For the past six years, I’ve chosen a word for the year. This is a word that becomes my theme or over-arching guide for how I approach the year.
Last year, my word for the year was actually a phrase: Show up. It had such a huge impact on my life and I’ll be sharing more about that in the podcast that drops next week.
For 2022, I thought I had a word almost all of December. It was a good word, but it felt a little like a cop-out because it wasn’t a word that would really push me out of my comfort zone, stretch me, or challenge me in a deep way.
It wasn’t January 2, that I was reading a book and all of a sudden the word I knew I was supposed to choose instead popped out at me. I immediately resisted it because it’s a word that I knew would stretch and push me.
For a day, I wrestled with this. Couldn’t I just choose the easier word? But no, I knew in my heart that the word I was resisting was the word I was supposed to choose. I’ve learned that where there is resistance, I often need to pay attention and really lean into the resistance.
So, what is my word for 2022? It’s stay.
Showing up last year challenged me in such good and deep ways. To make myself available to others. To pursue intentional proximity. To not keep others at arm’s length. To be willing to step into messes and awkward and uncomfortable.
But showing up is just the start. After we show up, the real work happens when we choose to stay.
Truthfully, I’ve done a lot of leaving in my lifetime. When things get awkward and uncomfortable, leaving is easier. When it gets hard and messy in relationships, leaving is safer. When I get tired of something, I have a tendency to just move onto another shiny thing.
I’ve also been the recipient of people leaving my life, too. I have grieved the loss of relationships where someone chose to walk out of my life because I was too much, or not enough, or because they were jealous, or, in some cases, I honestly don’t know why… they just stopped answering my texts or stopping wanting to get together.
Sometimes, I’ve been very much at fault. And sometimes, it wasn’t anything I did.
I’ve experienced the deep pain that comes from someone in essence saying, “You’re not worth fighting for. This relationship isn’t worth pushing through the hard to (hopefully) come out stronger on the other side.”
In the past few years, I’ve worked through a lot of my own insecurities and hurts that have caused much dysfunction in relationships for decades. I’ve also realized how I’ve often looked to people and relationships to fill a void in my life that only God can truly fill and I’ve put very unreasonable expectations on others as a result.
Understanding how much I am loved by God and living out of that love has completely changed my relationships. No longer am I seeking for affirmation and approval from others. I know how deeply I am loved by God and I can just love others wholeheartedly as a result.
But even though I’ve done all this deep heart work, the idea of choosing the word stay for this year still kind of scares me. What will it mean? What will it require? What will it cost? I don’t know, but I want to be faithful to say yes to what God has called me to and to be faithful to stay where He’s placed me, even if it’s hard and uncomfortable.
I don’t know what this year will look like, but I have a feeling there are going to be some heart lessons involved and I want to be open, willing, and available to whatever that looks like. I want to be a person who stays.
Did you choose a word for 2022? If so, I’d love to hear what you chose!
More posts on my words of the year in previous years:
This is so good and really challenges me. Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome!
My word is rise! You can read about it here: https://krismares.com/2022/01/13/my-2022-word-of-the-year/
At first I thought my word for the year is Clarity – getting clear on where God is leading me in life and the business I’m building. But it’s becoming clear (LOL) that now that I’m working from home, my focus needs to be on CONNECTION. It’s too easy for me to stay in my home and own little world and not build relationships.
I’ve loved looking back to see how God worked differently through my word than I intended.
In 2018, I picked BUILD and accomplished nearly nothing on my list–but now, I see that God was building a foundation (financially, relationally) for the year ahead.
In 2019, I picked ATTEND because I wanted to focus on some new habits/rhythms as we left the little-little stage behind. Instead, I attended to our daughter in the hospital with a crazy-aggressive cancer.
In 2020, we were done with the cancer treatment (praise God!) and ready to RENEW…and it didn’t look like we expected, but having so much time at home certainly did give us time for it.
