Are you a “word of the year” girl?
I am! If you’re like me, it can be pretty easy to get swept up in a million desires for what the year will bring. And while I’m definitely a goal-setting girl, I’ve found that having one word helps me “theme” all of those big hopes and dreams. It brings focus, encourages direction, and offers a springboard for inspiration.
No matter what season of life you’re in, or what your vision is for this year, I absolutely encourage you to pick a word. Just one word.
My word for 2024 was pursuit.
Not pursue, not pursued.
Pursuit.
I purposely chose the noun because I wanted it to be a state of being. I wanted it to be equal parts seeking out and allowing myself to be found. And, most importantly, I wanted consistency.
There were plenty of things that I relentlessly pursued this year. From passions to productivity and special projects to community, I poured a lot of time and energy into seeking and building all around me. It brought success, shortcomings, and significant hardships, but also, a sense of harmony.
It’s amazing the kind of clarity we can find in the midst of chaos and mess. A lot of things fell into place, even though I felt like my hair was constantly on fire and I was tripping over myself as I hustled towards my goals. Allowing myself to run after things that I felt called to – sometimes without even knowing where I was going – helped me, somehow, get to exactly where I needed to be.
It gave me permission to make choices without having all of the answers.
In full demonstration of pursuit, I also allowed myself to be pursued. I allowed certain interests to find me – if something felt like a fit, I tried it, even if it wasn’t necessarily part of the “plan.” I allowed myself to be pursued deeper in dating – and, let me tell ya, it’s a good standard to have, ladies.😉 Most importantly, I left myself open to being pursued by the Lord. He’s an even greater presence in my world than he has ever been before. Not because I was always great about bringing things to him (although, I certainly try), but because I made a point to invite him to join me wherever I was.
And he always did.
He pursued my heart, and helped me step into greater purpose, joy, and confidence in the process. Because he’s just awesome like that.
Amidst both forms of pursuit, I somehow stumbled on a deeper alignment. It was the combination of chasing and standing still that brought a lot of my life into focus, and brought me closer to the woman I want to be.
Entering the new year means it’s time for a new word. Without meaning to, I’ve somehow kept with a theme in recent years…words that start with the letter P. In 2021, my word was purpose. 2002 was presence. And in 2023, it was promise.
As I was reflecting on 2024, my word for 2025 came to me:
RECEIVE.
I immediately thought “nope, that can’t be right.” Something about it just didn’t jive.
But then I realized it actually did. In fact, it totally did. And just as fast as I tried to quietly reject it, it kept coming right back up. So, naturally, I started to question it.
Receive? Really? Why??
And then it hit me. This wasn’t just a word; it was an invitation.
While my year of pursuit yielded growth and gifts that I’ll be forever grateful for, I admittedly had leaned a bit more into the pursuing part than I did being pursued.
Control means safety. It’s a calculation to eliminate the unknown and replace it with a plan. And I thrive in a state of control. I think most single women do, because we frequently have to.
We’re sole providers. We have to cover all of the bases, and show up for our friends and family without reinforcements. We’re not part of a pair, so we have to be the point person for everything in our lives.
We make do, we do it all, and we make it all happen.
I’m not saying this is a bad thing – it’s often necessary – but it is exhausting.
We have to rest from it, from time to time. So, I’m accepting this invitation, and trusting that I’ll receive all that I need.
Don’t worry, I’m not quitting my day job or dropping off the radar.
I’m not trying to make myself harder to find…I’m just going to be more open, right where I am. I realized that my hesitation around the word “receive” wasn’t that I was worried I would have to go without. It was my fear of releasing control.
The other day, I was reminded by a mentor that there is great strength in surrender. So, this is my cue to step into that strength. I’m choosing magnetic femininity.
I’m not giving up. Rather, I’m giving in. With great hope and expectation.
It’s scary, and I’ll be praying every day for the courage to keep being open. But, I have a feeling that surrendering this year will allow me to write my very best story…not from a place of needing to be in control, but from the possibilities of being willing to receive.
I hope this year is your very best yet, and that you experience all of the blessings in store for you! I encourage you to choose a word for yourself, and let it be the guiding principle for your many hopes and dreams in 2025. And, if you’re willing to share it with me, I would love to hear your word of the year! Comment below or email me at [email protected].
