Remembering January 1, 2017. Goal setting for the year. I could try again to write three goals in each of the 7 areas of my life. 21 goals. Not too many, but they get lost. Too many for my little brain to remember. How can I do this different? I need it to be very easy. How about one goal? Just one for the entire year. More simple. One word. It can’t get more simple than this. Yep, that’s the way it’s going to be in ’17.
What is something that will help me, inspire me or make me better.
Flashback to a few weeks before I was talking to my mom, who is my number one fan, but will also be completely honest with me. She listened to me while on a rant again. My kids- it’s so hard! I can’t wait until they grow up and move out so I can move to a one bedroom condo with Matt, then no kids could ever stay with me. She said, They will grow up and move out. I bet you’ll miss them.She had said this before. Then the words rolled off my tongue quickly, Probably not. I will NOT miss this. Then she said something that stopped me. What did you want to be when you were little? Me, A mom.
Well would you look at that, I have everything I ever wanted. Times nine. I couldn’t wait to be a mom when I was young, to have little people of my own. I babysat almost every day from when I was 10 until I was married, then was a nanny until I had a baby of my own. I adore kids. So why was I thinking, Probably not. I had to be honest with myself- It’s what I was focusing on. Are you kidding?! Had I become pessimistic- the worst personality trait I could think of for myself?
Yes, I have been low on sleep for the past decade. Yes, there is drama in my life daily. Yes I have been through trauma, but come on Marc, get up off that boxing ring floor and fight. Everyone goes through challenges and I’m sure much harder than my own. Why was I letting my soul feel so depleted?
What word can help me get out of this thought process I had taught myself? It was up to me to change it in my head and it really might take me a year to slowly get me back to ME.
I decided my word would be JOY. This word feels like the ultimate bliss. I wrote it in big letters on my bathroom mirror. In YELLOW- my favorite color.
It’s still there today. I see it every time I pass through my bedroom. This has been a great year. Maybe my best ever. In so many dimensions I have found more joy. It spilled into everything. Sometimes I look at my mirror and think for a moment I sure chose an easy word this year- it’s always been pretty easy for me to be joyful. Then I remember it really wasn’t easy. I had to rewire my brain all year. I would see the word JOY and my mind would become aware of what truly matters and see things from a bigger picture, a more joyful, grateful place. It is something I will continue to work on for years to come.
I am already excited about my 2018 Word Of The Year. Yes, I have already picked it, even before December! I chose one that is going to be my toughest challenge yet. I’ve read a few books that talk about a lesson in life we learn over and over that we still are not very good at. Bring it on.
From a book I’m reading this week- -The Ultra Mindset. “It’s all good mental training.” Travis Macy
