As each year comes to a close and we anticipate what is in store for the new year, I have found this period of "in-between" to be a sacred time of reflection.
Looking back to the end of 2013, I was ready to move on and for the year to be over (anyone else experience this some years?). It was a year of tragedy, loss, and grief with the passing of two people I deeply love only weeks apart. I spent the rest of the year reeling trying to make sense of it. For the first time, I grasped how finite life is and felt a deep drive to live my story in a meaningful way. One of the reflections I wrote down during this period was,
“Living an intentional life with purpose and direction isn’t something we naturally do. That part takes practice, commitment, and discipline.”
At the end of 2013, I wasn’t happy with what word I would use to describe my year. While thinking about this, I decided I wanted to start tangibly living out the quote above by choosing a word or phrase for the coming year. Over the last 5 years, I have found this practice to be extremely helpful and was surprised how much I actually lived into the word or phrase.
Have you ever read the book of James? It’s my favorite book from the Bible and a big reason is because the author is real and direct. If you haven’t read it yet, no matter where you are in your faith, I highly recommend it. James is 5 chapters long – a quick read – but packed with such wisdom it will feel like a gut and heart check.
Perhaps because I feel like the end of the year is a gut and heart check as we go into the next year, this is a book I turn to. In it, there is one vivid illustration that I believe keeps the word I’ve selected a focus for the year and I can’t help but live into it:
"You must be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselvesin a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing."
–James 1:22-25
It was this directness from James and wanting to live a meaningful story of purpose and direction that convicts me to live out the word/phrase with practice, commitment, and disciple throughout the year. Each morning, the word/phrase serves as my gut check mirror before starting the day and a heart check when reflecting on the word/phrase in the evening. By no means did I “nail it” everyday. In fact, many times I found it being two steps forward one step back (think the Cha-Cha) as I navigated the year. However, we get to start over everyday!
So if you were to reflect back on 2018 – what word would you use to describe this past year for yourself? When I asked this question to youth and colleagues recently, the answers included, “Blur, survival, tough, and hectic.” This is not the life that we were meant to live! I’m not saying that every year will be rainbows, butterflies, and puppy dog tails - but if we go into the year with intention and purpose I believe that we can see ourselves working towards that even in the midst of the unexpected, the disorder, and the uncertainty. This happens when we extend grace to ourselves and give permission and space to grow. Perhaps you will find that the word needs to change or evolve during the year - do it!
In the next post, I will share the words/phrases I choose for 2014-2017 along with some short reflections of why I made that choice and how this was lived out. The last post in this "series" (I never meant this to be a 3 post reflection - but one would be way too long) I will share the word from 2018 and share how I came to choosing my word for 2019. Hint: Being a new-ish student to the Enneagram (thanks to the first introduction at Lead in 2016) my word for 2019 will have to do with growing into a more healthy and integrated Social 8.
I would LOVE to hear what word/phrase you would pick to describe this past year or if you are planning on choosing a word/phrase to live into in 2019? Or is there is another way you found helpful reflecting on the past year and how you anticipate bringing in this new year? Feel free to comment below!
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