One Word - 2011

Contrary to what I said earlier in the year, I did come up with some resolutions.  One of them is to read a bunch of books.  I mean a bunch.  As in, more than 68, because that is how many I read in the year 2008 and my reading has gone down drastically since then.

I made other goals as well.  Knitting goals, business goals, personal goals...so forth and so on.  Who knows whether I will achieve any of them or not.

Yesterday I read my friend Anna's blog, Oooooh la la, and she posted about various and sundry things, which are always pleasant and make me smile.  One of the things she posted about, however, did not make me smile, but made me excited instead.

One Word.

Already I can see the amazing sense in this.  Goals fail.  How often do you even remember the goals that you have made?  Even throughout one day?   I know I don't.  I wake up in the morning, feeling inspired to do good things, speak kind words, and give selflessly, but the instant I hear the small patter of feet come running from the other end of the house, my resolutions fade away and I'm as grouchy as can be.  Talk about a major disappointment, on all sides.  Yeah, I can beat myself up over that.

I read about One Word yesterday morning, and although yesterday wasn't one of the greatest days I've ever experienced, by far, I remembered my one word throughout the entire day. Especially when I was grouchy.  Ouch.

My word is SERVE.

Granted I will not always do what I should, or listen to reason, or be kindly and offer myself to others as a helper, but as I already said, I remembered my word all day long, and I'm willing to bet that I'll remember it today, too.  I want to serve.  I will fail miserably, but I'll probably do better than if I had followed the normal customs and just thought about a year-long goal for a couple of days in January.  This is a daily reminder.

New Year's Resolutions can be powerful tools if we choose to use them, but how much more powerful will the choice of One Word be?