Is this just another failed New Year's Resolution?
My story of creating a Word of the Year project that has revolutionized my life. It's kinda like a New Year's resolution...but it doesn't suck.
New Year’s resolutions suck.
It’s a well-known fact that we don’t do a great job of keeping the commitments we make at the first of the year. In one set of surveys, of the 41-52% of Americans making New Year’s resolutions, only 14% kept those commitments. Those studies were done in 2007 and 2016, and interestingly, both the participants and the success of those participating decreased.
It’s a continuous trend too. In 2020, 31% of Americans planned to make a resolution, but in 2021, that number dropped to 23%. And in another study, only 8% of Americans keep their New Year’s Resolutions.
I’ve always fallen into the don’t plan to make a resolution category. Maybe very early in my life (elementary years) I participated at the suggestion of a teacher, but never very seriously. I never had the interest or drive to make a resolution.
Enter The Word of the Year Project
Thirteen years ago, this changed…kind of. On a whim, I joined my wife in choosing one word to focus on for that entire year (2011). I honestly didn’t put much thought into my word (Freedom), but it changed my life.
Okay, that’s a big statement, “It changed my life.”
In this case, it truly did. Entering into 2011, my life was in a season of chaos. I had recently stepped out of a family business, so I was evaluating what was next for my life. I was also struggling with my insecurities and fears. At the same time, Kia was evaluating her place in a different family business. Our children were between the ages of 3 and twelve. When I chose the word ‘freedom’, it was a little random and off the cuff, but it was poignant for that stage of my life.
I felt controlled by both internal and external influences in my life. I wanted freedom.
By the end of 2011, I began to uncover freedom in my life. That random choice of a word in January put me and my family on a collision course with huge changes. Within the next 18 months, we moved 30 minutes north, I took a brand new job, Kia started a new business, and our kids started new schools.
My life was changed. We found freedom.
2023: A Year of PEACE
I’ve continued to work through this project each year since. 2024 is the start of my fourteenth year. No one year has been as influential as 2011, however, combined, the last twelve years of participation have shaped my world. Just so you can have an idea of what I mean by shaping me, let me give you some things I’ve learned in 2023.
I chose the word PEACE for 2023. Again, which is a theme for me in my words chosen, there wasn’t a driving force for choosing that word. I wasn’t feeling particularly chaotic, but I knew it was something I wanted more of in my world.
Briefly, I’ll share 4 takeaways I’ve learned from a year of diving into peace:
PEACE is promised to followers of Jesus. So the first and most important question I must ask myself is, “Am I following Jesus?”
I can ask Jesus for his PEACE. Following Jesus is not always an easy road to walk, and Jesus knew this would be true. So, he offers us peace. It’s a promise from God. I can ask for Jesus’ peace whenever I need it.
I need to step into the PEACE Jesus promises. Faith requires action. It’s not enough for me to mentally ascent to the promises of God, I must step into them. After I ask for peace, I must step into the peace of God.
God’s PEACE is complete. The Hebrew word for peace is ‘shalom’ which is much larger than the absence of chaos. It is the idea of wholeness or completeness. When Jesus gives me peace, he completes my brokenness (again, this is a promise).
“I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn't like the peace this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.” -John 14:27 CEV
I could go on and on about what I’ve learned this year, so this is just a teaser or overview. The point is, I was changed by diving into the theme of PEACE in 2023. I share this because I want you to experience the same thing with your own Word of the Year project.
The Word of the Year Project
So, I invite you to join me in your Word of the Year Project in 2024. I would love for you to experience the same transformation I have over the last 13 years, whether it be life-altering like 2011 or a deeper understanding like 2023.
If I’ve talked you into joining me, here is how to begin:
1. Choose a word.
This may be the hardest part of the entire process. So many people I’ve talked to over the years get stuck on this step, so let me encourage you…don’t make this bigger than it needs to be. Just choose a word.
The word isn’t the key; it’s the process this word will take you through in 2024.
As I stated, when I participated in my first year, I randomly chose the word ‘freedom’. However, there are some ways to help you narrow and choose your word:
Think about a word or phrase that keeps popping up in your conversations, thoughts, reading, or meditating. This could be God nudging you toward this word for the year.
If you don’t already have a word in mind, pray and ask God to put a word or words into your head and heart. However, I encourage you not to over-spiritualize or over-think it. God will work through any word you choose…because He can!
Finally, choose a word.
Here are the words I’ve used over the years:
2011 - Freedom
2012 - Risk
2013 - Transform
2014 - Vision
2015 - Attack
2016 - Bold
2017 - Restore
2018 - Create
2019 - Courage
2020 - Next
2021 - Stride
2022 - Bravery
2023 - Peace
If you would like more help on this step, take a look at this post and video from my friend Todd Van Fleet. I introduced Todd to The Word of the Year in 2016, and it changed his life too. His process of finding a word is a little different than mine, and I appreciate this because it is a creative process, so there is no one way to approach this.
2. Believe it is for you.
Now that you’ve chosen your word, don’t let doubt steal its power! To infuse power from the beginning, take this vital step:
Share your Word of the Year with someone.
Speaking your word to a friend or family member kick-starts the process. Sharing your word gives it power. My wife, Kia, started this in 2011 by sharing her word with a friend over coffee, and then coming home and talking with me about it. I chose my word and shared it with her, and I went a step further by sharing my word on the blog I was writing on at the time.
