Every year, I select a word that I am going to word on embodying for that year. It is a word that pushes me out of the comfort box and could cause me some deep self-reflection on things that I need to work on and be more mindful about. Before finding a word and building my goals from that, I often would pick such large goals that even I wasn’t sure how to get to them. Working with the word of the year has been much more manageable and often (unless it is 2020 that threw me for a loop), I achieve way more than if I had just written my top ten or top five things I want to accomplish for the year.
2021 is no different. My word for is: Revival
An improvement in the condition or strength of something.
Other words that fit are betterment, improvement, re-establishment, comeback, reintroduction.
The biblical definition means “making alive again those who have been alive but have fallen into what is called a cold, or dead, state.”
I feel like 2020 was the year of survival. What had started out with so many hopes, dreams, and goals, ended up being the year where we fall down and keep getting back up. Now, let me say that my family was and is so fortunate in all the 2020 circumstances to be able to stay afloat. We are so thankful, and we are aware that it could have been so much worse than what it was.
With that said, I kept feeling like I had to reinvent what we were doing or how we were approaching things to keep us sane and hopeful.
As 2020 was ending, I knew that I wanted to start 2021 off in a big way. I had determined that with the word revival comes four areas: Spiritual, Health, Wealth, Relationships.
So, with placing my word out there, below are the four areas and how Revival will play into each one:
- Spiritual:
I am committing to meditating on God’s word through the devotional that Proverbs 31 puts out (here) and doing the Bible study homework that comes from Sunday morning Bible study. For me, getting deeper into the word, allows me to reveal what I need to work on and how I can lean on Jesus to help me.
- Health:
I haven’t quite committed back to the gym yet. I have, however, committed to doing whole30 (here) for the month of January. I always feel so much better when I eat more whole and continuing the principles through the year will not only help but continue to keep me on track. Here’s hoping the sugar dragon doesn’t get after me.
For my mental health, encompassing the gym and eating well is great. But, to further my mental health, I have decided to get back on the horse, literally. I am so excited about this adventure and after 16 years, it is time to claim the revival of hopping back on the horse.
- Wealth:
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a money chaser. But, 2020 I focused on getting out of credit card debt and this year I am going to focus on paying off my car and saving a ton of money. Whether you are new in finances or looking for a new method to push your limits, The Budget Mom (here) is a wonderful resource, and it is straightforward, without any “extra baby steps” and allows you to save and pay off debt at the same time.
- Relationships:
We can get the elephant out of the room. I am married. He is incredible. That is all. HAHA! That is NOT all. We don’t just stop there do we? This year I would like to enhance my relationship with my husband by including more date nights and nightly check in’s. While 2020 prevents obstacles with date nights, we’ve done the best we can and will continue to. I would also like to increase my relationship with my children, mom, and in-laws. They are all super important people.
If you haven’t chosen a word for 2021, I would encourage you to do so. Words are powerful and if you put meaning to them and action in your life, it becomes the habit of taking care of yourself within the word and pushing your limits. As we go through this year, be mindful of what matters and what doesn’t. Also, be mindful of the things your heart still longs for that is calling you back to revisit or start up again because it is a piece of you. Do not deny the good things you lost track of, that have been silently reminding you. Step into that. Take a up a new skill, expand on the ones you have and enrich your daily life, that of which is in your control.
If there was one thing, I learned in 2020, it was that life can be beautiful even amid chaos. And I think as we continue to work through the chaos that has seemingly been pushed beyond on our control, we can control the things we are able and still continue to build ourselves beautifully.
all things kal 
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