Here we are, a month into the year, and I am finally sitting down to write this post that has been sitting in my drafts for, well, about a month.
The past few years have been incredibly difficult. I used to always have a word of the year. A goal word. Usually that word chose me. I would just be sitting there, contemplating the year, and a single word would clearly pop into my mind. Not these past few years. Unless the word was just “survive.”
So I was a little surprised this year when I sat down to contemplate the year. First of all, I purchased a Bloom daily planner and I love it. There are spots for yearly and monthly goals. They also included a vision board of sorts for the year. I didn’t know what to expect, but I decided to at least give it a try. It took a while, to be honest, of just sitting and thinking and wondering about the year.
But finally a few goals came to mind. A few words inspired me. I sat in those words until one word seemed to sum them all up. Nothing super specific. It’s actually pretty vague. But it sums it up well.
Growth.
This year I want to grow. I want to take steps forward. I don’t want to just survive anymore.
I ended up creating a “vision board” in which I included all the words that were swirling in my mind. This is my vision for 2018…
…Give grace
….Fearless
….Invest
….Flourish
….Release
….Surrender
….Patience
….Courage
….Gentle
….GROWTH
For a few more specific goals, I knew I wanted to grow in my family relationships, specifically toward my husband and kids. I also knew I wanted to continue to work toward having a clean, peaceful, organized home.
And as I get closer to another big change coming up in our family, I know I will need to really hold on to a lot of the above words.
I am 27 weeks pregnant with our 5th baby. While we are very excited, the trauma of what we have been through with our last three children has greatly affected my husband, living son, and me. I knew I needed to grow this year. Grow in grief, grow in healing, grow in release, grow in moving forward fearlessly, having courage, etc.
2018 is going to be a huge year of growth. I am scared, apprehensive, hopeful, and ready.
Life with You 
I hope this year allows you to bloom and grow and thrive! We are made for so much more than to just survive, but sometimes, like plants, we must conserve our energy and strength for a time until the rain falls, the soil is fertile, and our roots can stretch out and take in all those resources. May this be that year for you. ❤
Thank you for your kind comment! Yes, I think the past few years of surviving were necessary and good for several reasons. But I am hopeful this year will bring the rain!
“Growth” is a great theme for a new year. I hope and pray that this year is all you want it to be! Congrats on your baby. That’s so exciting, even if it’s scary right now too. I’ll keep you and him/her in my prayers as well! Hugs! 🙂
(My friend Anna just wrote a beautiful poem, about having a baby daughter after losing a daughter in labour a few years ago… I thought you’d like it: https://eastofcrazyland.com/2018/01/27/bittersweet-because/.)
Thank you, Bonnie! I so appreciate it. ❤
What a beautiful poem. It brought tears to my eyes!!