2020 Word of the Year – FREE
It has taken be a month of trying out my word of the year before I was ready to share but I’m certain I’ve settled on THE word. For 2020 my word of the year is FREE. Of course as I type this the two songs going through my head are Free Falling and Freebird so let’s hope it will feel more like one than the other!
So why a word of the year? Before blogging this really was a foreign concept to me. Setting resolutions was always the norm for me as was breaking them! Choosing a word to guide my year, to hold in my pocket and whip out at a moments notice, has been so much more impactful. One little word helps guide decisions and intentions and keep me focused.
As I was contemplating my word of the year I continued to flash back over the last decade and it was obvious I spent the decade learning to accept who I am, evaluating who the people are I want (and need) in my life are and how I am free to be the person God really intended.
The definition of free in the dictionary reads:
- not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or be done as one wishes.
- not or no longer confined or imprisoned.
- adverb; without cost or payment
I mean, wow! Shouldn’t we all want to be free? Looking a little further at some of the synonyms of free I found clear, disburden, disencumber, divest, relieve, rid, unburden, liberate and they all resonated with me.
The last decade I really fell in love with my faith and how much it has meant to finally trust God accepts and loves me. I still remember the day I sat in a pew in tears as it finally sank in that I was free to be forgiven because my debt had been paid. I spent years believing I could not earn his love and I was right but because He paid it all I don’t have to. My salvation is free and thus the adverb form of free really hit me.
When I found this verse I knew it could walk along side my word of the year! 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
So how are some other ways I plan to be free in 2020?
Free to say yes and free to say no. Saying no has gotten so much easier for me the last 10 years. In 2020 I want to be more free to use the kind of no, or no thank you, that is a complete sentence with no extra excuses! Where I’m still struggling some days is in the yes. I want to be free to set aside whatever is burdening me and say yes to the things that matter. Things like a day on the water with my man, the extra time with my kids, the quiet time to invest in myself, the night (or weekend) with my best girlfriends or the date I promised to keep with the gym.
Free to be myself, which of course I am, we all are. But truly feeling free to be myself and share my heart in a way that impacts others in a positive way is where I want to find myself in 2020. Free to accept those things about myself that are not my favorite and grow the things that are. Sometimes being myself means knowing I’m free to shut my mouth and let someone else just be themselves as well!
Free to forgive others even when they don’t deserve it, even when they aren’t sorry and even when they do not ask. I do not owe an explanation to anyone for when, why and how I forgive someone.
Free to determine my schedule. While a good schedule makes my heart so happy, being flexible goes a long way for me. Remembering I’m the boss of me and my schedule is important and checking the schedule will always give me the freedom to choose my best yesses and nos.
Free to be selfish with my time. We all have the same 24 hours and often I am guilty of giving myself little markers like “when x, y, z” is complete you can go to the coffee shop and work on something for you. The problem is there will always be more of x, y & z than there is time for me if I don’t get a little selfish and take it. My mom/wife guilt gets in the way sometimes when I try to take some time for myself and I often end up making dinner or folding just “one more” load of clothes and next thing you know I’ve talked myself out of my time altogether.
Free from worry. Yeah right! I’m sure this one is lofty and near impossible but what I am going to work on in 2020 is recognizing when I start to let the worry overtake me because I’m trying to find a way to control or fix a situation instead of turning it over and praying about it.
At the end of 2020 I hope to feel clear, relieved, unburdened, liberated….FREE!
What is your driving word of the year? Here are my past few years of words which have helped shape me into a stronger, more aware me.
Present, Receive, Enough, Celebrate
