As a year comes to a close there is a natural tendency to reflect on the things we hoped to accomplish.
- What are the commitments we want to hold onto moving forward?
- What commitments do we need to modify because our lives changed during the year?
- What commitments do we need to let go of because they don’t carry the importance they once did?
Typically this exercise leads most of us to start the year off with resolutions we hope to keep, only to be disappointed when we come up short. Last year I shared with everyone another approach called One Word 2011 which fellow blogger, Alece Ronzino, shared on her Grit and Glory blog.
“I’ve never been a New Year’s resolutions girl. I just can’t bring myself to do it. I think I tried once. And a few months later when I couldn’t even remember what my resolutions were — or where my list was — I felt like a miserable failure. And I’ve never made resolutions again. But last year I decided to choose one word to focus on, my own personal non-resolution…resolution.” –Alece
I too have struggled with the resolution/disappointment cycle, which for me usually led to disappointment when my best intentions lacked the commitment necessary to achieve the outcome I desired. Based on a history with failed resolutions, I decided to try Aleces’s approach and joined the One Word team of bloggers. I spent one year not focused on resolutions but staying in tune to one single word to see how that focus might influence my year. One look at the Top 10 Posts of last year illustrate the impact “pausing” had on this past year and our outlook for the future.
On January 6, 2011 I introduced my word, “pause” to the Leveraging Life community. For most of us, pause is a noun, which speaks to a temporary interruption of action or speech. But on February 14th “pause” stopped being a noun and became a verb as it altered the course of my entire year when cancer re-entered my world.
If not for pausing, I would have never appreciated how humbled I was when Shari told me my diagnosis didn’t change her love for me and in order to be there for me during treatment we should move forward our plans to be married.
If not for pausing, and looking back over the God Winks which brought Shari and I together in the first place, there would have never been the affirmation that God’s plan was in play with our lives.
If not for pausing, I might have overlooked the huge support group that developed for my family which kept us going through the darkest of time.
If not for pausing, I might not have taken account the sacrifices made by my Troncalli Subaru staff which filled in for me on those long chemo days and while I navigated all those doctors appointments.
If not for pausing and spending time with Shari in prayer we might have missed God’s influence in our lives and the affirmation that comes when you trust God period and see the impact that choice makes in your life.
Ultimately, I pause to shift the focus away from me and onto my Heavenly Father…making clear the things He wants me to see, to learn the things He wants me to learn, and the things He wants me to experience so I grow closer to Him.
I will be announcing my One Word for 2012 next week!
Wishing everyone a Blessed 2012!!
~Tom
trusting God period!
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