Do you select a word to encompass your objectives for the year?  Maybe it’s a theme you want to lay out for the year ahead. Maybe it’s one you keep posted on your fridge to serve as a reminder.

I started choosing a word in 2011.  My daughter was just over a year old and I felt I needed a word to serve as a reminder of the life I had and wanted.  Life had radically changed since my daughter’s birth and I was struggling to adjust at times.  I battled with reconciling life Before Child and the life that was After Child.  So in 2011, I chose the word MORE.  I wanted to be more aware, more grateful, more compassionate (of others and myself), more of a friend, more of a wife, more Sarah, and more of the mother I knew I could be.  Since then, example of words I’ve chosen are BALANCE, ENOUGH, and SETTLE.  Their selection comes from different motivations but they’re always the product of of an overwhelming feeling or goal.

For 2017, my word is RESET.
I feel wayward after 2016.  In February, I was hit with anxiety and depression.  All year long, anxiety and depression kept walloping me.  My equilibrium was dealt a one-two punch and I was down, sometimes both literally and figuratively. I ate terribly.  I had zero motivation for exercising.  (But when I finally found some dedication, I suffered an Achilles injury this is still creating havoc.)  I would try to introduce balance and implement fresh starts to no avail.  When December came along, I found myself craving the fresh start that January 1st would provide. I can see the folly in the logic of a number change, but friends, I needed it.  As the new year drew closer, I felt a return of enthusiasm.  There was promise on the horizon!  It is in that promise and enthusiasm that I finally realized I just needed a massive reset.  One that could not be implemented all that once however.  It is one that I need to slowly construct.  A steady foundation first needs to be poured, and then I can lay bricks until finally, I am standing firmly.

That is why I have developed a 12 month plan.  Each month, I will focus on an aspect of my health and well-being to reset.  This reduces the amount of pressure I feel upon myself to succeed.  Before I can run again, I simply need to walk. Two days in, I already feel more sure of my footing.  Oh, the power of a fresh start!