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.
