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What is Your One WORD for 2021?

By Sondra Wallace
JFS Mental Health Coalition Coordinator

If you are like millions of other people worldwide, you are probably thinking about making traditional New Year’s resolutions. But most people only stick to their resolutions for a couple of weeks.

Rather than compile a list of resolutions this year, consider adopting ONE word for 2021.

This process of choosing just one WORD provides clarity by taking all your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single focus. Only one WORD centers on your character and creates a vision for your future.

The concept of “Just One WORD that will change your life” has been around for many years. It began as a simple question among friends, “What’s your theme for the upcoming year?” After typical speeches about hopes, dreams, aspirations, and accomplishments, the question was asked again, “I asked for one WORD, not a sermon.”

These three friends – Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page -began challenging each other and family and friends to have a laser-like focus for the upcoming year, which inspired them to share the concept with any one person or audience who would listen.  In fact, after 20 years, it continues to be a proven way to “create clarity, power, passion, and life changes.”

Through intentional and unintentional experiences, one WORD has shown to have a powerful impact on six dimensions of our life:

  • Spiritual
  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Relational
  • Mental
  • Financial

Gordon, Britton, and Page suggest the following three steps to determine a single WORD meant for you.


Prepare your heart:  1) Disengage from the busyness and hectic pace of life; 2) Find space for silence & remove visual clutter; and 3) Ask yourself:  What do I need? What’s in my way? What needs to go?

Discover your WORD:  Plug into your faith and listen

Live your WORD: 1) Keep it front & center-post it visually; 2) Apply it to every area of life, every day of the year; and 3) Share it with others.


Are you ready to shift from “to-DO” goals to “to-BE” goals? To shift from what we accomplish to what (who) we become?  It seems rather apparent we may choose words for 2021 such as healthy and hopeful. However, the most challenging choice may be to spend enough intentional time in silence to listen for the WORD presented to you—the WORD challenging your heart, your actions, and your thoughts.

For more information about One WORD, read “One WORD that Will Change Your Life” by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page; or visit getoneword.com; Jongordon.com; myoneword.org; and oneword365.com.

Sondra Wallace, MSEd, is the Greater KC Mental Health Coalition and YouBeYou Youth Programming Coordinator for Jewish Family Services.  She has an unwavering commitment to support, collaborate, and engage our community in mental health education and prevention to increase health and wellness for all.  Wallace joined the JFS team with more than 20 years of experience in the educational community in Kansas City and is a certified trainer for Sources of Strength, an upstream approach to suicide prevention and health and wellness.

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Upcoming Events

Jan
18
Mon
all-day JFS Offices Closed – MLK Day
JFS Offices Closed – MLK Day
Jan 18 all-day
 
Jan
20
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11:30 am JFS Grief and Loss Support
JFS Grief and Loss Support
Jan 20 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Meets first and third WednesdayThe ongoing support group is for individuals grieving fromthe death of a loved one. The group provides an opportunityto address issues of loss and grief within a Jewish spiritualcontext in a[...]
Jan
21
Thu
1:00 pm JFS Virtual LL&L – Brain Fitness
JFS Virtual LL&L – Brain Fitness
Jan 21 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Learn Laugh & Love January 21, 2021 Zoom 1:00-2:00 ***Register in advance for this program: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUodeqorj0vE9Z32U2J9TXetAt4DLES_dCk After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Brain Fitness – Keep your[...]
Jan
25
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3:00 pm JFS Virtual Happiness Habits
JFS Virtual Happiness Habits
Jan 25 @ 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Start the new year with a weekly habit that brings happiness! This Happiness Habits Wellness Series is a free and ongoing half-hour program in partnership between JFS, the Kansas City Public Library, and the Greater Kansas[...]
Jan
27
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1:00 pm JFS “New Year Habits” Virtual Wo...
JFS “New Year Habits” Virtual Wo...
Jan 27 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Title: New Year, NewHabits: Exploring Self-Care Tools and TechniquesFacilitators: JFS Therapists, Lauren Glass & KathleenHallingJoin us in this interactive session to learn the benefits ofself-care and how to develop a more compassionate and supportive relationshipwith[...]
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