I’ve been a fan of finding a single word to guide my year for over a decade now. Every December I patiently await a single word to be gifted to me by the universe. Unwind. Possibility. Listen. Practice. Center. Okay. Power.
But in true 2020 fashion, my One Word never arrived, so I’m taking a cue from a fellow literacy coach, Dr. Stephanie Affinito, and I’m going to try on a different word each month during 2021. For January, I’m choosing to embrace the word, Continue.
You see, when it comes to following through with goals and projects, I tend to encounter tons of fits and starts. Sure there are a few tasks I tackle with the tenacity of a ravenous wolf, but far too often, bringing my ideas to full fruition proves challenging. During the tumultuous year of 2020, I started several books that I quickly abandoned. I developed incredibly unhelpful procrastination habits, and unless I had a targeted goal in mind, I let myself off the hook way too much. Take this blog for example. I had grand ambitions to write regularly, and looking back in 2020, I only managed to post four times. Geez. What stops me from continuing what I start?
There were so many things that could no longer continue during this global pandemic. The most painful pause has been our inability to travel, and although I’m hopeful this passion of mine can resume by the second half of 2021, I want to continue to find ways to explore new places and ideas without physically leaving my city. How might I find novel ways to experience unknown places when I’m still stuck at home?
A deep desire to continue reading and writing gnaws at my spirit. I process the world so much more deeply when I maintain a strong literate life. However, this month I want to swallow the books, blogs, and articles whole. My attention span became so fractured during this year, and as I grappled with so much anxiety and uncertainty, I found myself taking tiny bites out of texts without allowing them to truly nourish my soul. Deep analytical reading requires focus and intention. Writing requires commitment. This month and this year, I want to reestablish a more wholehearted, literate journey.
Per the usual January refresh, I’ve done a lot of thinking about my health and the importance of movement. During the past few years, I’ve discovered that I can only maintain commitment to a task for approximately three months and then I burn out. Whether it’s tracking my food on Weight Watchers or wearing my Invisalign retainers, I grow weary, resistant, and noncompliant across time. So when it comes to fitness, I’ve decided that a monthly challenge may be better than an annual reset. Last May, my friend Stefanie inspired me to walk 100 miles across the month. Each day I’d track my miles, and having this targeted goal kept me going. So this year, I’m going to pick a new exercise challenge each month. This month, I plan to start with jump roping, and my goal is to do 5,000 loops before January 31. May the odds be ever in my favor!
As this New Year dawns, I want to express gratitude for the things that sustained me during the previous twelve months. My husband, Chris, served as refuge during the loss of my maternal grandparents and our cherished Uncle Jim whom we all miss dearly. I was privileged to return to my childhood home multiple times in 2020, and each day I have with Nora and Jay is a gift. My big sister and I talked on the phone regularly, and I was blessed to spend quality time with my nieces and nephews. I forged new relationships with colleagues in Keller ISD, while continuing to nurture lifelong friendships with women I’ve been privileged to work alongside during my time in Crowley ISD, Coppell ISD, Denton ISD, ESC 11, and Decatur ISD. Artists, musicians, writers, and thought leaders kept me thinking and swimming ideas all year long, and I became particularly appreciative of Brené Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us. TCRWP’s Wednesday Supper Club was the highlight of my week, and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from some of the greatest minds in education.
By choosing a new word each month, perhaps I can return to the blog at least 11 more times to reflect on each idea that surfaces as the year unfolds. May everyone find joy, meaning, and hope in 2021.
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