We’re two weeks into the New Year and whether you make resolutions or not, you can’t deny that it does feel like a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. So, this year instead of resolutions, which I’m not real big on anyway, I’m choosing a theme for 2018. A sort of overarching, true north goal to work towards for the year. One way you can think of it is a filter for your choices, how you spend your time, what habits you cultivate, what you say yes (and more importantly No to), who you spend time with and what you prioritize. I didn’t even realize that Gretchen Rubin wrote about this until I was doing some research for this post but apparently she does this every year. Her theme has to be only one word, but I’m fudging it a little and allowed myself to choose a word, phrase or song.
Choosing a theme could come easily, or it could require a little more thought and reflection and both of those methods are perfectly fine! This is supposed to be something that you can refer to the entire year, your north start for the journey that is 2018. I thought about some of the goals that I wanted to accomplish this year. Not ones that I told myself I should do, but the ones that are really important to me. Get serious about building a meditation practice. Continuing to cultivate a habit of gratitude. Invest my time wisely by learning to set boundaries and say no so I can really say yes to things that are important. Level up my career. Cultivate connection. Write more. Learn a language. So, when I looked at my list and tried to decide what word or phrase could summarize this, the only one that came to mind is my tagline for the blog: Life on Purpose. I cycled through a few ideas, none of them quite hitting the mark of covering the expanse of goals. Then, it hit me as I looked at the handlettered sign in my office with the blog theme on it. “DUH!”
Just to try this theme idea on for size, I used it as an ice-breaker at a goal setting workshop I led for our Local Levo Seattle workshop last week. Levo focuses on equipping women with the resources and community to create a life they’re passionate about. So, you can see how this group is aligned with my passion of equipping people to live a life on purpose! We went around the circle and each gal had a chance to give their name and share their theme (word, phrase or song) with the group and wow was it inspiring!
Here are some of the themes that were shared to get your own creative juices flowing:
Discover my Passion
Live in Authenticity
Health & Wealth
Get Organized
Learn Balance
All things New
Reclaiming my Time
Be more Present
Slow Down & Enjoy
Expand my Thinking
Find my Tribe
Persevere
I’d LOVE to hear what you decide is your theme for the year- let me know in the comment section below! And, the goal setting curriculum that I wrote for the workshop will be live on the blog soon so stay tuned!
Love God, reach people. It’s our church’s theme all year long. It’s concise, to the point and works, year after year… for me. As long as i keep my focus on God and love others, things seem to go pretty well. Gratitude IS key; you’ve hit the nail on the head! I’m able to say yes/no to things, but sometimes when I’ve said yes to something, then realize it’s not what i really wanted or needed, i have to humble myself and “quit” it. That doesn’t make me a “quitter”… that makes me smart in recognizing (albeit a bit late!) what’s really important in my life. thanks for sharing your life, Kate!
Thank you for sharing your theme and I LOVE that insight: sometimes you need to quite things that aren’t truly important to you and that does NOT make you a ‘quitter’ at all! SO true! Really appreciate you sharing!