Word. Summing up what you would like to see in your life in one word.
January 4, 2008
While surfing some family blogs for a topic this week, I came across many, many on resolutions. Throw a rock (a virtual bloggish one, that is) and you will find ways that many people are vowing to make 2008 a great year for themselves and their families. It was then that I came across a post that really got me thinking. Over at My Semblance of Sanity she wrote about boiling your resolution down to one word. ONE word? That is craziness for a chatty woman such as myself. Seriously? One word?
Some of the words suggested were great. Kalynn Punder suggested “Blog.” I am going to have to defer that to the Things I Do As Much As Breathe category. Great suggestion, though. For those of you on the fence, I think this one is great. For those of us who have so many blogs we are frantic, perhaps we can use it as a way to remember that we enjoy blogging. Right?
Tracy suggested “More.”
As in “more patience, cook healthy, family meals more, take care of myself more.”
I like that one.
Kelly suggested one that I think all moms could use a bit more of: “Myself.”
I will take some time out for myself, since it is sooo easy to burn out giving all my time to work, hubby, and 2 little kids.
The Frazzled Farm Wife suggests “Patience.” I can do that. RIGHT NOW. Oh, wait. I think that defeats the patience part. I should work on that one.
But all of this really did get me thinking about it. Could I take ONE word to sum up all of the things I would like to accomplish in 2008? Or even use one word as a mantra of sorts to remind myself of what I am trying to achieve? I don’t know. I am a lover of words. But just one word? Many have called me verbose. (I use that rather than talkative, blabbering and chatty by choice.)
At first I thought about “Consistency.” That is a good word. Consistency in work, parenting and relationships. That is a great word to sum up a lifestyle change for the best. As I pondered all of this I began to talk to some other people to hear what their suggestions for me might be– seeing as they know me best.
My husband suggested “Housework.” (He should regain consciousness soon.) Housework? I am not going to make my entire 2008 mantra about housework. Nor will it be Organization. No thank you. I think that can fall under the Consistency title. (Or the do it yourself and make the kids pitch in category.)
A friend suggested “Volunteer.” (She is no longer my friend.) I volunteer enough now to be considered charitable yet not so much as to be considered insane. It is close, though.
When I read one of the final comments on the Word for 2008 post, I found my word. Ellie at Finding Myself wrote:
…my word is PEACE…peace within myself, around me, and what I put out!!!
Peace.
There is my Word for 2008.
If it doesn’t bring me peace, I will lose it. If it causes me to lose peace, I will get rid of it. If it brings me peace, I will embrace it. If I can share peace with others, I will reach out and do that. And if I see that those around me are stealing my peace, I will make changes.
I like that. After such a turbulent time of so little peace in my life, I would love to see myself surrounded with people, experiences, work and a home that brings me peace. In fact, if I take all of the suggested words listed, I can tie them all into Peace. (Yes, even the Housework word.)
I want to hear from you. If you had to choose one word for 2008, what would your word be?
Peace out, my friends.
—
Cross posted on BlogHer.
Posted by Jenn @ 11:43 pm
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Motivation. I told myself I need to get off my butt and get motivated.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:20 pmQBH
That’s like, less than one word, and, not even my resolution.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:22 pm[…] over at “Mommy Needs Coffee” posted a unique challenge. Instead of a list of resolutions (or as I like to call it, a […]
January 5th, 2008 at 9:54 pmclosure. from everything to damaged relationships to home projects to the purging of excess stuff from my house to the learning of new software for work to . . . just closure. I wondered how that word came to me so quickly and then I remembered. A book. (anyone who knows me is thinking, “what else?”) I started it sometime mid 2006 and it’s been sitting in my “reading spot” (low in the stack) ever since. I got busy reading to learn (again). It’s a book called “Guilt Free Living” by Robert Jeffress. He talks about closure extensively and says “closure is the feeling that you have done everything that needs to be done at that time. Therefore you are free to relax and enjoy yourself without any guilt. You prompted a blog entry for me (and I tried to trackback). Thanks!
January 5th, 2008 at 9:56 pmI was blog hopping and lo and behold…I found your blog that referred to my blog…now how cool is that….I am so glad that the word PEACE has become your word for the new year too….I think you are right…it encompasses all the others…and I like your approach to things that do not fit into your mantra of PEACE….I hope your Year is filled and overflowing with PEACE…
January 6th, 2008 at 1:41 amI still have to blog about my word…I am making a bit of a video about it…hopefully I will have it up this weekend..(I am still looking for music for it…lol).
Thanks for sharing your word!!!
Peace–Ellie
Happiness.
Happiness and unhappiness are opposite sides of a judgment about your situation. If you judge your situation as bad for you, that’s unhappiness. If you judge a situation as good for you, that’s happiness.
Happiness is what you feel when you’re NOT feeling… self doubt, depressed, hateful, fearful, worried, unsatisfied, bored, grief, shame, guilt, discontent, anxious, annoyed, angry, irritated, stressed, frustrated, upset, down, sad, envious or jealous. Whew! That’s a long list!
When you’re happy you can do the entire task that you want to accomplish.
Be happy!
January 6th, 2008 at 2:26 amSleep.
But hang on. I want to sleep. It’s just my kid that doesn’t. So perhaps that should be his word.
My word. Um. Let me sleep on it *snort*
January 6th, 2008 at 6:10 amKind.
I have to be much more kind, starting with myself. Mostly with myself. Noone needs a break from me more than I do. I have to learn that I am not responsible for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. If I don’t let up on myself I might not make it to 2009. I’m usually nice to everyone else, but I can improve there too. After I lighten up on me!
January 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pmwhat a word. Happy new year Jenn, and to your family too
January 6th, 2008 at 2:34 pmMy word for 2008? Thanks for getting me thinking about it. hihi
Mine is “enough”. As in, “good enough” or “have enough” or “save enough” or “do enough”. It’s the opposite of “more”; I’ve had a “more” kind of year last year, and I’m tired.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:49 pmPeace is a great word.
But right now my word seems to be: Endurance
January 6th, 2008 at 2:58 pmMy word would be “organize” because as much as I try, I just can’t seem to get it together & then when I have to get organized, it’s an all day, all night, all weekend fiasco to do so.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:57 amBaby. That ’bout sums it up for me.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:29 pmContentment
is only 2nd best to peace.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pmi could like to use this..then is nice..
March 13th, 2008 at 8:23 am