In 2021, my husband and I wanted to DOUBLE DOWN on new church, new school (public after homeschool, yipes!) for the kids, and I would work on writing. Instead, I largely worked through buried hurts that I’d stuffed down forever and tried to ignore. Hard but very needed.
We’ll see what DEVOTED in 2022 brings. 🙂
I love this review of what God has done the past few years! So encouraging! Thank you for sharing!
I chose self-care
Intention. I feel like Ive lived the last couple years on auto pilot. It’s time to start living with more intention.
Hi Crystal
I completely identify what you say about walking away – I used to do that a lot. And it really hurts when a friend leaves without a good reason! That has happened many times to me also. My word of the year is Joy. My counsellor gave me the idea as she kept saying that I need to have more fun. I realised that I have been too work, jobs, chores and not enough joy. I have found some great books on joy such as The Book of Joy with Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama, the Joy of Missing Out and Spark Joy. I also found a great podcast called the Joy Factor. I’m excited to spark joy in my home, find joy in my work, create and notice joyful moments with my family and feel more at peace and joyful in my heart. If anyone is stuck for a word then why not choose Joy? Hannah
I love that! Have you read The Happiness Dare by Jennifer Dukes Lee? I’d highly recommend adding that to your list, too!
Simplify-I guess I should explain. It just popped into my head one day that that was to be my word for the year. Last year it was faith and I prayed all year long for stronger faith and made conscious choices throughout the year to choose to be faith filled and not fear-filled. This year it is SIMPLIFY. I know what I want it to mean for the upcoming year but I never know what God wants it to mean in my life. In my mind, it means cleaning out things and getting rid of all the stuff we don’t need in the house. It means asking myself, as I stand in a store, wondering if I should buy something-if I really need it. To me, it means, enjoying and cherishing the simple moments with my family and friends. But, as I said, God may have different lessons to teach me with this word and I am excited to see what that is.
Simplify
I love your word. This is the first time I have been given a word for the year. My word is “Purposefully”. All that I do I have to have more purpose in it. I still need to do a word study and come up with scripture.
I’ve never chosen a word for the year before. My sister has. I’ve been away from God for awhile, stewing in my depression and stress. Trying to find my way back. In December I started feeling this urgent need to know God again and to pull myself out of this funk (again). No one can do it but me and with God’s help we can do it! Then the word ‘positivity’ kept running through my mind. If I kept a positive attitude I could do this. If I treated my 5 year old positively she would grow up with a good spirit. I needed to be POSITIVE! I now have positivity written all over my house reminding me to keep a positive attitude and spirit.
Yes! Keep crying out to Him and asking Him to show Himself strong in your life and to give you everything you need to do everything He has called you to. He is faithful!
My word this year is Held.
Last year was hard- I lost my mom to cancer and my grandmother passed on New Year’s Day this year. My oldest was diagnosed with Autism and family dynamics have been strained. Throw in Covid and distance learning and I wanted to just crumple. My own strength is depleted at best and so I have to trust that God will hold me. My verse to go with it is Psalm 94:18-19.
I’m so sorry for your losses. I just stopped and prayed for you.
My word for the year is BUILD. I want to build better habits, build better systems, build better routines, build a new blog, and build up the people around me.
I haven’t chose a word in previous years, but God laid the work Speak on my heart in December. I’m quiet, so this word will stretch me!
Speak kindly to myself, speak encouragement to my kids, speak up if I don’t agree with something, and speak of God’s goodness.
I feel like I am still in that boat of insecurity and not truly grasping how much God loves me like you were Crystal. I love your Love Centered Parenting book!
That word packs a punch!
My word/phrase is “I am limited.” I’ve tried for so long to be everything to everyone, always available, always doing, not slowing down and accepting the limitations my human body puts on me, my time, my energy, etc. This year is a year to slow down, to see what God is doing, and to walk with him – accepting where he’s made me limited, and walking into a lack that he’s asked me to walk into so he can show up. I’ve felt like an empty pitcher pouring out for others for a while now, and this is the year to be filled so that I can truly pour out.
