My Word for 2012 is
Connect
At One Word 365 the title page has the instructions:
One word can change everything… Choose just one word.
One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live or what you want to achieve by the end of 2012.
One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.
Last year – 2011 – I didn’t know about this idea, yet I choose a word for 2011. It was “uncomfortable”. I talked with a motivating speaker, and she challenged me that my comfort was not serving me well. She was right. I chose to be uncomfortable in 2011 – to do all those things that caused discomfort. If you’re interested, the speaker, Deidre Hughey’s video is here. (it’ll really make you think)
BUT – as well as the word “uncomfortable” served me, I needed a new 2012 word. After pondering and praying, I chose: “connect”.
For me - CONNECT – may not mean exactly what you think it means…
Here’s what the word CONNECT will mean for me in 2012:
Connect – to “plug into” all that God wants to tell me, show me, make me. To receive my energy and motivation from Him. To praise Him – and give Him the glory.
Connect – with Rob. To know him - to understand who God is designing him to be. To encourage him. To work with him. To write with him. To create the next 25 years.
Connect – to “fit together“ in a deliberate, planned way, all my roles and responsibilities.
Connect – to my body. I’m big. Unhealthy big. And – as surprising as it sounds – there are times I’m shocked at how big I am. (as though I don’t live in this body – just my head) There’s a disconnect somewhere… I need to connect my habits to health.
Connect – to “shape” my learning. I want to learn from other wise people – I want to make friends and have stimulating conversations. I want to understand other viewpoints and be introduced to new ideas.
At One Word 365 – they suggest:
Commit to writing a mile-marker post every 3 months or so. Being intentional about sharing our progress (or lack thereof) is good accountability and motivation to keep focusing on our word all year.
Life is truly best lived together.
So that’s what I’m going to do. At the beginning of April I’ll add to this page, and chronicle my progress to “CONNECT”…
UPDATE: January 11, 2012
OK – this is WAY before my planned update in April… BUT I needed to add, that when I “connect” I need to make sure I WRITE the person’s name correctly! (sigh)
UPDATE: March 27, 2012
Writing an Acrostic about my OneWord! See post here.
Since January I’ve connected with wonderful people online: Facebook, many blogs & other Christian Marriage Bloggers. In addition I’ve ventured out of my safety zone to connect with the local LeadHer group! (they were very welcoming!) To enhance/build/focus on my connection with God, I’ve been using two new applications during my quiet time – a prompt called “Grace Notes” and a Prayer list application. Robert and I are moving forward with a new venture – Leadership Couples. (It’s a big, hairy, audacious goal.) I’m using Pomodoro to get up and move more during my day. To be candid, “connecting with my body” is still my weakest connection. It hasn’t had much of my attention…
UPDATE: December 2012
It’s been an interesting year -
- the Facebook page for Encourage Your Spouse reached the 1000 mark this year. (basically all in the year 2012).
- Robert and I have connected with leadership couples and interviewed a number of fascinating people.
- connected with people on Twitter
- I’ve explored a great number of blogs with such wonderful and wise insights, left comments and briefly connected with new people
- stepped out from Encourage Your Spouse to write two guest posts
- launched “Leadership Couples” with Robert, and had opportunities to serve couples in marriage
Realize
Lori, I love the connection we’ve created over the past 27 years. It’s unique. it’s strong. It’s rewarding.
But I know we need to keep learning and evolving – together – according to God’s plan for us. So I look forward to connecting in new ways this year – and the years ahead!
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Love you. Lots. Let’s make 2012 SING with our purpose!
I love this idea. I will have to pray and see what word God has for me this year! Thanks, Lori! I’m glad we connected last year – maybe that was a precursor to what God wants to do this year.
Happy New Year!
Debi
Debi – The Romantic Vineyard recently posted..A Fresh Start – With A Limp
You (and Tom) were my stepping out point… My trusting in God that He would guide me to those He wanted me to know. (doing that first challenge was a part of my ‘uncomfortable’).
And as always and forever HE knew what He was doing! LOL.
Your open-hearted kindness has colored my experience of connecting with ‘strangers’ online with joy. Now I can walk into 2012 with word ‘connect’ and feel empowered. Thank you Debi.
Connect is a great word.
I love the thought of intentionally seeking to do those things that cause discomfort – what a growing experience.
Tracie recently posted..One Word: Hope
Last year – my year of discomfort – was definitely a growing year. I’m still taking that word into 2012, because connecting with others (online and in person) is still scary. I’m MUCH more comfortable standing behind the scenes – or being disconnected. (introvert is me). It constantly amazes me how God – the greatest engineer – moves me forward. Even when I’m kicking and screaming…. Or hiding.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting!
I stumbled across your site tonight as I looked at many other women’s sites who have joined in the “one word” movement (?). I love the idea and had read a story about it in a recent Guideposts. I’m still waiting for my word, but you may have inadvertently brought it to me. I like your site, the title is what drew me to it. I need some work in the encourage-your-spouse department. We are disconnected. Like on two different planets at times. Our tether is our son, but we need to cling to each other. And I need to work on that.
I digress…your word “connect” is lovely. And I find it interesting what you wrote about your disconnect with your body. I’m a massage therapist and I see that body-mind disconnect all the time. I tell clients that their body is not just something to carry their head around. It is meant to be nurtured, properly fueled, and is worthy of health and fitness. Massage can help establish that connection. I’ve seen amazing things happen when people stop living only in their heads and begin to actually LIVE in their bodies. I know massage can be difficult to receive when we are self-conscious of our bodies, but you have to trust me as a professional in the field, we are NOT judgmental. We see, or at least I see, a body as a sacred piece of art made by God especially for the person on my table. It’s my job to do my best to see that the person receives exactly what they need while they are under my hands. So, if re-connecting with your body is a goal for 2012, I invite you to explore massage. There are many different modalities and, like shoes, you may have to try on a few therapists before you find that perfect fit.
And thank you for this site. I’ll be here, often.
Carol
Lori, thank you for connecting these last three months with the MarriageDance advisors. Your contributions have been and are extremely valuable, and it has been my joy to work with you. I look forward to continue connecting as we follow God’s lead in this MarriageDance adventure! Blessings!
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Lori, I love your focus here. Sometimes things do have to become a “project” of sorts for us to make the time to focus on it as we should. I’ll be praying for you – in all the areas you listed!
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