This year, rather than making a list of goals and plans, I decided to chose one word.
Just one word.
Purposeful.
I can apply that word to so many areas of my life.
I can remember one word so much better than a list of do's and don'ts.
Purposeful in my parenting. Purposeful in my walk with Christ. Purposeful in my eating habits. Purposeful in how I spend my time.
See! It's so much easier!
Some of the runners-up were:
Aware
Diligent
Joyful
Content
I challenge you, on this Eve of a fresh new start, to put away the long list of self promises and unattainable goals.
Release the grip of guilt that often comes with New Year's resolutions.
The start of a new year should bring freedom, not guilt. So choose a word that fits YOU.
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Because I'm a dork, I just have to show off the snow we accumulated the day after Christmas.
Happy New Year dear friend!
Thanks for being a part of my 2010!
P.S. I'd love to hear what word you might choose!
17 comments:
I don't make resolutions, but love the idea of a one-word theme for the year. Love the snow pictures!! Wasn't it beautiful how it stayed on the tree limbs?
For a few years now I have released myself from a list of New Years Resolutions. So nice..
I use the word "intentional" a lot lately. I think it's helped me be a better Wife, Mom, and friend.
This isn't just one word but I do like this too:
"Yesterday is HISTORY
Tomorrow is a MYSTERY
Today is a GIFT"
I like that because I stew over past things that will never change. I worry about what tomorrow will hold and therefore I miss out on the gift of today. That quote is how I want to live my New Year.
Have a blessed New Year!
Gretchen, I have a confession. Usually when I pull up a blog or website that is playing music I quickly turn the volume down on my computer...not because I don't like music, but because their taste doesn't jive with mine and the chosen music hits me in the head like a brick. But when I pull yours up I listen to one song after another. I tend to pull up about 8-10 blogs at a time and I listen to your playlist while I scope out all the other blogs and save yours for last. We have identical taste in music. So, as they sing in Mama Mia, "Thanks for the music!"
Now, on to today's post...
Love it girl! What a great idea to choose one word that describes your best intentions for the new year. So much better than a litany of resolutions that will die on the vine by February! I love your choice of Purposeful and wish I'd thought of it myself. In fact, although I've come up with a short list of other words I could easily choose from (gentle, yielded, servant, gracious and gratitude)I think I'm going to do something I rarely do and be a copycat (I'm usually way to prideful to go with someone else's idea!). So I hope you don't mind me having a Purposeful year this year too. Truth is, I spent yesterday just planning out my new 2011 calendar and reorganizing my "family notebook" with that very intention.
Love the snow!
Have a happy new year! I'll be around.
Kay
Joyful! Now you'll have to hold me accountable...
Thanks for this, Gretchen! Very thoughtful and thought-provoking! Hope you have a very blessed New Year! Cindy :)
p.s. LOVE the snow pics. So nice to know someone else who loves winter as much as I do!
I think last year my word was risk...because I started my blog with no idea of what it was about and what I was doing. This years word will be different but it hasn't come to me yet. I love your pictures by the way...beautful porch. blessings to you.
The word I choose is "AWARE."
I want to be aware of the "grace" given to me daily by my Lord and how BLESSED I am.
Happy New Year!
i love your word. that has got to be mine. or how 'bout i tweak it and say "intentional" so it's not the exact same word. okay, so it's not the same spelling :)
by the way, i just cannot say how beautiful that first picture is! that could be a post card, or framed artwork you'd buy!
Don't have my word yet, but "adventure" usually floats near the top :)
Happy New Year, friend -
I like your "purposeful"... so much better than a resolution. Resolutions are broken but being purposeful in something is striving to be what you can and grow. That is all the Lord asks from us! I enjoyed that snow, too. It was beautiful. :)
Love you, dear friend.... Happy New Year.
Beautiful snow pictures!!
My word :
Growth.
I want to grow in my knowledge of Christ, grow as a wife, and grow as a homeschooling mom of 4.
Happy New Year! My 2010 was better because of you!
My word: DEVOTED
-to my family
-to my friends
-to my Lord and Savior
-to the students and teachers that I educate
-to my profession
Happy New Year to you and your family! I love reading your sweet thoughts each day! By the way, as a Southern girl that doesn't get to see snow, I want to thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures!
Love this idea! My word would be "committed." I want to not only say I will do something, but stay committed to it and follow it through 100% (w/ the Lord's help) Committed to being a godly mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter... committed to eating healthy, committed to walking deeper /w the Lord, committed to exercising, committed to being the best me that I can be. Thanks for the great post and Happy 2011!!
Oh, honey...
During this little hiatus of mine, your words are some of the ones that I have missed the most. You are dear to me, and thoughts are salve to my spirit on so many days.
This post is no different.
Love you, friend.
Your pics are just GORGEOUS!! And I"m also loving the idea of a WORD for the year.... My top three would be servant, content & joyful. I'll have to see if I can narrow that down to just one...probably servant....because I've been bumping into that here lately & I really want to work on being a better for our Lord Jesus. But I'm also always striving to be content & joyful where I am in life....so those two will be right up there too! many blessings to you & your family in this new year!!
<3 Amy
I love this post. I have never been a big new years resolution person because I would get disappointed in myself for not meeting my goals. I decided years ago not to make any and then just let the year turn out like it is suppose to and not try to force a goal to happen. So the word I would choose this year is joyful. Unfortunately, there are moments when I do not choose joy so this year I want to choose joy. Ok, JOY it is!
Happy New Year
BREATHTAKING!
Not me, your house in the snow silly!!
haha
Love the idea of one word for the year.
JOY is my word for this year!
Joy with my husband
With my babies
In the mundane
In decorating
In trying new recipes
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