MY WORD FOR 2018 - RISE!

My Word for 2018 is RISE - like a phoenix rising from 2017's ashes

PREVIOUS YEARS

Each year since I started blogging I've chosen a Word for the year. In 2015 it was RELEASE to recognize the need to let go of some of the things I was holding on to too tightly. In 2016 it was EMBRACE to celebrate all the new things I had room for after letting go of the stuff that was holding me back. In 2017 it was ENOUGH - the fact that I am enough, I have enough, and being happy with life.

This year I pondered for several weeks in the lead up on what word to choose because I had a sense of needing to move on from some of the not-so-fabulous parts of 2017.

MY WORD FOR 2018

The word that resonates with me the most for the year ahead is RISE. I feel a bit like a phoenix - leaving the ashes of last year behind me and rising up to take on a new year with a sense of a fresh new start.

There were a couple of Lemony Snickett moments last year that I'd like to leave behind - drama at work and drama in my family. Nothing insurmountable, but things that hurt my head and my heart and caused me to question how I handle upset and stress.

RISE Don't get angry or enraged or insulted. Rise above the bullshit. Flick your light back on, and shine it brighter than ever

ONWARD AND UPWARD

So with a new year lying before me, I'm rising out of the ashes and opening up to what the year ahead holds - I've put a few changes in place at work to make it somewhere I want to be, rather than somewhere I was getting a headache just thinking about.

I've mended some bridges with the person I hurt - and hopefully created some new boundaries and a new way of looking at our relationship. This one is a work in progress for me - but dwelling on things that hurt just makes them fester, so.....I'm putting the falling-out behind me and moving forward with a smile and a hopeful and positive attitude.

A NEW DAY, A NEW YEAR

The sun rises on each new day and I intend to do the same. I can't see me becoming a morning person and leaping out of bed at the crack of dawn, but I can start each day with a positive mindset and the attitude that I can rise up and meet any challenge head on. RISE has a sense of lightness to it and that is really how I want to feel in 2018 (not just weight-wise - but here's hoping!) I want to feel free of the things that weighed me down last year - a lightness in my heart and soul - and less weighing on my mind.

I was lagging a bit towards the end of last year, but with some new blogging goals - guest posts, a new Link Party starting at the end of January with my good friend Sue, and a new work format, more time to myself and all sorts of other new happenings, I'm feeling invigorated and ready for the year ahead. I'm well and truly ready to RISE!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Have you chosen a Word for 2018? Is the idea something new to you like it was to me a few years ago? Have you considered the benefits of having a word or phrase to inspire you to new endeavours for 2018?

My Word for 2018 is RISE - like a phoenix rising from 2017's ashes

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63 comments

  1. I love your word. I'm yet to decide on mine - but will do so before I link with Denyse on Monday! Happy New Year to you.

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    1. I'll be linking up with Denyse too Jo so I'll check out your word then. It's funny how other years a word has leapt out at me - but not this year - it took more introspection.

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  2. What a great way to look forward to this year, Leanne!!
    I was just talking with my husband that I want to come up with a word, but I haven't quite figured it out!!
    Happy 2018!!
    OXOX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. I hope you find one Jodie - they're a good way to give you something to measure your year by.

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  3. 'Rise' is such a great focus word, Leanne. My focus word is 'health'. My word is much less creative or original than yours - but hopefully will be a steady reminder for me in the choices that I make.
    I look forward to reading how 'rise' guides your year ahead!

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    1. Health would mean I'd actually have to be accountable to get fitter and skinnier Donna - I'm working on both but it's easier to have a more generic word that covers lots of areas. I'll be watching you in 2018 for inspiration healthwise :)

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  4. Leanne,
    The Elephant Journal quote really resonates with me.

    May we all rise through 2018. Happy New Year!

    SSG xxx

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    1. I loved it too - and it summed up what I was trying to get at by choosing "Rise" as my word for the year ahead.

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  5. That sounds like there has been a lot of soul searching and thinking for this one. Good on you for the boundary-setting. I am still quite new to it and really need to make sure I understand that other people have also set boundaries! This post, should you choose to share it over on my link up next Monday, fits the bill perfectly. Happy New Year! Denyse x

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    1. You're right Denyse, there has been a lot of letting go for me to do in the last six months and re-setting boundaries that I didn't realize needed to be adjusted. What others want can be different that what we expected! I'll definitely be linking up on Monday and looking forward to seeing what others have to share.

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    2. I am glad you shared on my blog too. Yes, the boundaries thing is something I will continue to learn more about for me and to recognise in others!! Thanks for linking up for #lifethisweek 2/52. Next week's optional prompt is My Favourite Weather.

