resolutions

2019

~ jmwoolford ~ Leave a comment

 

Did I ever share my word for 2019?  It doesn’t seem as though I did.  2018 was hard.  My word back then was Wonder.  I found myself full of wonder but in none of the ways I imagined.  Mostly just WONDERing what to do.  WONDERing how I got to a place I didn’t intend to get to.  To be frank, WONDERing that the hell I was doing.

I was glad when 2018 was over.  Its a story for another post.  A story that will take courage to tell and one that must be told when littles (can I still call Clever, Dapper and Spicy littles when they are 10, 9 and breathing down 8’s neck??) are not underfoot with excitement for Christmas…  Its hard because as every writer knows, our stories are not our own.  They are intertwined and weaved with other’s lives and truths.  Our version is but one facet… Still, as writers also know, stories within us must come forth or they overcrowd and corrupt our minds leaving no room for new stories and beginnings.  So I will write my story and you will hear my story in due time.

As it is, 2019 came.  I anticipated it and welcomed a fresh new year.  Not to lose weight (tho I need to), not to quit smoking (did that almost 11 years ago- thank you very much)- no real resolutions were happening here.  I was just grateful to see a new year, pick a new word and begin again.

My word for 2019 was (and for the next 20 days still is) STRONG.

It was deceptive at first, I admit.  Its a bold word and claiming it as my word of the year was daring.  Especially given the fact I didn’t feel it.  I wasn’t sure I believed it.  Okay, I know I didn’t believe it.  But I made it my word and I thought about it every single day thus far in 2019.  I make decisions that will make me a strong person. I work to make my marriage strong.  I strive to be a strong role model for my littles .  I have strong friendships and learned to appreciate them and nurture them.  I was strong in the realization that other friendships weren’t.  This is okay, it makes the strong outshine.  I see them clearly.  I feel that this year – and last- let me see everyone clearly.  I still STRONGly wish everyone well.

I am spending the next several weeks thinking and praying for my next word.  Praying that Jesus just lets it come to me and gives me the purpose to slay all things with my word!

2020, I’m coming for you and I am so happy to keep on keeping on!

XOXO

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My Word for 2017…

~ jmwoolford ~ Leave a comment

2017

…is PURSUE.

For me and for this new year, this word pursue means so many things.

I want to pursue my children. Relentlessly.  I want to be a more present mom and make more memories with them that will last beyond my lifetime and throughout theirs.  I have always been here for my children, this year I want to make a conscious effort to engage more and truly pursue them.  All relationships take work.  Even those between a mother and her children.

I want to pursue my writing.  Chase it and have fun with it and always be seeking it.

I want to pursue knowledge with the furthering of my education.  I have set this goal and I want to continue on the path to reaching it.

I want to pursue relationships that are important to me.  To make extra time for those close to me that I want closer.  To take the time to show those special people just how much they mean to me.  Family and friends tend to get lost in the shuffle of life. I want to pursue them and bring them back in.

And last, I want to pursue the wisdom to know when to let things go.  I struggle with that.

Here is to 2017.  May we all be safe and healthy all year long!  Good luck to you in all your pursuits. (see what I did there?)

Thank you for reading and for following along.  XOXO

2016 Word- Immerse

~ jmwoolford ~ Leave a comment

Hello, friends!  It has been awhile and I have missed you!

As many of you remember, my word for 2016 is Immerse.  I explained in a previous post why I chose that word and that that signified for me.  Please feel free to check it out.  My blog post today is a sort of report card on how my practice of One Word has been going so far these first 2 weeks of 2016!

I would give myself a strong B on this report card.  There are some “projects” where I really have “nailed it” and other pop quizzes life has thrown at me that I have bombed!

First-the WINS- We had the immense pleasure of taking our children to Florida the first week of the year.  I planned to immerse myself in this family time and truly get subsumed by the blessings I have.  I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t be on social media; no posting, no blogging.  I wouldn’t be calling and texting people back home constantly.  I was just going to be immersed in these memorable moments.  I am happy to say I did just that and was so much better for it.

Second, we got a new puppy this week, aptly named Atticus and he is a mini goldendoodle.  He is a cutie and I had vowed to myself that I would fully immerse myself into his proper training for my future sanity and for that of my hubby’s.  So far, so good.  Only 2 accidents and one was totally a human fail.

Third, I got to work with the super-talented Jennifer Didio of Jennifer Didio Photography for the purpose of having professional head shots to use for upcoming projects.  I was so nervous about this.  Knowing that I am not where I want to be ‘weight-wise’ and having many insecurities about my appearance; far to many to be listed here today, and just not being able to control the outcome were huge hurdles for me to jump.I decided to muster up my courage and follow my own preaching which is to revert back to the word I’d chosen to be my motto for 2016.  Would backing out of the photo shoot be immersing myself in this creative life I say I want?  Would I be immersing myself into this one life I have by running scared or by quitting while I was behind?  No- to stay true to this, I would have to immerse myself into the experience, hesitations and all.  Was it easy?  Hell no!  HELL NO!  But, I did it.  I didn’t cave to my own negativity.  And that to me is a huge win!