Oh! That’s a powerful phrase… although I’d challenge you to also balance that with the understanding that, in Christ, you can do all things. If He calls you to something, you can lean and rely upon Him to give you the grace and strength to do what He’s called you to do. As a Christian, you have His spirit in you and you can tap into it and be a superpowered, supercharged human — only in Him!
My word for the year is Follow. I tend to run ahead and make decisions and hardly consult God on the matter, but I’m really feeling like I need to learn to slow my pace and let him lead me where he wants to go this year. We’ll see where he takes me. Thanks!
Crystal – Love your word and the explanation behind it. My words for this year are Embrace and Reclaim . Embrace – to draw in or hug all that is good in my life. Reclaim some of the me care that I have been lacking for years and reclaim my true to self priorities.
Wishing you a wonderful New Year!
I’m so grateful that you share your struggles. It’s made me realize that the way most successful people portray themselves had led me to believe that their success is a result of perfection in most aspects of their lives (thanks hustle culture!) and that was driving me to more perfectionism and ruining my mental health. I look up to you and am inspired by you for so many reasons and watching you dismantle your perfectionism and learning that you struggle with things (especially when some of those things are things I don’t struggle with) over the last 10 years has been so healing. It’s helped me to finally truly accept that I’m working from my own place of strengths and weaknesses and to worry less about whether the sum total of those is worse than others.
Thank you for sharing your journey. It’s such a blessing and so very much appreciated.
Thank you so much for your encouragement! I’m grateful it was helpful!
This is my first year choosing a word for the year and it came without any second guessing or rethinking…. I just knew it was it and it will challenge and stretch me and hopefully help me stay focused through the whole year. My word for 2022 is Intentional. Primarily to be very intentional with my time and efforts, but I expect it to carry over throughout my life as I apply this focus.
This will seem odd but my word for 2022 is just … bookkeeping! My proofreading business is growing, we are beginning this year to rent out a property, and my husband (who has handled most of our business-related stuff) has late stage cancer so I need to step up.
By the way, I found out about the proofreading opportunity through MSM five years ago and I LOVE my work!
I changed my mind as soon as I posted this! It has helped my perspective to be typing my thoughts.
My word is SMILE. I want to help my husband have the best days he can.
Just an amazing and inspiring word for 2022 and backstory! Thank you for sharing your growth and your challenges for yourself!
My word for 2022 is balance. I just turned 50 and have started full time work after 20+ years of being a full time homemaker. It is a huge transition but the reason for the word balance is so that I keep the volunteering and ministry activities I like to do, along with maintaining friendships, but I now have to balance that with the realities of 40 hours of work each week.
Time is now my limiting factor, and I still want to serve others while honoring my employer, so I think that will take balance. Surprisingly, I am not too worried about the family side, as we are still working from home (Ireland is still in a work from home mandate) and I have time with my son on the drives to and from school.
That’s a great word to have in the middle of such a big change!
Love this. My word this year is Foundation. Holy Spirit is taking me back to the foundation of my faith-Jesus-and what it means to live a life of pure devotion to him. He is my ONE thing.
The past couple years the Lord has given me a word and a verse. Last year 2021 my word was Peace and the verse John 14:27. I started the year with hope that it would be a more peaceful year, ha! He knew what I would need more then anything last year, His peace, in understanding His love for me and over anxiety and fear. This year my word is Joy! The verse being Romans 15:23. I am excited to see what this word will mean for me this year, and am praying for abundant joy over everything in my life. I also want to be intentional about finding those little (or big!) things that bring me joy again.
My word this year is intentional. I am a person that gives everything I’ve got to everyone. I’m feeling lost, empty, unappreciated. I selected intentional so I’m using this year for me. My growth in all areas. So far, so good!
Explore. As in to be open to wonder. To not decide or know exactly what is next, but to trust in God to guide my exploration.
My word for 2021 was Joy.
My word for 2022 is Light.
