Last year, I shared candidly with you guys here on the blog about my visions and creating a vision board for 2013. I was thrilled by the idea of allowing my visions to manifest through creating my vision board--- pinning things to my corkboard in alignment with aspirations I've set for myself. And while I enjoyed this process, it was quite tedious. I was focused on creating the perfect board in hopes that everything I placed on the board were intentional and would remind me daily of the things I needed to do to create the bigger, better version of myself and my life.
The vision board was very helpful for me. However, when a few of the goals didn't pan out the way I hoped, I grew disappointed with myself. When I found out I was pregnant in February, I felt that some of the goals I set for myself were almost impossible. And thus became the downward spiral of my goal-oriented and ambitious 2013.
While I'm still using my corkboard to envision my dreams daily, I decided not to create an entirely different one. I just swapped out some of the pins that symbolized ambitions I had already achieved or some that I was no longer interested in manifesting. I wanted to create something else to supplement my vision board. Something else to keep me in alignment with my goals, without all of the added pressure. Then I found inspiration from one of my fellow blogger friends.
Last month when chatting it up with Tiffany per the AskAwayFriday link-up, we briefly talked about goals for 2014. She informed me that instead of setting goals, she was setting the tone for the upcoming year with one word. Yes, ladies and gentlemen. One word. Thinking of one word to usher in the new year sounded much better than coming up with a list of things to do that I would soon abandon come March, so I decided to read along with Tiffany here and see what her one word resolution was all about. It was here that I learned about Michelle, a fellow BLMGirl and SBGC member over at Divas With a Purpose, and her take on using one word to set the tone for the new year.
Not only did Michelle share her one word intention on the post, she added a link-up to her post, encouraging other bloggers to do the same.
"Use one word to describe your focus and intentions for the year,"
they said.
they said.
"It would be fun," they said.
As I began to read through my notebook and examine the goals and ambitions I have set for myself recently, I saw that they all had a common theme. The only thing that was stopping me from accomplishing the items that have yet to be crossed off from the list was FEAR. And we all know that fear can be a crippling thing, if we allow it to set in and spread throughout our thoughts.
From now on, I want to be FEARLESS. I want to take the first step. I want to see new sights. I want to master the trades I've grown passionate about. I want to ask for help and knock on new doors--- even if people greet me with a "no." Fear of rejection, fear of failure, and fear of the unknown will slowly but surely lose their place in my heart.
For further encouragement, I will pray and meditate on Phillippians 4:6-7 daily:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Has fear been getting in the way of your goals and ambitions? If you feel where I'm coming from, let me know in the comments section! We can help strengthen and encourage each other! And if you have in mind one word that illustrates your intentions and focus for your ideal life, be sure to share those in the comments, too. I can't wait to hear from you!
Much love and many blessings,
