It is something I begin thinking about when fall shows up for a good long stay, but sometime the  new year begins without me having chosen a word. In 2017 I chose a word of the year for the first time. That year, I chose the word FEARLESS to lead me through the year. That was a good word, the pressure was on to pick another good one. So in 2018 I chose the word CONFIDENCE to guide me. In 2019 I decided to not choose a word since nothing was presenting itself, and decided to have a depth year instead. So this year, I decided I needed a word to guide me again and began giving it serious thought. I considered the word SLEEP, or maybe even FINISH, but neither of those felt quite right.

My friend Theresa has a cool business making words into wall art called Wall to Wall Words. She gave us each the words Merry Christmas in white vinyl and the the word Believe in red vinyl as a gift. I wanted to place the red word Believe on the door to my upper cabinet at word where I had displayed my NaNoWriMo word count last November, but my theory is that as soon as I decide to stick it on there, the powers that be will decide I need to move to another desk and I wouldn’t be able to take the word with me. I am still toying with the idea of sticking it to something else that I could display and move more easily.

I had been thinking about what my word for 2020 would be when I got the gift from my friend and thought I wanted Believe to be my word but wanted more of a sign that this was the word for me. Then I found this on January 12th as we drove home from St. Louis. This was taken on one of the main streets in Casey, Illinois. No it isn’t a great photo. There was no way to take a great photo of it given the circumstances. The store was closed and I was losing the light. But it was a sign and I needed a photo of this “sign” of a sign in the store window to remind me that I need to learn to BELIEVE.

I have read the book One Perfect Word by Debbie Macomber a few times and she tells us that the word will often present itself to you. Ok, you don’t have to hit me upside the head with it. I believe. If you want to get your own copy of the book, and click on either the link or the picture of the book, these are affiliate links and I might earn a penny or two at no additional cost to you.

At the beginning of 2019, after I decided not to choose a word, I found out about My Intent bracelets. I liked the idea, but since I still wasn’t permanently employed at that point I didn’t want to spring for the bracelets. I wanted to get all three of my words of the year on the little washers and then make the three of them into something wearable, like a necklace maybe. I did make something but never completely finished it and never wore it. If I can find it I will take a picture of it for you. I knew better this year, so I did better. I ordered the bracelet which normally sells for $20, but used a discount code I got from Mel Robbins (MEL) to save 30%, so it only cost me $14. Well worth the investment if wearing it helps me to remember to BELIEVE in God, to BELIEVE in myself, and to BELIEVE that I can do anything, with God, if I make up my mind to do it. You can see it on my wrist in the photo below. I chose the one I could get with a purple cord, but that probably doesn’t really surprise you.

I have already decided that I believe in myself enough to commit to another three years of writing the blog you are reading this on. I hope you will join me by subscribing using the link at the top or the right and enter your email address so you can be notified when I post something new.

Have you ever chosen a word of the year? What word did you pick and how did it work out for you?