Happy New Year, friends!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a fab New Year, however you chose to spend it!
I really hope it was more exciting than mine...
I was wrapped up in bed, struck down by a horrible chest/cough/cold thing...not the way
I had hoped to spend the last night of 2016 if I'm honest!
Thankfully, it happened a day or two after Christmas day,
so I was able to enjoy all the amazing food and drink that Christmas has to offer
before I was confined to bed with only toast & water!
Anyway, now we're in 2017!
How weird is that? How long does it take you to get used to saying/writing the new year?
It usually takes me a good few weeks!
A brand new year, 365 days full of opportunities & experiences
waiting to be grasped with both hands.
As this new year begins I want to carry over something that I did last year,
in place of creating New Years Resolutions or goals.
I'm sure you've heard of it before; the One Little Word project.
I discovered the One Little Word project on Instagram last year,
and was drawn to it pretty much instantly.
I don't know about you, but I am so rubbish at keeping up with New Years Resolutions, & most goals that I set myself either don't get completed or keep being moved to the back of the line,
so the idea of choosing one single word to be my guide for the year to come, a word that I would focus on being more of,
of bringing it into my life more,
of living out this word to the best of my ability,
this was an idea I could totally get on board with.
You can find last years post here, if want to have a little nosey,
where you can read about why my word for 2016 was "embrace".
Again, the same as last year I find choosing a word for the year to come quite difficult!
For me, the word has to mean something, it has to pull at my heart strings, at my soul & say to me Yes, I am your word for 2017,
this is what you need to focus on,
this is what you need to learn
or rediscover
or bring into your life more, Dani!
Choosing a word is a huge process for me.
You never know, some years it might come to me really quickly, really naturally,
but at the minute it's a process.
It's a process that I deliberate over, I pray over it, I look at other peoples words and try to think through the year ahead...
What do I want to accomplish this year?
Who do I want to be this time next year?
What do I want to know this time next year that I don't know now?
What do I want to believe about myself, that I don't right now?
And after a good amount of praying, deliberation, reading & asking David, "What should my word be?" only for him to reply oh so helpfully, "Lampshade!" (I mean...what even?)
I finally landed on my word for 2017.
It can be so hard in the world these days to hold on to the knowledge that we are enough.
Especially at the beginning of a new year, when timelines are saturated with "New Year, new me!" updates, and adverts telling us how we can change ourselves because who doesn't want to completely overhaul themselves at the start of a new year?!
Personally, it comes down to personal preference & moderation.
I see no harm in someone wanting to be healthier, and using the new year to kick start that.
But, if it sinks too deep the "New Year, new me!" craze can hit a nerve it's not supposed to.
I don't want to be made feel like I am not enough by the world.
In fact, I know for certain that I am loved & cherished exactly as I am with all my flaws seen clearly & accounted for by one who is so much greater than I am.
I know not everyone who reads this is a Christian, and that is more than okay.
But I am, and I believe that in Gods eyes I am worthy to be loved,
I am more than enough, exactly as I am, without trying to better or improve myself.
And the more time I spent dwelling on this word, the more I felt like it was calling out to me.
I know in my head that I am enough, for this world, for myself, for God.
But sometimes, having that head knowledge doesn't cut it, and doubts creep in & set up camp.
This year, I want to focus on believing I am enough.
I want to remind myself daily that I am enough for whatever it is that God has planned for me.
I want to focus on believing that I am smart enough, worthy enough, strong enough, kind enough, brave enough for the challenges of the year ahead, whatever they may be.
So this year will be spent reminding myself that I don't need to focus on fad diets or
self-improvement techniques to better myself.
I am enough exactly as I am, the good and the bad included,
and friends, so are you!
Have you chosen one word for 2017?
❤
