My three words this year were the following:
Be.
Steadfast.
Intentional.
I am trying to take a look at them today and see how I am doing at keeping these three words at the forefront of my life. I think I am doing fairly well this year.
A little refresher on what my words meant to me at the time I chose them:
Be. I am keeping this one from 2015 because I think it is important for me to just “be” more. I did pretty well at times with allowing this to be the center of my life this year but there were times when I must admit I got caught up in busyness of life and did not allow myself to just soak in the moment that I was in. I want to be more present in the moment and just BE. Maybe 2016 will be a bit calmer for me and I can allow myself to focus on this word a bit more.
Steadfast. I was first looking at the word stability because for some reason 2015 was a year of a lot of changes and moves for me. But it didn’t seem like quite the right word and I hit upon steadfastness as the word that I wanted to use. According to one definition I found online the word steadfast traces back to the Old English word stedefæst, a combination of stede, meaning “place,” and fæst, meaning “firmly fixed.” Picture a steadfast person standing firmly in place, not wavering or budging an inch, and you’ll have a good sense of what this word means. Yes. That is what I want to be. Firm in my beliefs and unwavering.
Intentional. According to Merriam-Webster the definition of intentional is something done in a way that is planned or intended. I have felt like this year I have flitted from thing to thing without purpose or intention a great deal of the time. I would really love to be more intentional in everything that I do. Not that I can not be spontaneous – I still want to be able to do the things on a whim that I want to but somehow I feel like I need to plan more and be much more purposeful in my actions.
It’s always good for me to look at my life and see what my goals are and where I am at with those goals. Thanksgiving is coming and it reminds me to be very thankful for the fact that I can have these goals and a lifestyle that allows me to work towards achieving them.
Recently I was able to just “be” when we visited our son and his fiancee in NYC. It was a wonderful trip and I did not allow the stress of travel and being out of my normal environment to creep in. I allowed myself to be in the moment and it was honestly one of the best trips I have had recently.
Today there is so much angst in the world and uncertainty. Especially in our own country after the presidential election. I choose to be unwavering and firmly fixed in my beliefs and more importantly in my treatment of others. Hate never wins. I choose to stand firmly and stand up against hate of any kind.
I have been more intentional in a lot of things this year. One of the areas that I have tried to be more intentional is in relationships with my family. I have been able to devote more time to family and to be there when needed. That is a choice and I am happy that I have been able to do it.
What about you? How are you finishing out 2016? Are you finishing strong with all of your goals coming to fruition? Is your personal growth apparent? Are you happy with where you are in your life? I would love to hear all about it in the comments section. Remember that each comment means a 50 cent donation to our Comments for a Cause this month.