There are things this year I feel I am not succeeding with.  My most important role of wife being one of them.  I know I need to be a better wife to my husband.  He is a remarkable human and he deserves to spend his time with a remarkable human in return.  There are times I fall sooooooo damn short.  I want to work on immersing myself into my marriage more and into my husband.  History has proven for us that we are so much better when we are working together.  I need to let him in and hold him in the high esteem with which he deserves.  He would blush if he read this and say I was super wife, but sometimes- and I think you ALL will be able to agree with this- sometimes only we can truly know our shortcomings and what we COULD be verses what we ARE.  I know I can be a better wife.  I strive to be, everyday.  I want to immerse myself in that task so my husband can be living the best life he can.  He deserves it!

I also need to become more immersed with my healthy living goals and aspirations.  It is so easy to slip off track and ever more difficult to get back on.  I want to become immersed in the dedication to a healthy mindset- everyday in 2016.  And always.

I have exciting news coming soon.  Stick around to be the first to hear it!

Thanks to all of you who are taking this ride with me.  I am so thankful for you all!

 

 

 

One Word- the book

~ jmwoolford ~ 2 Comments

So for the last two years, I have taken notes from a book written by a local man in town called One Word.  The idea and concept of this book is SO easy.  You guys, we can all participate.

OWNewCover

This book asks us to shed the idea of overbearing New Year’s Eve Resolutions.  How many of us create these super-versions of ourselves for the New Year?  We set off our year burdening ourselves with these huge hardships which lead to sometimes even more huge disappointments/ failures and self-hatred.

Not me. Not once I read One Word written by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and  Jimmy Paige (I will post a link at the bottom of this post).  One Word asks the reader to pray to find the One Word we should focus on and embrace for the first year.  Everyone’s word is different and unique to them.  Even people who chose the same word, chose it for different reasons and with different meanings.

For example.  I know two people who chose the word Forgiveness last year.  The first person chose that word because they were a recovering alcoholic and they were trying desperately to learn the art of self-forgiveness.  Forgiveness for the things she remembered and the things she did not but knew hurt others.  The second person chose forgiveness because they had a rocky upbringing and they were struggling to move passed the hurt, the shame and the disfunction experienced in their early years.  Two different journeys all stemming from One Word.

Once you choose your annual word, you create (my fave part) a piece of art to display in your home or office as a reminder of that One Word you are striving to work on all year long.  A lot of people paint canvases.  My art for the passed two years has been ceramic that I paint and then the pottery place puts in the Kiln for me.  It is a decoration and a reminder to me.  It has been so very helpful and much less intimidating than a gigantic resolution that has a high fail rate percentage.

So, seeing as this has been such an incredible experience for me, I wanted to share it with my readers/followers.  AKA My Blog Buddies.  I highly recommend you check out One Word and see for yourself the power it can hold.  The power YOU actually hold when you give attention and dedication to one focal point.  Its a small concept with massive results.

Time for more personal sharing.  I will tell you my words from the past and my reasons.  Hey, we are all friends here, right?

In 2013, my word was Extraordinary.  I chose this word because I wanted to make sure I tried my best to be extraordinary at everything I tried and I wanted to make sure that when I walked away from someone, that I had left them feeling extraordinary themselves.  In choosing this word, relationships in my life seemed better, I was more willing to try and learn new things, I was kinder to myself and to others.  It really was an Extraordinary experience.

2014 brought a new word (you must choose a new one each year.  The word I chose was LIVE.  I wanted to be sure that I was living to my fullest potential.  I wanted to do the things I wanted and LIVE!  This has been an awesome ride this year as I believe my attention and devotion to the One Word, Live, helped me to focus on myself. The word Live kept me driven with my writing and thrust me to pursuing my passions.

I hope you all will consider choosing One Word for 2016.  Feel free to share it or NOT.  Telling others your word is fine but it isn’t what this is about.  This is a personal journey.  I am happy to share with you.

My word for 2016 is Immerse.  I feel so complelled that this is my word, I honestly feel that it chose me.  Aside from being a writer, I also LOVE TO SWIM.  I have gotten away from it and I have decided that my One Word will have Two Meanings.  🙂

The first and most obvious is that I want to get back to swimming.  Back to the water and back to an early passion I had.  I loved swimming even before I loved reading and writing (if you can believe THAT).

The second reason I chose Immerse is that I want to Immerse myself completely in my life.  In my passions, in my family, in my joys.  I simply want to be immersed in this glorious life and I am choosing this word as a daily reminder of that fact.

So take the plunge with me.  Choose a word and watch the miracles take place!

You can find out more at http://getoneword.com/about-the-book/

 

XOXO