word for 2018

I used to make new year's resolutions. I don't know about you, but they never lasted very long. Three days into the new year and I was already off my diet or doing the exact opposite of what I had set out to achieve. I should have decided to do the opposite of what I wanted to do like eat only sweets, then perhaps I would have kept my resolution. The fact of the matter is, I never fulfilled the intention and I would beat myself up about it. As I sat here looking at the blank pages in my journal (good old paper and pen in hand) I couldn't help but reflect on 2017 and revisit all the things I enjoyed about the year and all the things that drove me batty. 2017 was a year of incredible risk and effort. Putting everything we had into creating something that could help others. 2017 was a year of commitment and hard work. Looking back at the year allowed me to look forward into the new year and think about what I wanted it to look like. I wanted to peer into the future and visualize what it would be like. What was the plan? What was the bigger picture? The word I kept hearing was "believe." 

My word for 2018 is BELIEVE. Believe that I am exactly where I am supposed to me. Believe that I am enough. Believe in things yet unseen. Believe in my instincts. Believe in the people God has put in my path. Believe that anything is possible.

I wondered about that word. I wondered why it was such a powerful word to me. Why at that moment could a word bring me to tears? I realized at that moment that I struggle so much with self-doubt. I don't want to let anyone down. I don't want to make any mistakes. But, life isn't perfect. It's messy! And sometimes my hot mess life is exactly where I need to be so that I can learn and grow from it. “Belief" implies a firm faith, conviction, and confidence. To believe is to elicit positive approval or manifestation of something or an event that is true, real, or possible. Believe is a verb, an action word. It is a word that must be applied, applied every day.

be·lieve {bəˈlēv/}
verb
1. accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of. 
​2. as to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something.
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To believe requires effort. Sometimes more effort than anything else because you may be believing in something that you haven't seen, but I knew that believe was the word. My word for 2018 because it would effects how I would view every aspect of my life. The word believe brought me joy and peace.

I believe in you. Thank you for believing in me.

Maria