Here we are just about a full month into the new year and I’m still hearing rumblings about resolutions, though they grow fainter by the day. While I’m not one for resolutions, I have been known to make more of what I like to think of as a To-Do list slash “your life will probably be improved if you do this” type of deal. Super specific, huh? In the past, these included things like: complete a century ride, cut back on my swearing (this works until I get into traffic) or brush up on my Spanish speaking skills.

But as the new year approached I kept seeing people post about their one word. So I did a little research (aka Googled “one word”) and decided that 2018 was going to be the year that I tried to pick one word that would guide me throughout the next 12 months. I then proceeded to get all freaked out because it seemed everyone had their word picked out and I didn’t and OH MY GOSH I CAN’T RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT MY WORD!

And then it came to me. Intentional. Synonyms include: deliberate, calculated, conscious, purposeful. Um…ok God, I hear ya on this one!

In late 2016 I read Love Your Life Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze. Rachel talks about how to quit the comparison game and be intentional about creating and living the life you want. While I can honestly say that I’m good about not comparing my life to others in terms of material things…I struggle with comparing my life in terms of circumstances.

I scroll through Instagram and see someone living a life similar to the one I’d like to have, but instead of busting my butt to create that life, I sit around reading everything about how to do it, but never actually following through with it. It’s almost like analysis paralysis. I spend so much time over-thinking, over-planning, over-analyzing that I don’t actually take action. Please tell me I’m not the only one?

Now let me pause for a second and say that I do believe there have been moments where I can say that I have truly been living my best life. BUT…and this is a big but…in the past two years, there have been far too many moments where I was simply existing. I had a short stint of living my life to the fullest and then I quickly fell into the monotony of work, eat, sleep, repeat. I am so over this!

Therefore, 2018 is the year that I take action. The year I choose to be intentional about living my best life. What about you? Do you make resolutions or have you ever picked a word of the year? I’d love to hear it!