My 2020 Word of the Year (and my words for 2017-2019)

For the past several years I have chosen a word for the year. Choosing a word has been a great exercise in helping me get clear on my vision for the year ahead.

Coincidentally, the past four years have all started with the letter “S.” While the alliteration has been coincidental, the intent of the words have not. And it’s been fascinating to look back at each of these words and see how one links to the next and to the next. Reviewing each of these words takes me right back to where I was when I made the decision to commit to that word for the year. So, today I’m sharing my words for each of the past three years and my word for 2020. 

My word in 2017 was SURRENDER. That was the year that my husband and I knew we were ready to move to a new city but we didn’t know which city it would be, we didn’t know what jobs we would have, and we definitely didn’t know when it would happen. I had to make peace with not having control. (In an effort to take control when I had no control I chopped 13 inches off of my hair!) So I chose the word “surrender” and attempted to hold the year ahead with a loose grasp. We did end up moving that year. In May we relocated to Northern Virginia, right outside of DC. That was definitely a year full of change where I really had to go with the flow. New city. New jobs. New grocery store to learn. It was a shocking change after I had grown comfortable with our life together in Lynchburg where we had spent the previous five years. Even though I’m a person who craves and thrives on change, the lack of predictability that year was challenging. Surrender was the word because it’s what I needed to do. Side note: I can’t believe we are coming up on our third anniversary here in the DC area. Crazy. 

My word for 2018 was STEWARD. That was the year I was hoping to get pregnant but I didn’t know what was in store. I wanted to make lots of plans but with something like a potential pregnancy you just don’t know what to plan for! So, I had to move forward in my work and other goals as if that wouldn’t necessarily happen for me right away. I knew I wanted to steward well whatever God had for me that year whether it was a pregnancy, a show contract, speaking opportunities, etc. Well the message came loud and clear, by the end of the month of January we were expecting. That was the year I turned down an offer to do a show in the area, focused on the pregnancy, and oh yeah, started a little podcast called Hustle & Grace. I was sick and tired a lot that year but we had a healthy baby girl in October. What an honor to steward that little life. 

In 2019 my word for the year was SAVOR, which my friend Beth McCord, the Enneagram Coach, says is the word that Enneagram 7’s should focus on as we are always thinking two steps ahead and looking forward. “Savor” is a great word to focus on to center yourself in the present. I knew I’d be saying “no” to some opportunities and there would be a lot of stillness and simplicity in my life whereas I’m used to lots of busyness and excitement. So I found myself chewing on what it meant to “savor” quite a lot. I wanted to focus on savoring last year because I really wanted to be fully present in Eloise’s first year of life. I knew I was only going to have a baby for a little while. And now that Eloise has launched into toddler years I’m stunned by how true that statement was. Babies don’t keep, yall! I’m so glad that I focused hard on savoring each moment in 2019. It was the sweetest, sweetest year.

I had some mixed feelings about my word for 2020. When it initially came to me I thought “well that is not a sparkly, magical, warm and fuzzy word.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was perfectly perfect for me right now. And that word is STRATEGIC. 

Why strategic? I have a history of not always making decisions in a very strategic way. If a door opened to me that sounded fun or challenging or scary or exciting I’d probably just walk through it. If it felt “new” or “out of the ordinary” it felt like reason enough. But my priorities have shifted. I’ve become keenly aware of my “closet of time” (like I mentioned in a recent Hustle & Grace episode) and I have to be strategic about making choices that have the biggest payoff. For example, there was a time that I might take every speaking gig that came my way simply because traveling to new cities around the country was fun. But now, that’s not enough of a payoff for me. I need to be strategic in my “YESes” and in my “NOs.” I need to know what my why is behind every decision I make, particularly any decision that affects my family. Time is precious. Memories with family are precious. Resources are finite. I want to make sure every work decision, financial decision, time decision, and technology decision I make is STRATEGIC.

So there ya go. That’s my word for 2020. And it’s already affecting my decision-making. 
Now I want to hear what YOUR word for 2020 is! Leave a comment here or HMU on Instagram or Twitter.