I have discussed in previous blog posts my dislike for New Year’s resolutions and goals.  Too many times goals are used as crutches in our lives; we either set them so high we ultimately cannot control the outcome, or we set them so low (and safe) that we can’t really refer to them as goals.  In one scenario, at times we have to give up control and rely on others to help us accomplish things that are beyond our current means, or we play it safe and never push ourselves as much, or as far, as we could.  Therefore with this in mind, over the course of the  past few years, instead of resolutions, I have taken the One Word challenge.

One Word That Will Change Your Life (by: Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page) is book that challenges you to simplify your life by focusing on ONE WORD for the entire year. I really appreciate the concepts of clarity and focus that refining things to just one word provided.  One Word tells us, “Clutter and complexity lead to procrastination and paralysis, while simplicity and focus lead to success and clarity.” Last year, my word was SIGNIFICANCE.  I feel I found a great deal of success by keeping my focus on that one word mission last year.  It helped me to push myself to place significance on the important aspects of my life.

The process of finding one word that you plan on dedicating a year of your life to is daunting. As I searched for my One Word for 2017, I kept coming back to a question that I have been asking myself a great deal lately: Will this matter in five years? This being a task, a worry about something trivial, or… anything really. We can spend a great deal of time draining ourselves with things that do not really matter now and definitely will not matter in five years. This waste can cause us to lose sight of what really matters and drag us down in all aspects of life. I knew I needed to find a word this year that would help me focus on what really matters now and down the road.

With four active kids at home and a new position this year at school, I often get caught up in the busyness of it all and forget to enjoy the small moments each day. This year, I feel I need to focus on finding time, even if it is small, to step back when life is the most chaotic, and realize how lucky I am and how amazing my life really is.  I need to stop worrying about, and thinking about, all the things that need to get done and enjoy all the amazing little moments I am gifted with many times a day.  I need to focus on finding the JOY in all of the opportunities I have each day.  The family I love, the job that drives me, the students whom I adore, the staff that pushes me to be better each day…I am unbelievably fortunate and I need to start celebrating that fact each day

• Pause when I am the busiest, reflect on what I am doing and why it’s important, and then be grateful for the opportunity.
• Share daily reflections with others as a way to be joyful for learning.
• Spend more time doing things that really matter (if I am investing time in things that will not matter five years from now, I need stop doing them and refocus on what does and will matter).
• Find more JOY in the simple everyday moments of life.

• the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires
• a state of happiness or felicity
• a source or cause of delight

I hope you decide to take the One Word Challenge this year as well and let its simplicity lead you to success in 2017!

Keep learning; keep growing; keep sharing!