In January, I wrote about the Word of the Year choosing me. I wondered at the time how peace, the word that choose me would manifest itself in my life. I am such an easily distractible woman, I could easily have forgotten what my word is by now. However, since my word chose me, it has seemed to stick around and come up in different ways. I wondered if that was true in real life for others as well.
For me, I realized I am feeling more peaceful and contented. As I was going to church this past Sunday morning, the sun was rising and I was overwhelmed with the feelings of gratitude, peace and the realization of feeling healthy and whole. Those emotions brought tears to my eyes. Being fully present to notice God’s fingerprints in my life has has brought the feeling of peace on a more day to day basis.
I also recently returned from a quarterly retreat where I have been meeting with the same people over the past year and a half. How encouraging for some to say to me, “You seem more peaceful.” I am glad that the peace I am feeling on the inside is manifesting itself on the outside.
I know my marriage is showing it. We are getting along so well right now. He is more attentive, listening to me, and encouraging. Think it has something to do with the way I am interacting with him? Hmmm…..
I decided to gather some real life stories to see if they were noticing any differences in their lives, even in six weeks. I have been encouraged by their stories. It is so amazing to hear what happens when we get a vision and begin to get intentional about that vision.
For example, one coaching friend of mine told me her word chose her. Her word is “purge”. She said she certainly wouldn’t have chosen that word on her own. She wrote:
We laughed about God’s sense of humor and how He knows what we need and when we need it.
Another client of mine wanted a word of the year and was struggling to find it. She toyed with the word, abundance, yet it didn’t seem to quite fit. After a sermon at church one morning, it came to her – “light”. –“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” She wrote,
came to me. In the past few weeks I’ve been shown and reminded so often of “light” now. It’s come to me in verse, in the form of actual “light” in the darkness, as awareness to something new, or as a bright, warm, positive moment, such as with my family. “She has commented that even her colleagues at work are noticing her happier and lighter.
Finally, in a lunch conversation I was having with a fellow educator and mom, I asked her about her word, which was focus. She said that word came to her as I was asking about the word of the year on a facebook post. At first, she discounted that much had changed. As we talked though, she realized that in the mornings, when out walking the dog, she focused on enjoying the present moment. She then came into the morning routine with her three boys in a much more focused state of mind. She had to choosen not to project herself into the day ahead.
These are observations of four women after six weeks. What will happen in six months? I don’t know but I’m excited to find out how God will move and work.
It’s never too late to start your word. Ask for what vision or intent is needed in your life. Or allow me to come alongside you. We can start a conversation, first. I would love to help you get intentional in discovering your vision, exploring possibilities and finding the hope for a better 2017.
Nancy Booth is a certified life coach and certified brain-based coach. She loves creating safe spaces for women, especially educators going through life’s transitions to discover and support their visions for health and well-being in an overwhelming world, explore possibilities for next steps and find hope. She writes about taming the overwhelm through connecting to yourself and others, possibilities thinking, and brain-based strategies for hopeful living. You can sign up to receive her weekly blog or contact her to find out ways you can begin to shed overwhelm, explore possibilities and find hope.