New Year, New You: One Word (Part 2)

I know it’s February, but it’s not too late to make resolutions if you haven’t done so yet, or to start over if you didn’t exactly hit the ground running with your January ones. Plus, lent is just around the corner! I posted last month about physical resolutions and how to make them more fun. As a follow up, I want to discuss a character-resolution activity my dear friend, Liz, started with our small group a few years ago that Mr. O&O and I adopted this year with our new bible study.

The idea is similar to typical New Year’s resolutions in that you are resolving to improve yourself, but super simplified. Instead of coming up with a list of all the things you want to change about yourself (e.g. quit smoking; read the Bible; take up yoga; volunteer; get out of debt), pick one word that embodies the kind of person you want to be and apply that word to all areas of your life all year (e.g.. discipline; contentment; compassion; responsible; learn). If you want to learn more about this, there is a whole movement dedicated to helping you choose your word: My One Word. According to their website, the top 10 most popular words are:

1. Trust
   
2. Patience
   
3. Love
   
4. Discipline
   
5. Focus
   
6. Faith
   
7. Surrender
   
8. Peace
   
9. Listen
   
10. Joy

OK, so maybe a group shot wasn't the best idea - thank God for Photoshop!

Not only is this less overwhelming than a long list of resolutions (and more attainable), it also establishes a positive look forward instead of a regretful look back. However, reflection is still a worthy endeavor, which is why we pair this word-choosing for the upcoming year with a reflection on the previous year as we answer the question, “What dream did you let die last year?” This exercise helps shed light on changing expectations, circumstances, and how God has worked doors that closed for good. It also presents an opportunity to revive the dream, if applicable. 

This is a great New Year's tradition to start with your family or a close group of friends, but it is also completely doable on your own. The way we structured it for our group was simple: We sent out the following 2 questions beforehand, then all met over coffee and snacks to share our answers. 

1. What dream did you let die in 2014?
   
2. What word do you want to live out in 2015? What initial actions can you take to start living this word out now?

Because we did this with our Bible-study group, we also asked each person to pick a Bible verse to go with their word. If you want to get symbolic, you could give each person a candle to blow out when they answer question 1, and ask them to light it again when they answer question 2. Another idea is to take a picture of each person with their word so they don’t forget, especially if you want to reflect on how you did on your word at the end of the year. Note: Mr. O&O may have learned this the hard way last year... 

The word I chose this year is selfless, and so far I have started reading the news daily and praying for those in it. I also am working on responding to texts and actionable emails within 48 hours (although I may have to bump that to 72 - eek!) as well as doing one random act of kindness a week. It is definitely a journey, but I am loving it!

Happy resolving!
      Victoria