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  6. What a great word for the year Leanne and your reasons behind it to! I love that quote about Rise in the first graphic, it is just so spot on! I hope you can rise above the issues you've been dealing with and enjoy another year of blogging - sounds like you have a great line up of posts and things happening already! All the best to you Leanne, I think you'll be seeing a bit of me during the year especially with your new linkup happening with Sue! As you know my word for the year is Focus and I've started the year well :)

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    1. I'm so glad you're planning on linking up with us Deb - your posts definitely fit with what we're aiming for and I know you are proactive in commenting and sharing - which is the big aim of the link up. I also love your word for the year - it's a bit like mine in that it has some grit to it - not fluffy at all :)

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  7. I do love your word RISE and your reasoning behind it and OMG I adore that verse from the Elephant Journal. I don't cope with stress as well as I used to so it's something I have to manage all the time by looking after myself and tweaking the balance to get things right. Sounds like you're doing pretty much the same. I hope 2018 is a fabulous year for both of us! :-) #TeamLovinLife

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    1. I hope our 2018 rocks too Min - I didn't realize 2017 had drained me so much until I got to Christmas and found myself being a bit weepy. I won't let that happen again this year - that's why I chose Rise because I need to rise up and be responsible - not let others bring me down. Here's to a stress-free 2018!

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  8. Good word. It's very uplifting and I don't just mean literally but it's a positive word and that's great.

    Mind you, ENOUGH is a great word as well and one I should perhaps adopt as it's something I never feel I am! #teamlovinlife

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    1. I found that "Enough" had a lot of hidden meaning to it as I checked back on it through the year Deb. I'm hoping that Rise does too - but most of all I want it to be about me taking back control of my life and not letting stuff get me down.

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  9. Rise is a fabulous word Leanne. I can see that we all can get into a rut in our lives and this word can certainly motivate you to get out of that rut. My word is "maintain" because I've got a big year coming up and I just want to maintain the balance I presently have in my life and get through the busy year ahead. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. I think your 2017 was so good that maintaining it works really well for you Kathy - my 2017 gradually deteriorated so I don't want to stay in that mode for another year - hence the need to rise up and re-claim what I lost :)

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  10. I love this idea. I think my 2018 word is conquer. 2017 was definitely recover -- I dealt with a lot of childhood trauma and I also had a surgery with a long recovery time.

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    1. Conquer is a really strong word Ray and I love it - especially if you've had to get through as much as it sounds like you've dealt with in the last year or so. I hope you really do conquer 2018 like a queeen :)

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  11. Rise is a great word and I love your imagery for it. My word this year is abundance, which I wrote about in a post. The word was literally knocking around my head for the last few weeks of 2017 and I kept pushing it away because I felt it was a greedy word. But after I got more familiar with it I realized it also meant that I wasn't lacking.

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    1. I have thought of abundance as being greedy too Jennifer, but then I realized you can actually look at it from a grateful perspective - we have so much abundance in our lives already and if we are looking for abundance in our relationships and health then it has a really positive ring to it.

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  12. Great word...and I like you had more trouble finding mine this year for some reason...mine is "Love"...something we need to have more of in this world...

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    1. Love is so encompassing Renee - I like the idea of choosing a word that has different facets to it so we can look a bit deeper and see it working in different areas of our life. Maybe words that have to be thought about have a deeper impact?

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  13. I think if I were to choose a word for this year it would be content. I'm content, happy, and hope that it lasts the whole year through.

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    1. I think part of my rising will be about getting back to a point where I feel content again Rena. Having the rug pulled out from under me a couple of times last year has affected that sense of peace that I had previously. I'm glad you still have yours :)

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  14. I felt so much positive expectation and strength in your post. RISE and the quote are both very inspirational and feel so right with your explanation. And a word that has so much potential for the coming year.

    I am writing a post on my own word of the year. SOAR. And because of my Corporate background where everything is an acronym... it stands for Savoring, Optimistic, Activating, Resilient. 2 to be and 2 to do. Hoping it works for me this year; mine of last year should have been rethought/revised early on. Like you, it was a tougher year than expected - some great highs, but a couple of really tough challenges. So this year, I want to soar and "give flight to the retirement lifestyle I've dreamed" - a phrase from my vision board narrative. :-)

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    1. I think SOAR is a great word Patricia - it has the same uplifting and proactive feel to it as RISE does. I think going through some tough stuff makes us appreciate that we can't just continue to let life "happen" to us - it's up to us to facilitate the direction we want to go in and the experiences we want to have. I want 2018 to be a more upbeat year - no more heartache!

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  15. I love the idea of "Rise." What a beautiful word and something I hope to do myself this year.

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    1. Thanks Laurie - maybe I can inspire you towards the same goals as I'm working on this year - stay tuned for a mid-year update :)

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  16. Oooooh! I love this word. Really left-of-centre and yet so apt for you and has so many definitions. A bit like my word of the year - "Light". Not the usual motivational word but the perfect word for me.

    #teamlovinlife

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    1. LIGHT is a gorgeous word Leanne - and has so many nuances to it. After some of the tough times you and your family dealt with last year, I can see why that word would inspire you for 2018. I hope the year ahead is a really positive one for both of us x

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  17. What a great word, Leanne and I love the analogy to the Phoenix rising. As you know, mine will be Thrive and I'll be talking about that on Monday.

