What’s Your Word?

Chel Owens

Now is the time we’ve all dreaded: after Christmas. We can no longer laugh whilst claiming, “Ah; it’s the holidays” as we pop another homemade cookie into our waistline. Many of us, instead, throw around terms like resolution and goal.

I’m an all-year-round resolution person, myself. I’m also an all-year-round resolution-breaker. As such, I can’t get too excited about ‘new’ years.

Pixabay

For a slightly different idea, I’ve seen several bloggers come up with a word for the new year. I even read a friend who inadvertently gave a word to summarize 2021 before naming one for 2022.

I LOVE that thought.

Last year has been very full for me: job, politics and divisiveness, a close family member’s passing, moving house, pregnancy and childbirth, and COVID-19. What all-encompassing word, then, can cover that?

Pixabay

Chaos. Regrets. Crowded. Busyness. Craziness. Full.

In reflecting over the breadth of it, I’m going with Complete.

I’ve had regrets, make no mistake. We left planned projects incomplete in selling the last house. Milestones were unmet regarding when to move by. The bathroom was still in pieces and laundry piles lay all over as I headed off to the hospital to deliver #6. I can’t hang onto any of that like I used to, though. I look back with only a desire to let go.

So, with Complete, my word for 2022 will be Control.

This may surprise you. Control often has connotative surrounds; we’re encouraged to release the illusion of it or focus on reasonable expectations regarding it. The reason I choose control is for good. In my life, I’ve spent too long riding along and resenting. At depressive and stressful points I’ve complained about what is out of my hands …and done nothing to change the situation. I felt I could not.

Instead of being a passenger in the van of my life, I will take control.

Pixabay/Pexels

Now, I encourage everyone to do the same. Yes, to take control -but also to look back and choose a word for last year. Then, choose a word for the next. What are your words? Why?

©2021 Chel Owens

66 thoughts on “What’s Your Word?”

  1. I’ll go with resiliency for 2021, as we’ve all had to endure the challenges of a changing Covid world. My word for 2022 is perseverance and following through with long-term goals.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. Shifting is my word for 21. Change has become so ordinary and expected that I couldn’t choose it. Plus I haven’t really changed as much as just shifted. A move that took too long to complete, my mother’s passing, a new job, family members in need, all shifted my position, location, and attention. But I don’t feel like I grew or changed as much as shifted and endured. It is time to start thinking about the change I want to experience in 22.

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  7. I’ve never thought of finding a word for the New Year. Perhaps sometime during the coming 52 weeks I shall devote a week to using a new word each and every day for a week. That way I won’t have a clue what I’m talking about and no one else will either.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. New Year’s is a great time for resolutions because we think about a) where we wish were at the end of this year and b) where we could be if we’d done x and c) how quickly the next new year will be here and how we could be somewhere we want to be if we do what we wish we had done the previous year.

    On the other hand, we could always start something in April, July or September, it’s just a mental thing about the calendar that we often pick January.

    I guess it’s all about forcing ourselves to pick a goal and make steps toward it, don’t just think about it but figure out what we must do to get there.

    TBH, I took this week off and all I’ve done so far is clean BQB HQ. I tend to let things go a long time then decide I’ll never get this time off again so I might as well get cleaning. Nothing else gets done because I’m cleaning and I guess that’s the problem with life. We spend so much time cleaning we never get to anything else because we say how can I even think of X when my HQ is so unclean.

    Hopefully, when my Toilet Gator money rolls in I will have a staff to clean for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. My word for 2021 was “brain” as in taking care of my brain’s health (getting enough sleep, eating healthy, learning new things, stuff like that). I’m keeping it as my wrap-up word because it did help me make wiser decisions in 2021. For 2022, I’m still thinking, but it might be an old classic: “love.”

    Liked by 1 person

  14. sounds like a wise word to choose!

    Miriam of “Out and About’ chose ‘cleansing’ for 2021, and ended up being a cleaner in a van park … be careful what you wish 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  16. I love the idea of choosing a word to describe the year past – we can’t go where we want without knowing where we came from- that I truly believe! I love the word control the way you put it- it’s a skill I don’t take lightly and need more of in my life too.

    My word for last year was MADNESS for obvious reasons (COVID.. and all that goes along with that) and my word for 2022 is POSITIVITY. I am choosing to stay positive in 2022. I want to see the light, use it to magnify my blessings and forge a path forward (even in the dark times)! Thanks for the inspo! 🙂

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    1. I love yours!

      (I have to tell you, though, I was totally in MOM MODE when I first read over your comment and thought you’d written your word for 2022 was POTTY… like ‘potty-training.’) 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Strange. 2021 was just plain strange! I was huddled around a space heater in the dark in February (our historic ice storm) and picking tomatoes in December. Just plain strange.

    The word for 2022 is resilient. That’s what farmers are after a year like this one. It’s also one of our core values at Opal’s Farm and Unity Unlimited!

    Have a blessed New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. I’ve enjoyed watching bloggers pick their words. Control is a good one, Chelsea, not because we have any control over our external lives, but we are in complete control of how we react. I hope your word brings you peace and joy in 2022. My 2022 word (just decided) is “walk.”

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  22. Clever… but I just have too many words.

    FYI your ‘Anyone Can Poem’ CR post was in my email box, but when I went to the site…it was an oops can’t find it… Just thought you should know.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. As this is a family blog as such I will refrain from publishing all my words that describe last year and as yet this year is not really any better so I will also refrain from publicly uttering them and just ponder on what is my word for 2021/2022 or just wait until 2023…Happy New Year, Chel xx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. 😀 😀 I can relate, Carol. My cousin is still battling her cancer, and I keep wondering at the meaning of life with hers and yours and all the others’ (on Facebook) experiences with that horrid disease.

      Liked by 1 person

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