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| Browns Bay, N.I |
Happy New Year!!
Oh, wait, is it too late to say that now? We're almost a whole week into 2016 already, and here I am wishing you all a happy new year. But, it is my very first post of the new year, so I'm sticking with it!
How has your New Year been so far? Started back to work yet? Struggling to fit back into a normal routine? Or even normal clothes?! I know I am. My entire being would give anything to still be off work and enjoying myself, eating too many chocolates and moving only when necessary! Returning to normality is hard.
What about your New Year Resolutions/Goals, how are they going?
Last year I decided to try doing small monthly goals for the year (find them here!), instead of setting myself up with massive one-off resolutions that I would never end up sticking too. These monthly goals were a really nice way of keeping track of the things that I wanted to do or accomplish each month, and looking back on the previous month allowed me to reflect on my progresses or achievements! Some months were super productive and others, well, weren't. But I found that I really enjoyed having those goals as a kind of guide for what I wanted to get out of each month, even if I didn't necessarily complete them!
I am a bit annoyed at myself, actually, for not finishing the year off. Sadly, November & December were left without goals, as life got a bit busy and things on the blog slowed way down. But, even though I am annoyed at myself, it's made me realise something. These goals were personal. It doesn't matter if they seem mundane or silly to anyone else and it also isn't a big deal if they weren't completed or even started. They existed for me, and only me, as a way of motivating myself, of giving myself something to aim towards each month, and that is totally okay!
I still haven't decided yet if I'm going to continue doing these monthly goals in 2016, but I am excited to share what I have got planned in terms of goals/resolutions.
One Little Word
I came across the #onelittleword project on Instagram last week and was immediately drawn towards it. The idea behind it is basically you choose one word to focus on throughout the year, in place of a whole list of resolutions. You can simply choose a word that feels right, or you can spend some time considering, meditating, praying and seeking out what your word will be for 2016. Your word is your guide, it's what you want to focus on, learn about and want to achieve throughout the year.
Even though I'm sure the idea behind choosing one word to focus on throughout the year has been around for ages, this project was started by Ali Edwards, and on her site you can find tonnes of resources that lend a helping hand, aswell as a creative community that share their progresses and encourage each other during the year.
I really love this idea of choosing a word to focus on instead of setting resolutions and goals. I've spent the last few days trawling through the hashtag on Instagram, and reading why someone has chosen their word for the year is a real eye-opener, some peoples words and reasoning's are amazing!
But...choosing a word is hard! Like, so much harder than I thought it would be! I kept jumping between words, I prayed about them, but none of them felt right. I knew the kind of feeling that I wanted my word to have for the year ahead, taking in all of my travels plans and uncertainties that lie ahead. I wanted a word that could embody all of that, a word that could convey the excitement but also the nervousness and anxiety. A word that could describe jumping into everything, experiencing it all and living life in the fullness of Christ, but also taking things as they come, rolling with the punches and carrying on.
And then it came to me.
It jumped out at me from the midst of someone else's reasoning for their word.
My word for 2016 is -----> Embrace
I want to embrace life this year, to embrace the experiences I have in Southeast Asia, both the good and the bad, and through embracing them I'm hoping that I will learn things about myself, about my relationships and my character.
I want to embrace God and live fully in His light, completely trusting and wrapped up in His word.
I want to embrace the mundane and the everyday, and find the good, the positive, the lessons that are everywhere waiting to be learnt.
I want to embrace the challenges that this year holds, I will welcome them with open arms, and I want to embrace the path that God has set me on, with the plans that this year holds already I want to embrace this journey and everything that is coming!
So there you have it, my word for 2016 is 'embrace'! I'm looking forward to what the year will bring, and what I might learn about myself and the world around me in the process!
Have you chosen a word for the year, or come up with some goals for yourself? Let me know!
♥