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    1. I'm looking forward to reading your post on your word Sue - and also to being one of your guest bloggers on the theme - I really like how you've turned your word into a major topic for your blog this year x

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  18. I love your word, Leanne! Mine is fresh. In 2018 I got into a rut in blogging, relationships, my exercise routine, spending too much time behind the computer and not with the people in my life. So I'm opening myself up to fresh ways of doing things and new relationships. Out of that rut in 2018!

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    1. What a great word Cathy! I think you're coming from a similar place to me - where you want to make 2018 a fresher and more positive year than the one that's just gone. I'm hoping I'll be able to look back on 2018 and smile :)

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  19. Rise is an amazing word for 2018! Trusting for grace to keep rising in grace and glory with His help!

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    1. Thanks Michele - I really hope there'll be a lot of grace in the year ahead - I know I certainly need it!

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  20. The word that keeps rolling around in my head is "recovery" since last year it was
    limitations. In fact I would say limitation best describes my last two years due to health issue. I started last year with double by pass surgery, ended it with a total knee replacement so I sense that is why recovery keeps coming to mind. My all time favorite word is determination from I Cor 2:2, Paul says, I am determined to know nothing other then Christ Jesus. He has grown sweeter in the past two years which tells you trials can sweeten our lives if we are willing to let them. I wouldn't want to do last year over but I wouldn't take anything for it either. Thanks for the encouragement and motivation.

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    1. Hi Betty - you're right about learning the lessons from those tough times we go through. Sometimes I wonder if we could make life easier for ourselves, then I realize that life is all about learning an growing and we do that by going through the good AND the bad. I'm glad you're on the road to recovery and I hope 2018 is a fabulous year for us both x

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  21. Leanne, I love your word! As someone who makes bread at least twice a week and still after many years thinks rising dough is magical, the word "rise" sounds perfect. But I'll pick another one - "refresh." Your post just inspired me to pick one!

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    1. I think Refresh is lovely Jean - I hope you tuck it away in the back of your mind and come back to it occasionally through the year. Rising dough and the lightness that comes with it is definitely part of the concept I'm aiming for in 2018 :)

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  22. Such a fabulous word. May you continue to RISE throughout 2018 Leanne :) x #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Thanks Lyndall - it was the closest I could come to something that reflected how I wanted to approach the year ahead - hopefully it will inspire me :)

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  23. YAS! I love this. Rise is such a perfect word for a resurrection year. I can't wait to see what 2018 has in store for you. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks so much Melissa - I think it will inspire me to get out of last year's funk and really look for ways to shine (fingers crossed)

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  24. Love this post. The idea of "Rise" is a fabulous and positive word .
    I hope to do myself this year except on the scales.

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    1. We definitely don't want the number on our scales to rise Trish (I'm hoping mine might actually sink a little!) but you're right, it is a really positive word and really spoke to me for what I want for the year ahead.

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  25. A lovely word Leanne and the Phoenix analogy is so fitting. I also like your encouragement to rise above hurts and not let them dominate. I have been practicing to not let my mind dwell on things that are of no profit, no point in keeping the replay button on. I am so much more content when I can quickly turn it off and replace it with what is profitable to my well-being. I am rambling on a bit :) I came here to tell you that the Blogger's Pit Stop loves your post and we will feature it this week.

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    1. Not replaying and not dwelling on things is such a great way of moving forward Kathleen - treading water and re-visiting old hurts just makes us stagnate - and sink lower (totally the opposite of what I want for 2018) and thanks so much for the feature again on Pit Stop xx

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  26. Love your word, it has so many positive implications. I don't do a word but I love to spend some time early in the new year reflecting on the past and thinking about the year ahead. Happy New Year to you.

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    1. That's what word of the year makes me do - stop and think and be intentional about what I want for the months to come. I guess we all do it in our own way don't we?

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  27. Rise is a lovely word Leanne. It has the intention to let go off any b/s. Hope you rise in 2018!

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    1. Thanks Sanch - I'll wish the same for you too - I think it's something that we can all benefit from isn't it?

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  28. I like your one word history! My word last year was Called. This year's word is Enough.

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    1. I had Enough as my word for last year Laura - it had so many meanings to it and really inspired me to appreciate all I am and all I have.

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  29. I like this a lot Leanne, it was especially interesting to see your past words. "Rise" makes me think of rising above (the crap). My word for the year is "breathe". I wasn't fussed at first but have now embraced it!

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    1. That's exactly the focus I want for Rise Janet - to come out of what was dragging me down and to rise up stronger and brighter (hopefully) I think Breathe has such a good feel to it too - I wrote a post on Exhale a while back that looked at it from a slightly different perspective.

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  30. Hi Leanne! i am obviously a bit tardy in reading your word but wanted you to know I LOVE it. Rise is a perfect word for you for all the reasons you mentioned. Mine as you know, is flexible. What's interesting is that I am hoping it offers me many of the same benefits that RISE offers you. May 2018 bring us the gifts we intend! ~Kathy

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    1. Thanks for your kind words Kathy - I think we both want a really positive 2018 and we know that will be more likely to happen if we put the effort in. Nothing happens if we stay stuck and unbending - in fact we can end up going backwards - and nobody wants that!

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