Word of the Year 2022

Join our amazing community
Share what you know, learn something new!
register

MinnieCo

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 10, 2008
3,677
1,342
113
54
I like that you used a camera for focus. Let us know what visual you end up using for release..it could be fun. ;)
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
My word for 2022 will be PREPARE.
DH and I are moving towards retirement and we need to prepare for this. It means preparing our finances, preparing to close up this house, preparing the farm for us to move into. 2022 is the start of a 2 year plan.


I don't know where the year has gone but I need to get back and look at my word for 2022.
What I do realise and I know that I am not alone here is it does not take much to derail plans and goals. I lost a big chunk of July and August due to the passing of two family members and I am struggling a bit to get back on track. I know that real life often throws us curve balls and we just manage as best as we can. I know I need to be kind to myself over the next few weeks to allow for healing.

Time to reset and make the most of the rest of the year, how ever that may look like.
 
Last edited:

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
My word for 2022 will be PREPARE.
DH and I are moving towards retirement and we need to prepare for this. It means preparing our finances, preparing to close up this house, preparing the farm for us to move into. 2022 is the start of a 2 year plan.

I don't know where the year has gone but I need to get back and look at my word for 2022.
What I do realise and I know that I am not alone here is it does not take much to derail plans and goals. I lost a big chunk of July and August due to the passing of two family members and I am struggling a bit to get back on track. I know that real life often throws us curve balls and we just manage as best as we can. I know I need to be kind to myself over the next few weeks to allow for healing.

Time to reset and make the most of the rest of the year, how ever that may look like.
2021 12 21 Hug.PNG

I think your plan sounds like a very good one. Prayers for you to get that time.

This post gave me pause to look at my word ... Renew. Well, you are right, it doesn't take much to get derailed. But all I can do is get back on the horse, I guess. Some things I have tried to have a renewed mind about ... Bible devotional time, schedules/calendar, time for me, and time for friends.

My most difficult area to feel renewed in is when it comes to my DS19 and his OCD issues. He is not in a good place with the amount of hours is given to ritualizing and checking. It's hard for a mom ... because I can lead the horse to water but I can't make him drink. I pray with more maturity, he will realize the need for him to let go of control and seek help again. So, in this area ... nothing is renewed (like hope) and it feels depressing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ahorsesoul

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
jampss,
Thank you for your thoughts.
I send you the very best wishes as you negotiate the issues with DS. It is a very hard job as a mother to watch any of our children struggle. It absolutely takes it out of us and can sometimes feel so overwhelming.
Please continue to reach out to your friends here so that we can offer support if possible.
XOXOX
 
  • Like
Reactions: jampss

AnnieClaus

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Nov 6, 2007
9,706
5,862
113
55
Southern Arizona
Jampss- Thinking of you!!!

Katrina- August really threw me for a loop. I felt discombobulated.
I listened to a podcast that talked about "micro-goals."
The podcaster listed about 10-15 small actions and he said to pick 5. So, I did.
Simple, simple things like-
*Walk for 1 mile or 15 minutes
*Write one thing you are grateful for that day
*Spend 10 minutes in silence

Sometimes we think we have to do such grand things- Walk for 45 minutes or an hour. Meditate daily for 30 minutes.
But really, small actions count as well.

And you are right, time goes fast and it is easy to get derailed.
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
I took a look back at what I wrote here and I have no idea what my "Release Plan" was. I probably wrote it in my calendar from last year but don't have the time now to look for it. This year, I've learned to release a lot of guilt and expectations of myself.

Spring and summer I took an intensive certificate program. That in itself was stressful but the other stuff I used to stress over wasn't. Why? I didn't have time to stress over it. I just had time to stress over class. I'm done class and now that other stuff to stress over is starting to creep in again. I'm going to fight it. I want to release unnecessary stress.

I read an article and copied these points down on reducing stress. Numbers 2, 7, and 9 are what I'm working through now.