My word is filter. Last year was narrow (as in narrow my focus). I don’t really know what filter will mean, but my word usually makes more sense when I look back!
My word for 2022 is Restore. Last year brought a surprise cancer finding and major surgery. I’m striving to restore my health, restore relationships I had to ignore (in order to care for myself), and restore “normal life.” Only thing I don’t really need to restore is my relationship with God—definitely got stronger last year!
I know what you mean. I too choose a word for the year. I had one that I kinda liked but I was thinking it was my one thinking more then God’s leading and sure enough He picked one that made me squirm! Mine is surrender. I cant say as I like that word too much because I like to control things but I also know the peace of surrender so that is what I want to work on this year. Allowing God to be first in every area of my life.
Those words that make you squirm are always the best… even if it’s not fun!
My word is Pray. Whatever I am overthinking, trying to solve myself, having anxiety over just pray!
My word for 2022 is trust. I have spent too much of 2021 living in fear. I want to trust God more this year.
God gave me my word early in December. And I don’t usually choose a word!
But my word this year is THRIVE! I’ve lived most of my life in survival mode. This year that all changes. (Truly, it started part way through last year. )
Thank you for sharing, God is good and love the inspiration. My word would be trust. I do often forget to trust Him
My word for this year is Listen.
Listen to Gods Spirit more
Truly listen to what others are saying and feeling
Listen more and talk less.
What a great word!
Two of them: family and vulnerability. Not sure what it will lead to, but those are my words.
Thank you for sharing!
Strengthen
My relationship with God, my husband, my friends, my church, and my body.
Great word!
My word for 2022 I picked as a team building exercise at work, but then realized what a great word it was for my personal life too. My word is BUILD.
Build relationships
Build my marriage
Build strength
Build endurance
Build my mind
Build faith
Build up my children
Build my confidence
Build…
Building feels good! After feeling like the last two years have broken us down, this feels positive and productive.
I love that!
My word for 2021 was Courage, and it was so appropriate as, among other things, my husband had a stroke. For 2022 my words are Perseverance and Faith. 😊
Thank you for sharing your word!
Better… a better Christian, wife, mom, friend, and overall ME. Not striving for perfection but to heal, physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and become the person I want to be.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Mine is a saying: “be consistent” and the verse that I felt needed to go with it is Romans 12:11 ” Do not be lazy but always work hard. Work for the Lord with a heart full of love for Him.”
Both are like yours in that they are stretching. And already only a few days into 2022 and I am struggling! I fell off my bike and twisted my ankle and things I felt I needed to be consistent in are now tougher to do than ever! But I am trying.
Thank you so much for sharing phrase! Here’s to a year of lots of consistency!
Consistency. I always give up too quickly. I want to be consistent with exercise and Bible Study.
That’s a great word!
Amen to that!
I so get having a word that we are reluctant to choose. I did not want the word I have this year but it was a word that jumped out at me in a sermon. And I could feel the Holy Spirit impressing on my heart that I need this word this year. It’s good, it means less of me, and more of the Lord. Surrender. The Lord has been showing me I have been holding things and ideals to what I want. Abs I need to surrender those to Him… I am still a little nervous, but also excited to see how the Lord will grow me this year!
That’s a hard but good word! Thank you for sharing and for your willingness to say yes to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
This year my work is Immanuel “God with us “
I’ve gotten a word for several years now
Several years ago it was release
Boy did that require growth
In Jan 2020 my word was truth. I kept trying to make it trust for a few days quite sure that was was misunderstanding
2020 definitely became a year of searching for and leaning into the only truth which is God
2021 the word that came was relationship but as only God can he made it clear that it was about a relationship with Him first. Not the humans around
me. Then came 2022 and Immanuel. I was like God that’s really a churchy word but I heard it more and more over the last couple of weeks and every time it was like it was shouted and brilliantly brought to my attention so here I am facing 2022 with Immanuel God with us. 💜
That’s one of my favorite names for God!