It's totally ok to choose my word of the year a couple of months into 2021, right?
Truth be told, I've never chosen a word of the year. I've always been a traditional resolutions-making gal; nothing too intense, rather goals and visions for the year ahead.
But the more I read about others' words and thought about the concept, the more it appealed to me. I mean... I love words. I'm all about words! So why not? But it took a while to choose a word that really resonated with me, had genuine meaning to me, and aligned with my vision for the year ahead -- a year which will, no doubt, be unlike any other.
So after considering several possibilities, I ultimately chose the word intentional.
The definition of the word intentional is pretty straight forward: to be done with purpose, deliberately. It's a word that kept popping up in books I was reading and podcasts I was listening to. It's a word that, I realized, is connected to joy. And who doesn't want as much of that as possible?
The more I thought about it, the more living with intention made sense, especially for this season of life. Reflecting on the things I want to improve, the things that seem to take away from joy, made me realize that adding intentionality into those areas would help. For instance: eating intentionally (leading to healthier, more satisfying choices and more energy). Spending my time intentionally (when I'm with the kids, be purposefully with them... when I'm working, spending that time focused on work, etc.) to avoid feeling burnt out, hurried, and unaccomplished. Spending money more intentionally, which is actually something I feel I did really well with last year (not just buying something because it worked, or was on sale, or was "just ok" but spending money -- which is what we receive as a trade for the most valuable thing of all, our time -- on things that truly bring me joy).
Don't get me wrong, I'm still an advocate for the YOLO way of life. ;) Sometimes, we just want and need to let go and live life a little less planned and a little less scripted. Sometimes the very best memories are made this way. Sometimes, in the letting go, we discover parts of ourselves we didn't know existed. I know all of this is true, and in fact, living intentionally will only help with this. The goal isn't to live a scripted planned-to-death life, but an authentic and genuine one. Yes, I think we can still be intentional even with the YOLO part of our lives.