Firstly, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. My wish for you is that 2020 brings you all that you hope for including health and happiness.
I wasn’t going to have a word of the year this year. Not because I no longer like the concept. But because last year’s word of the year – COMMITMENT – was so perfect for me and showed up in my life many times during the year. Having a perfect word of the year, made me think that a new word could never be as significant. I did plan to use Commitment as my word of the year again in 2020. The word drives me, and many times during 2019 when I was wavering I would think of that word and know which direction to take.
But after I chose to use Commitment again in 2020, as my Word of the Year, it didn’t really sit right with me. As much as I love and value that word, I had the feeling that to use the same word for two years would be a little like marking time. And then came the lightbulb moment! If I was to choose a new word of the year, a word that would reflect my intentions for 2020, it wouldn’t mean that Commitment can’t continue to show up in my life. Of course I can live my life with Commitment even if it is not my Word of the Year.
The next thing to do. after that decision was to come up with a new word for 2020. Many words came to me, but none really called to me, or rang true. I have many plans and goals for 2020, so the word would need to reflect them all. Out came the sheet of paper for brain storming. While my wondering about a word of the year was happening, I had been listening to Craig Harper’s Renovate Your Life (Audio Program,which I’d recently purchased. Episode three is entitled ‘Core Values and Living in Alignment’.
Listening to this episode I realised that I do have my own values that I try to live my life by, and these values are very important to me. At times in my life when I haven’t been living my values, I have definitely felt out of alignment. I know from past experience that when I’m not living in alignment with my values, Im stressed, I worry, panic and generally am not happy. This state is not how I want to experience 2020. I came to understand how important my values are to me.
Word Of The Year
I have decided that my Word of the Year for 2020 is to be VALUES. It might seem like a strange word, but when I think values, I am immediately reminded of all the words that make up my core values. As I sit here on the first day of 2020, I can honestly say that my intention for the year is to manage my life using my core values and making decisions that reflect those values. When I think of the word Values, immediately all those words on my brainstorming session come to mind. In my mind, they all contribute to the word Values.
Defining My Core Values
The first question to ask is what are my core values? As far as I understand it, my core values are the thoughts and actions that drive me to live my life the way I do. The things that I’m not negotiable about, form part of my core values.
Below is the result of my brainstorming session, shown exactly as it looked with just one attempt. It’s messy and not pretty but messy is how the words spilled out of my head and onto the paper. There were no second thoughts. Everything that popped into my head after I wrote Core Values, as the first words, was written down. It’s not perfect but Its not meant to be. The words on this word map are just my thoughts.
- Live the life I love
- Fitness as a priority
- Healthy eating and living
- Kindness
- Calmness
- Choose happiness
- Live a life of sustainability
- Spend time in nature
- Remember past generations
- Find the positive
- Live with integrity
- Live my Purpose
- Value family and friends
In future blog posts, I will examine these core values and their importance to me, more fully. I’m sure many people subconsciously or consciously have many of these core values. The only thing special about these core values is that they are my core values.
On reflection, I have realised that some of the above values were missing from my life at various times in 2019. During the coming year, I plan to do whatever it takes to reinstate them. As I live my life in 2020, I am sure my word of the year – Values – will remind me of my core values and when I’m challenged or unsure, will make clear the path that should be taken. My Values are my road map for living a life that I Love
Have you chosen a word to live your life by in 2020. I’d love you to tell me about your word. If you would like to leave a link in the comments section, to a post you have written about your word of the year, I will include it in a future blog post.
This post has been linked up with Life This Week and Midlife Share The Love
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Hi Jen, I love your word for 2020 and most of us don’t really take the time to reflect on what our values are. This exercise is an important one and I actually cover that in my Make It Happen 2020 Challenge so we are definitely on the same page. I look forward to reading and learning from your thoughts around your values in 2020. Happy New Year! #MLSTL starts up again on 8th January so looking forward to having you link up with us again this year. xx
Thanks Sue. Looking forward to #MLSTL being back
What a perfect WOTY, Jen. I set my seasonal goals around the values I’ve identified for myself. I haven’t chosen a word of the year, but it seems that Values applies to me as well. I wish you the best in the coming year and look forward to hearing how VALUES play into that. Happy 2020!
Thanks Christie. Looking forward to hearing about your word of the yeAr when you decide. May 2020 bring you all that you could wish for especially health and happiness
This is a perfect word. I didn’t choose one last year but will be doing so this year…when I can decide on it, that is. Watch this space!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your word of the year!
A few years back I felt lost and out of line with my life. Basically I wasn’t living the life I wanted and needed. And I couldn’t figure out why, I was doing what I needed to do to succeed in life. But who’s life? It seemed the one society had taught me, not mine.
I came across the idea of coming up with core values from the Minimalists and developed my own core values. Now anytime life feels out of alignment I look at my core values and they take me back to center, reminding me of what truly matters in my life.
I look forward to reading more about your Values!
~Allison
Allison I can see you absolutely understand what I was trying to say about core values. I understand what you mean about things not working when you’re core values are out. It took me a while to realise that. I love the minimalist movement
What a wonderful choice for your WOTY Jennifer – I also really liked your list of core values – a lot of them resonate with my values too. I’m really looking forward to seeing how you share them throughout the year and how you grow and develop as you include them all in 2020. I’m sharing my word tomorrow and I’d love you to consider being one of my guests this year when you’ve read it x
I loved reading your post and seeing the true research and thought you put into what you wanted for the year ahead. Such a great, and all-encompassing word. Values. If we are not living by them, then there IS something wrong. You will get reminders as the year goes by from this choice. Winner!
Thank you for joining in the first #lifethisweek in 2020. So glad you did. Next week’s optional prompt is 2/51 Good News 13.1.2020. Looking forward to seeing you link up again. Cheers, Denyse.
Thanks so much for your lovely comments Denyse. I’m looking forward to #lifethisweek but so far waiting for inspiration for week 2.
Such a wonderful choice of word! We sometimes act without real reflection. Defining our values are such an important step towards living intentionally.
I’m pleased you like it Corinne. Wasn’t sure what others would think but it’s the perfect word for me this year. Thanks for visiting
Thanks for linking me to your post.