1. Stop Overanalyzing Situations That Haven’t Happened

2. Don’t Take on Other People’s Problems

3. Get Present in the Moment

4. Focus on What You Have, Not What You Don’t

5. Follow a Steady Routine

6. Take Good Self-Care

7. Stop Surrounding Yourself With People Who Don’t Make You Happy

8. Find a Job That Makes You Feel Good

9. Take on What You Can Handle

10. Let Go of Grudges and Anger

11. Stop Reliving Your Past

12. Don’t Complain About Things You Can’t Change

13. Stop Living Through Other People’s Lives

 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia

1. Stop Overanalyzing Situations That Haven’t Happened

2. Don’t Take on Other People’s Problems

3. Get Present in the Moment

4. Focus on What You Have, Not What You Don’t

5. Follow a Steady Routine

6. Take Good Self-Care

7. Stop Surrounding Yourself With People Who Don’t Make You Happy

8. Find a Job That Makes You Feel Good

9. Take on What You Can Handle

10. Let Go of Grudges and Anger

11. Stop Reliving Your Past

12. Don’t Complain About Things You Can’t Change

13. Stop Living Through Other People’s Lives

Mary!! Thank you for sharing. I have printed this off and am going to put it in my daily planner. This is the anxious persons list and describes me perfectly.
Every single one of these relates to me, every one!
 

Lori K

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Nov 13, 2018
2,423
6,328
113
Illinois
3. Get Present in the Moment [relates to my Word of the Year; put down the cell phone and pay attention]

4. Focus on What You Have, Not What You Don’t

7. Stop Surrounding Yourself With People Who Don’t Make You Happy

10. Let Go of Grudges and Anger

11. Stop Reliving Your Past

12. Don’t Complain About Things You Can’t Change

13. Stop Living Through Other People’s Lives

Thank you for sharing this. Several struck a chord and are what I'm focusing on. #4, 10, 11, and 12 are daily stressors that I deal with as a widow. If I let myself get into a "woe is me" mindset, I will quickly spiral downward. So I remind myself daily of what I have to be grateful for, how blessed my life really is. There is nothing I can change about the loss of my spouse, so I need to let it go. #7 and #13 are playing a role in my life right now, as I'm debating on moving on from my widows group into other social groups. I'm just not getting enough out of it and, when I stop and think about it, would I choose to hang out with some of the people on a regular basis, if the connecting thread was not being widowed? A majority are not someone I'd invite into my home for coffee, book group, or a casual gathering. So why am I spending so much time in their world? The stress and irritation I get from being on the organizational team and working with the lead organizer is just not worth it. I'm giving it to the end of the year, I think, and will likely not rejoin the group in January. Time for me to move forward and a pace that works for me, rather than marking time.
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
Katrina - I'm glad that article and those points were helpful!
Lori - That widows group must have been a great comfort after the death of your husband. They understood more than most people what you were going through. I am sure that you'll make the right decision. You deserve to be happy.

It's hard to put into words the difference that I felt over these past few months. I think the stress I felt was the time factor stress. The cycle of read, analyze, discuss and then write 8-10 pages weekly, wait for a grade and then repeat was stressful and yet, it was my new routine. I was so busy that I didn't have time to give to overanalyzing situations that hadn’t happened, take on other people’s problems, surrounding myself with unhappy people, taking on more than I could handle, carry anger and grudges, relive the past, complain about things I couldn't change, and scrolling through social media feeds. I was very much present to the moment. I was trying to take care of myself by eating decently, taking walks, and trying to get a good amount of sleep. It wasn’t perfect but I did try. At times, the class was frustrating and I did share the frustrations with the university. I also shared the positive things too.

Now that the program is finished and I am back in the real world again, I am being thoughtful and intentional in how I’m going to deal with people who have been needy of my time. My one long time friend has gotten worse and worse over the years with her “Dumping” of her problems. We all go through them. We all need to talk them out but what happened to the laughter? I got a number of texts from her over the summer and because I finally saw that my time is valuable, I kept my responses brief. I haven’t seen her in 7 months but I will be seeing her sometime in the next two weeks. In the meantime, I will not overanalyze what may or may not happen at that meeting. I am really going to start focusing on me and what I want and/or need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jampss

AnnieClaus

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Nov 6, 2007
9,706
5,862
113
55
Southern Arizona
Great list, Mary!

