2021: My Word of the Year

“There are far, far better things ahead than anything we leave behind” – C.S. Lewis

If you’ve been around this space for a while now, or if you know me in real life, you probably know that a few years ago I gave up the idea of New Year’s Resolutions.

I found that setting hard and fast goals for an entire year didn’t work for me. Often my resolutions would be vague and numerous, leaving them hard to recall only weeks later.

Instead, I now take a more general approach to the start of the new year. Rather than get specific, with many goals, I limit myself to only one word.

Keeping my intentions for the next twelve months distilled to one word allows me to recall my word often, bringing it and my hopes for the year top of mind.

Finding your word of the year

For the last several years, I’ve gone through a simple process to find my word. Using a physical journal, I’ll spend a few days reflecting over the last year.

What worked well? What did I like? Are there habits I want to change? How do I feel about myself and my character?

Some years I limit my reflection to one session; other years, I mull over it for a few days, making notes whenever something comes to mind. By thinking about the previous months, I can see more clearly where I’ve grown, as well as areas in my life that could use more attention.

After some reflecting, I’ll spend time thinking about the future me. What kind of person do I want future me to be? What characteristics would she have? How can I work to develop those characteristics? Is there a theme?

Last year, I started breaking up some of the answers to these questions into four broad areas of my life: Myself, Community, Work, and Home. This is where I spend my energy every day, and I break personal characteristics or habits into these groups. By getting specific within these categories, I can better determine how well my intention is going.

Then I choose a word. Usually, there is one word that touches most of the goals and desires I’ve set in each category. 2020 was the first year I broke up my intention with these overarching themes in mind, so be sure to check out my initial 2020 post, as well as the end of the year recap.

My Word of the Year for 2021

Unlike years past, I’ve been thinking about my word of the year for 2021 for weeks. Usually, the week between Christmas and New Year’s I spend journaling, looking ahead to the person I hope to be in a year.

I still maintained that practice in the last days of 2020, but in reality, I’d already chosen my word. 

Honestly, a part of me feels like my word for 2021 is sort of a carryover from 2020. It’s no secret that last year did a number on all of us, but 2020 brought to light some areas I’d like to continue working on.

Nothing about 2020 was what we thought it would be, but it wasn’t all bad. 

This year, my word is learn.

Learn

The definition of learn is to gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in something by study, experience, or being taught.

To help choose my one word, I’ll often use the formal definition to help me strip away my own ideas or preconceptions about the word.

Here’s what I hope to learn this year.

Others + Our Community

I listen to podcasts every afternoon as I walk Fred, and I plan to continue learning from others. 2020 didn’t leave me much energy, so I’m also bringing reading back to the forefront of my daily to-do list.

This year is a moving year. Husband and I will learn a new culture, new friends, new community. I want to continue practicing investing in community, no matter where we are, and leaving fear behind when it comes to putting myself out there.

Home

A moving year also means a new home. I want to have our home work for us, while still cultivating a comfortable and welcoming space. I think we did that pretty well in Japan, and I’m excited to learn what works in our new space.

Packing up gives us an opportunity to say thank you to things that have served us well but we no longer need. I plan to pay more attention to the filter I use when sorting and purging. Maybe then I’ll become aware of a way to keep some of the clutter out from the get-go.

Work

2020 gave me opportunities for exploring some new avenues professionally. I wrote my first devotional series for Advent and dipped my toe back into the world of photography. I’d like to continue exploring both of these paths.

I suspect we’ll have some time on our hands as we adjust to a new home amid a global pandemic. I’d like to be a better steward of the investment I made to hope*writers in 2020. Spending time each week learning about the art of writing from others is definitely one of my intentions this year.

Additionally, I hope to learn more about what I like to write about (or what comes easiest), as well as some of the back end techy things that come with a website. Finding a good balance with social media is also something I hope to tackle this year.

Myself

This might sound weird, but I want to learn how to be at home in my body. I spend a lot of time in my head, so for me, this idea includes things finding an exercise routine that doesn’t feel like a chore. It also includes regular meditation and Bible study.

Meal planning has become a chore, so I’m loosening my grip on the system our family was following before. I want to learn the best way for both Husband and me. What foods make us feel bad? What do we enjoy eating? How can we best fuel our bodies well without me feeling chained to a system every week?

I’m also finding that I don’t want to be stagnant or stuck in familiarity and routine. There’s a time and place for that, and generally speaking, it’s where I’m most comfortable. During the early days of the pandemic, routine was a tremendous help. 

But when times are hard or scary, I find myself rigid in my routine. It’s like my security blanket. As I said, there’s certainly a time and place for that way of life. But I don’t want it to be my default.

2021 will certainly bring new challenges. We’re supposed to move, leaving Japan and heading to our next home sometime in the spring. Life will change. After all, the only thing that’s certain in life is change.

So here’s to a year of learning! Are you with me?

Do you choose a word of the year? What’s your word for 2021?