Here is the lesson you are going to learn by taking this initial step of faith:
Intentionality.
If you want to grow this year be intentional (using The Word of the Year Project or something else). Share your word with friends, family, and even strangers (everyone loves an interesting goal story). As you take this intentional step, it will give you the faith to believe in your next purposeful actions.
3. Listen and Act
This is closely related to the second step, but it is more about the coming weeks and months of the year. Growth from participating in The Word of the Year Project is from continual action throughout the year. However, before you act…listen.
Listen with your spiritual ears
For me, listening is being actively aware of my word as I live my life. This means having my spiritual eyes and ears open as I read fiction, non-fiction, and Scripture; as I watch videos, shows, and movies; as I listen to podcasts and sermons; as I chat with friends and family; and even as I drive down the road or walk through my neighborhood.
In that first year, I remember seeing a YouTube video of a BMX biker riding in the wide-open areas of Great Britain. I also remember reading in the Bible about the story of Isaac searching for a place to feed and water his flocks — an open space. These became a literal vision of freedom for me.
Over the last several years, I’ve created folders in my Notes app for my Word. When I run across a quote, video, or link that inspires me, I clip them to that folder. It’s another way for me to keep my word and its meaning in front of me.
It helps me listen.
Act on what you hear
Today, I am wearing a hat that says, “Hear. Believe. Obey.” That last word is key, and it’s the ‘act’ part of this step. As you ‘hear’ from God through all these different sources throughout the year, be sure to obey — put them into action.
One of the things I heard in 2011 was freedom came from learning to say, “No.” That has a lot of meanings - no to sin, no to distraction, no to too much, and more. For me, it also meant saying no to opportunities that didn’t align with my purpose and calling. What I heard forced me to act. I began to say ‘no’ to what wasn’t mine to move forward.
Finally, I find it helpful to do something simultaneously physical and creative to keep my eyes on my word. In my case, that means writing - both physically with pen and paper and virtually with screen and keyboard. I also have used my screen printing hobby to help with this. For you, it could be knitting, gardening, baking, carpentry, or drawing. My friend, Todd, carved his word into an axe handle one year.
There is a connection between the work of our hands and the belief in our hearts. Exploit this for your Word of the Year.
4. Don’t stop…be clear.
The Word of the Year project is not too different than many different New Year’s goals or resolutions. I know many people don’t complete the process, just like they don’t follow through on a resolution. They quit, so they miss out on the deep value found in The Word of the Year Project.
However, you want to grow, so here is the secret you need to be successful:
The secret is a two-fold process: desperation and endurance.
Be desperate
Desperation typically is born out of circumstances out of your control. I grew immensely in 2020 due to a worldwide pandemic that impacted my mental health, financial security, and job function. If you were like me, you were desperate to survive much less thrive. I can’t (and don’t want to) create that kind of desperation on my own. Desperation typically comes from outside of myself, but I can choose to be desperate to change and grow.
Take inventory of a few areas you are dissatisfied with in your life. What would you like to change? Then determine how these areas are negatively impacting you - physically, financially, spiritually, and relationally.
Just this morning, I took stock of a few things leading to unrest in my heart and soul. They are nothing as severe as what I faced in 2020, but they stimulated within me a desire, even a desperation, to grow. As you do the same thing, you will develop a self-generated desperation for growth.
Endure through clarity
Endurance then, is the way to work through this self-generated desperation. I recently heard an interview with Rory Vaden. He said:
“Endurance is directly related to the clarity of our vision.” -Rory Vaden
The more clear I am on where I am going, the easier it is for me to endure.
In my desperation to grow, I need to develop a clear picture of what I want to become. This will develop within me the endurance to keep growing even when the process is hard, painful, or even stagnant.
One reason for the success of my 2011 Word was I had a clear vision of freedom (remember the BMX bike video and story from Genesis). I had a similar experience this year, as I began to see PEACE as my life as whole or complete, and not just the absence of chaos.
Developing a clear vision of your word is a process.
The truth is you don’t know what your word means right now - you think you do, but you don’t. The meaning of your word is deeper than you realize. The vision of your word is wider than you understand.
Your goal is to create a crystal clear vision of your word. It doesn’t need to be today or even this month. However, if you can develop a clear picture of your word, the easier it will be for you to endure to the end of the year in learning and growing from your word.
Join me in The Word of the Year Project?
If you are still reading, you probably are serious about joining me in The Word of the Year Project. So, let me be honest with you. Some years have been amazing for me, and others have been a little stale. I’ve come to understand, that’s okay. I’ve learned and grown each year — some more than others. I also now realize the power also comes from a combined decade-plus years of intentional work on my life.
So my challenge to you is to commit this year to your Word of the Year.
Commit to choosing a word.
Commit to believing that word is for you.
Commit to listening to what that word means for you.
Commit to acting on what you heard about the word.
Commit to being desperate to grow.
Commit to creating a clear vision of your word to enable yourself to endure.
What is your Word of the Year?
Writing + Advent Playlist
I don’t know if we have the same taste in music, but here are some songs to explore. All the links go to Spotify. While writing this post, this is some of what I was listening to:
Home Alone Soundtrack - John Williams
WILD LOVE - ELEVATION RHYTHM
Kingdom of God - Jon Guerra
