This is my fifth year of choosing a Word of the Year. It has become a fun practice for me. I love choosing a word each year that I can focus on and work on. I love to see how the word manifests itself through my year and how it grows and develops.
I also love the process of selecting my new word, almost as much as having the word. It is always an interesting process and I love to watch the selection of the word unfold in my life.
As I have said before, I don’t find my word – it finds me. This year was no different.
I actually had several words I had been thinking about. None of which I ended up choosing. Then on December 14th we were all shaken to our core by the shootings in Connecticut. It was a hard day. There was a mass of emotion – anger, sadness, disbelief, the list goes on and on. Several weeks later, I still can’t look at pictures of the faces of those whose lives were lost that day without shedding tears. How could such a horrific thing happen and to children? We will never fully understand what happened or why it happened.
That day I was reading through my Facebook feed, like many of you, I came across the quote from Fred Rogers.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” —Fred Rogers
I love this quote. We can’t stop the ugliness that happens in life but we can “look for the helpers.” But more importantly we can be one of those helpers. One of the many caring people in this world.
Later that day I came across the following photo in my Instagram feed.
There it was – my 2013 Word of the Year. Or rather words of the year.
We can not rid this world of the bad and the ugly. But we can be a source of Goodness and Light. My word and goal for this year and the rest of my years is to always be a source of Goodness and Light to those around me, to those I come in contact with on a daily basis. To do what I can to bring goodness and light to this world.
These words have a double meaning for me. Not only do I want to be a source of Goodness and Light but I want to live my life so that I always look toward the true source of Goodness and Light. That I live my life in such a way that I am worthy to partake of the blessings that come from the ultimate source of Goodness and Light. My Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the Goodness and Light that is in my life because of Him.
When I think of the word light and goodness I am reminded of a scripture in the New Testament that I love.
So this year, through this blog and with my daily encounters with people I will strive to always be a source of
Goodness and Light.
Tomorrow I will be having a fun giveaway that will feature your Word of the Year. Come back tomorrow to share your Word of the Year and if you don’t have one yet – get busy!
To read about some of my past Words of the Year:
To read more about What I Believe go here.
Leigh Anne
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Rachel Jensen
January 2, 2013 at 6:06 amWhat beautiful and wonderful words!
Jill Rummel
January 2, 2013 at 7:19 amLove that you pick a word for the year. Have you read the book One Word that will change your life by Dan Britton? A friend of mine from high school has been doing this every year for awhile and wrote a book about it. Though you might be interested.
Leigh Anne
January 2, 2013 at 7:57 amJill, have not heard of the book but will definitely check it out! Thanks for the info.
Teri
January 2, 2013 at 7:21 amWonderful choice of words, thanks for sharing with us!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life
January 2, 2013 at 7:22 amI love the words you choose to focus on for this year! So perfect for letting others see our light!!!
Vicky
January 2, 2013 at 8:29 amI started my word of the year 3 years ago when you posted your word for that year. It was such an inspiration for me and I’ve done it each year since. This year my word in INSPIRE, but I have also added a phrase of the year with subcategories for each month this year. My phrase of the year is I AM and each month I list a subcategory for January it is Grateful. so each day of January I am writing something I am grateful for on my calendar. I wrote the category word at the top of my calendar and each day writing something I am grateful for. In February the category is Loving so I will right something or someone I love on the calendar and continue on throughout the year. I am grateful for you and your sharing all your ideas with us.
Valerie A. H.
January 2, 2013 at 9:05 amLeigh Anne, I know Heavenly Father is smiling down upon you with your choice of words for the new year. I bet he’s thinking, “She get it!” What could be better than spreading
goodness and light?!
Valerie A. H.
January 2, 2013 at 9:06 amSorry….I meant to quote, “She GETS it!”
Leigh Anne
January 2, 2013 at 12:45 pmValerie – you are so sweet. I’m trying!!
Shirley
January 2, 2013 at 12:17 pmMy new word for the year…is Patience…I need to be patient and wait on the Lord to guide me in everything I do..more patience in my kids, marriage and even in my biggest hobby which is Quilting…My children and grandchildren and one great grandson are my blessing everyday from God..and they all call for a lot of patience on my part…so with a lot of prayer and Patience I can do anything…thanks for your blog…I read it everyday and you already have Goodness and Light…so keep up the good work…thanks so much….
Leigh Anne
January 2, 2013 at 12:44 pmThank you so much Shirley. I love your word!
auntie m
January 2, 2013 at 1:49 pmSuch good words for the coming year.
I think that December day has changed me forever. I have no tolerance for violence in the name of “entertainment” or for careless words that might be hurtful. None.
Although I didn’t choose a word for the year, I certainly chose an intention. Goodness and light, oh, yes!
Wendy Webster
January 2, 2013 at 2:56 pmWhat a great way to look at things! I have never done the “theme” or word of the year but this year it came to me–mine is going to be ‘Do less and Be more.’ After I discovered that, I found out there is a book all about that so maybe I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for always inspiring me.
Leigh Anne
January 2, 2013 at 3:53 pmLove Do less and Be more!!
Diane M
January 2, 2013 at 4:12 pmSo pertinent and meaningful Leigh Ann-thank you for YOU!
Michelle R
January 3, 2013 at 6:12 amMy word for 2013 is “Faith”. I was diagnosed almost 3 years ago with a Chronic Pain Condition that does not have a “cure”. I have two children ages 10 and 7 and am now a stay at home mom due to the pain. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful and supportive spouse. The reason I chose faith is that at times I question my faith – why would “He” do this to me etc will creep into my mind. I am trying to put all my Faith into God and not look back.
Debi @ Adorned From Above
January 3, 2013 at 4:20 pmI love goodness and light. I think my word for 2013 is grace. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this and any other posts with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/01/week-in-review-and-wednesdays-adorned.html
Debi @ Adorned From Above
Rebecca
January 4, 2013 at 9:01 amI chose “chocolate.” It’s just so inspiring! 😉
Just kidding.
My word of the year is “courage.”
Tami Pyper
January 4, 2013 at 9:15 pmLove your word(s) of the year and your blog! I can always get a quick dose of inspiration from you! I love this theme from when I was in the mtc a million years ago,”Gratitude is the beginning of desire” When I am mindful of my blessings, I have a desire to share them with others, whether it is the gospel, or time, or material things, or love. That has stuck with me all these years and I think it will be a good theme for me this year!
Laurie N.
January 7, 2013 at 9:00 pmYou have inspired me! I chose “thankful” for our family word of the year. Even when some days are hard, I know we can find one thing to be thankful for!
Rebecca
January 20, 2013 at 4:50 pmLove your idea of a word for the year. I hope you don’t mind that I put a link to this post on my blog. PERMISSION is my word of the year. It’s actually part of a statement of what I want to do this year, I give myself permission…
Thanks for the inspiration!
Leigh Anne
January 20, 2013 at 5:11 pmLove your word and you are totally welcome to put a link. Thanks so much!
Rebecca @This Nest is Best
January 31, 2013 at 1:25 pmMy word this year is “grow”!
http://thisnestisbest.com/2013/01/31/word-of-the-year-2013/