Low-Stress, High-Impact Goal Setting

Goal setting can be a huge thrill. I love the prospect of dreaming my future, and making actionable steps to get there.

But let’s be honest–New Years resolutions can also be overwhelming.

So overwhelming, in fact, that January 17th(!) is literally National Ditch Your New Year’s Resolution Day. I’m not even kidding.

So while I do like to make some long-term S.M.A.R.T goals, the way I really like to welcome in the new year is much more low-key:

I just choose one word.

Low-Key Goal Setting

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You’ll find lots of encouragement to take the one-word goal path out on the internet, from Lara Casey’s Powersheets goal planner to Ali Edwards’ One Little Word® project.

I don’t know who came up with this simple strategy, but I fell in love with it at first sight.

The idea is simple: choose a single word to cultivate, process, and explore for a year.

For 365 days, you’ll choose that word to help inform your choices, goals, and decisions.

And as you return to your word again and again over the course of the year, you’ll find yourself organically moving in a new direction.

How to Choose Your Word

There are no official rules here, which means you get to make this work for you.

You don’t have to start in January.

You don’t have to know where the word is going to take you.

You don’t even have to stick with just ONE word!

But if you really want to give this a go, here are a three things I recommend:

1. Give it a few days to marinate.

I’m always tempted to jump straight in to stuff like this, but I usually give my word-choice some thought, and then let it sort of simmer in the back of my mind for a few weeks.

This gives me time to really get a deep feel for its rightness–or not.

That might sound a little cheesy, but all that back-of-your-mind processing really helps to find a word and direction that really speaks to where you are right now.

2. Choose the word that feels the most authentic to your soul.

When you first give this a shot, you might come up with a word that you think you “should” do.

You might feel like a certain next step or trajectory is expected:

You’re settled into your mom-life and you are living in chaos, so you think should choose “organized” or “simplify” or “calm”.

You’re heading into a year of chaos (moves, newborn babies, new jobs, etc.!), so you think should choose “grace” or “patience” or “courage.”

BUT!

THERE IS NO “SHOULD.”

Okay?

There’s nobody forcing you to choose a word that doesn’t speak to you.

So as you spend that time lingering over which word feels right, be honest with yourself. Find the word that fits.

It will feel like relief, or empowerment, or inspiration. There will be no “Is this right…?”

It’s going to click into your heart like a missing puzzle piece.

Discovering the “Right” Word

My word for this year is “heal.”

Heal seemed like a weird word, because I’m not terribly sick, or terribly grieving, or terribly anything, really.

So why devote an entire year to healing things that are only marginally broken?

It felt right, but it didn’t make sense in my brain at first.

But the more I tried to force other “better” words (small, simple, grace) the more I felt like I was shoving a square peg in a round hole.

They seemed like good ideas.

But my gut kept repeating: The right word is “heal.”

So this year, I’ll be focusing on healing:

• Healing my body – Addressing physical pain with yoga, stretching, healthy healing foods, and visiting specialists as necessary.
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• Healing my heart – I’ve seen 4 dear, dear friends move away in the past six months, and dozens (yes, really dozens–we live in a really transitional area) over the past few years. My heart aches. I don’t know how I’m going to heal those hurt places yet, those missing places. But I’m open to discovering how.
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• Healing my mind – Addressing some deep and abiding fears through counseling, discussion with loved ones, and journaling, finding ways to give myself more grace, and making time to rest, breathe, and just be.

Doesn’t that sound lovely?

I’m glad I gave in to the word that felt right, even though it initially sounded kind of dumb. ; )

3. Share it, and write it down.

Our brains are busy places! It’s not nice to try to make them remember everything, without even giving them a hint.

Write your word down so you don’t forget it.

So you keep feeling inspired by it.

So you can remind yourself to redirect, shift, and keep moving in the direction your heart is pulling toward.

And share it!

It is so inspiring to discuss words with other people you care about.

It gives you accountability.

It allows you to give someone the gift of being vulnerable and open.

And it can start some really great conversations!

My Words So Far

Want some inspiration?

Over the past seven years, I’ve chosen eight different words. (One year I switched things up at the half-way mark.)

Each word helped me strengthen a different piece of my character.

Here are the words I’ve tried, tested, stuck with, or abandoned since I started using one word goal setting:

Do

As a new stay-at-home mom, suddenly cut off from the rush and deadlines of work and school, I felt stagnant.

I longed for action and achievement. And most of all I wanted to stop waiting until I “had time” or “felt like it” to do the things I really wanted and needed to do.

So I chose a word all about action–and I used it up!

Make

The “year of make” was busy: focused on exploring new projects and finishing old ones.

I made lots and lots and lots of things: printed journals of my first two pregnancies, crocheted scarves, created paper-cut family portraits (above!), hand-drew pictures, crafted baby neckties, sewed pillow covers—

Heck, I even baked my first successful loaves of bread!

Engage

Engage in life rather than just getting through it. Ironically, a difficult pregnancy that began a few months into the year made this word pretty tough to follow through with!

Light

Be lighter, find loveliness in myself and all around me, trust the light of God, and lift, support, and nurture my children.

Nourish

Tend deeply to my relationships, my health, my family, my intellect, and my peace of mind.

Simplify

Automate, streamline, and pare down the “must-dos” to make more room for the things that fill my heart.

Trust

Release the anxiety of “getting it wrong” on all fronts of life. When faced with a question big or small–should I hang this picture here? Should I start a small business?–consult my Father in Heaven, consult my intuition, and then: leap.

I would love to hear your word/focus for the year in the comments!

xo,
Jamie

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