I struggle a lot with #1.

I tend to fret and worry about situations that haven't even happened yet!
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
I struggle a lot with #1.
Me too! I can have a whole dialogue in my head of a situation that has not even happened and may not eventuate. Some thing I must work on.
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Now that the program is finished and I am back in the real world again, I am being thoughtful and intentional in how I’m going to deal with people who have been needy of my time. My one long time friend has gotten worse and worse over the years with her “Dumping” of her problems. We all go through them. We all need to talk them out but what happened to the laughter? I got a number of texts from her over the summer and because I finally saw that my time is valuable, I kept my responses brief. I haven’t seen her in 7 months but I will be seeing her sometime in the next two weeks. In the meantime, I will not overanalyze what may or may not happen at that meeting. I am really going to start focusing on me and what I want and/or need.
I read some where that it is important for our well being to not weigh ourselves down with other peoples burdens, we have enough struggles carrying our own.
I find that I am an empathetic person and try to help out where and when I can. I am the one always reaching out to others and checking in. I find though that it is not very often reciprocated. I need to learn to pull back a little, still be a good friend with and open ear but to only do this when I can "afford" to take on the extra burden.
 

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
@Holiday_Mom That was a good article for sure. Thanks for sharing. I can relate to all points.

1. Stop Overanalyzing Situations That Haven’t Happened (My OCD son does this and it's called Foreshadowing or Catatrophizing. Also, Ruminating. They are Instrusive Thoughts that make him avoid .... it's hard on a mom's heart.)


4. Focus on What You Have, Not What You Don’t (I have been writing my Thankful for each day right before my Bible devotional notes for the day. It helps so much.)

8. Find a Job That Makes You Feel Good

(I don't have this. I have been a SAHM homeschooling the kids. It took awhile but DD30 - ADHD, Autism - did find her wings and is happily living on her farm homestead in VT. DS19 - ADHD, OCD, Autism - is struggling. I feel like my time is for him right now. But I do need something that is Just Me.)

10. Let Go of Grudges and Anger

(I know what the Bible says about this ... trying ... but hard.)
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Time to start thinking of my word for the year for 2023. 2022 was a bust for me, I might need a do over.
 

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
Funny @sweetpumkinpye ... I was just thinking about Word of the Year was coming up!
 

AnnieClaus

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Nov 6, 2007
9,706
5,862
113
55
Southern Arizona
Katrina- Wow, I always think you are so prepared for everything!! You are always forward thinking.
My word for 2022- Consistent. I was better than previous years but still not where I would want to be.
An ongoing journey that will continue into 2023.
I have my word (not consistent) ready for 2023!

Annie
 
Last edited:

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
You guys rock @sweetpumkinpye and @AnnieClaus ..... Mine was Renew ... Hmmmm, I think I am also on that "journey" ... not where I want to be, not where I was, just one foot in front of the other step step step... forward ..... :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnnieClaus

Lori K

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Nov 13, 2018
2,423
6,328
113
Illinois
You guys rock @sweetpumkinpye and @AnnieClaus ..... Mine was Renew ... Hmmmm, I think I am also on that "journey" ... not where I want to be, not where I was, just one foot in front of the other step step step... forward ..... :)
I know that feeling of being on a "journey", but just putting one foot in front of the other. Yes, it gets you there, just not in the time you alotted. My patience is better, and I started purging, but not as much (or as many people) who needed to be removed. Now, to figure out my direction for the New Year. Hmmm ...
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
My word was release and it was a good year for that. I released my imposter syndrome when we made it to the third round of a grant writing challenge, was asked to be on a board with "important" people, and when I got my certification in a very competive and time intensive program. I released some expections on myself that aren't healthy, but I'm still working on the other things that need to be released.

I released resentment when I finally figured that it stems from not taking enough time out for meeting my own needs like prayer, solitude, hobbies, being outdoors, eating healthy and drinking water.

I have not given any thought to what 2023's word will be.