Each year, I choose a word or short phrase to guide me. Some of my previous words have been tomorrow, build, voice, simplify, everyday and nurture.
My word for 2020 is STRONG.
Strong has many definitions, fitting many different connotations. And, fittingly, it is a word that I would like to ascribe to many areas of my life.
But I know from past experience that I do best when my energy is focused. My areas of intent for strength in 2020 are my body and my art business.
I don’t have specific end goals for my physical strength, but I started the year with the overall goal of exercising 180 times this year - roughly every other day - and eating more healthfully. I’m done having babies and I’m ready to put in the work to like my body again - - something that hasn’t been the case for almost nine years. I love that this part of my focus for my word is so straight forward. Every little bit helps and I can literally feel and see the results.
In contrast to the straight forwardness of that intention, my second area of focus feels somewhat murky. I want my art business to be stronger. But what does that mean? What does that look like? What do I do on a day to day basis to make that happen? And - how do I measure my progress?
My favorite definition of STRENGTH that fits so well in this context is: possessing skills and qualities that create a likelihood of success.
Yes.
That means I need to keep painting to hone my artistic skills. It means I need to have art available on my website for people to purchase, to continue to share my work and make other active efforts to increase my audience, to keep close tabs on my expenses and income and to continue to seek out new markets and new ways of marketing.
I can measure how much I am doing these things. I can keep continue to add them to my daily to do list. I am in control of the things I do and the steps I take.
And, to some degree, I can measure the success of these steps - audience size, audience growth, income. But these things are less directly in my own hands and the numbers don’t have a direct correlation. And that’s okay. Choosing a word is for me.
Choosing a word is not about the end result, but about the ways I can grow and change my mindset. It’s about noticing where I am and where I want to be. It’s about paying attention to the things I control and the places I put my energy. It’s about doing the next right thing for me.
And, there’s an extra bonus. Inviting this word into my life and my consciousness has already brought strength to areas outside of my focus. Spending time contemplating what it means to be strong has changed the way I think about all areas of my life. Stronger marriage. Stronger friendships. Stronger faith. Bonus. Bonus. Bonus.
After living with my word for these first few months of the year, I am stronger. My business is stronger. My body is stronger. I’m doing it. One day, one rep, one painting at a time.