A Word for the Year

Well, friends – it’s a brand-new year. How are you doing as we are starting month two of the year? How’s your 2023 beginning? I believe self-evaluation is so essential.

OK, here is a personal question: Are you a goal planner? I will be honest; I sure am. I used to make these elaborate goals every year when I was younger. These goals would be organized by marriage, parenting, self-care, and relationship with God. However, over the last ten years, I switched to just picking a word and focusing on that. No need to make it complicated. Just a simple word that I can reflect on through the 365 days in a year. My family and I pulled this idea from a Jon Gordon book titled “One Word That Will Change Your Life.”

Here is the description from the back cover:

“One Word that Will Change Your Life will inspire you to simplify your life and work by focusing on just one word for this year. That’s right! One Word creates clarity, power, passion, and life change. The simple power of One Word is that it impacts all six dimensions of your life – mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial. Simply put, One Word sticks. There is a word meant for you, and when you find it, live it, and share it, your life will become more rewarding and exciting than ever.”

Each year, my family sits down after the new year and talks about what we all want to focus on in the new year. And then, we evaluate how everyone is doing with their word every few weeks. If we can’t think of a word right away, we help each other and brainstorm things we want to do better. Lots of self-evaluation!

My word for 2023 is CONSISTENCY.

Consistency in my time with God

Consistency with growth in my marriage

Consistency with being present with my kids

Consistency with my household responsibilities

Consistency with putting relationships over tasks

Consistency with my work/home balance

Consistency with diet and exercise

And I could go on and on with where I want to be consistent. What about you? What would your one word be? If you were to think about it, is there an area of your life where you could improve?

My advice is to get your kids involved with this as well. We started this when our youngest was one. And it has been fun to see how their minds, heart, and soul produce the perfect word for them. We also decorate a canvas and hang it on our wall in the kitchen, so it is seen often.

MEET RACHAEL: Rachael Walkup has lived in North Georgia all her life. Since 2006 – The Walkup family has made Forsyth County their home.

Along with being a wife and mom, Rachael is an avid blogger, social media expert, owner of CummingLocal.com, and project manager for Lighthouse Family Retreat.

She loves comfortable clothes, good coffee, and deep conversation. She also lives by a paper planner as she is the queen of organization.