One. Word. Perhaps you have friends or acquaintances who speak about the one word they have committed to for a course of a year. Every year, I seem to hear from others about their word for the year. For them, they commit to one word that reflects what they want to achieve. It is the word that reminds them of what they want to embrace as a lifestyle improvement or purpose. I have written about the one word phenomenon in the past. It all stems from a book and philosophy which helps you figure out what your one word would be. (One Word That Will Change Your Life by Dan Britton, Jimmy Page, Jon Gordon)

I have been thinking about that philosophy lately as well as the idea of new year’s resolutions (which never seem to come to fruition, hence the one word, supposedly a more doable and achievable goal.)

I am reminiscence of a friend, who after a divorce was given the advice that for the first, post divorce year, say “yes” to everything he was offered. The idea is to get out of one’s comfort zone and “live a little”. I have heard of people who have a “yes” day (rather than committing to a whole year). For twenty-four hours they have to say “yes” to anything asked of them. This philosophy may do well for those who find themselves stuck in a rut. If the idea of a whole year or day is terrifying and too uncontrolled, maybe a “yes” afternoon is the way to shake things up.

Conversely, if you are the type of person who has trouble with saying “no” to any request, perhaps you can try a “say no” day or year or afternoon. Plan to say no to opportunities with the thought and idea of freeing up your schedule so that you may “say yes” to something that you want to do or try.

If you are the impulsive type- saying and doing whatever comes across your plate- without thinking through the consequences, you might want to have a “say maybe” day or year or afternoon. Some folks never cogitate over requests or plans. Give yourself some time before you jump into something. You could try a “sleep on it” or “wait twenty-four hours” as part of your “say maybe”.

Yes. No. Maybe. All one word answers that could change the trajectory of your year. As answers, they may not help you achieve lifelong goals, but they might. Isn’t the idea of new year’s resolutions or one word for the year, an exercise to help one make use of one’s time and try something new in the coming year?

Whatever you decide to do for 2020 (resolutions, one word, say “yes”, “no”, “maybe”) -

Happy New Year. It is a new year. Full of opportunities and blessings.

Happy New Year from my family to yours. The gang is all here on our beloved beach. Well, all except the cat who was home. Sleeping.