog:

Kick your Paper Clutter

Keeping Seasonal Clothes in your Closet
using the KonMari Method®