Every year I choose a word of the year. I try to live the new year focussing on that word. Instead of a New Year's resolution, I instead look around me in the few weeks leading up to the new year and see what strikes me as something I need to concentrate on throughout the coming year.
This year my choice was prompted by an article I read. The information was in the news at the beginning of 2025, yet I just learned of it a few weeks ago while reading a pre-release novel. There was a mention that second-screen writing was being done so that people can watch television while scrolling on their phone. Essentially dumbing down the content so distracted viewers can still get the jest of the plot. The news article hit home.
I am guilty. My husband and I will watch a movie or a series at night and I am on my phone at the same time. Usually doing my German studies on DuoLingo, then working through my various games, both thinking word games and simple matching games. I am not really engaged in either activity, just floating between the two activities. Not fully appreciating either one. The more I thought of it, the more I felt like I am cheating myself . This prompted my word choice for 2026.
I am choosing the word, Present. I am going to work on breaking my habit of distraction this year. To pay attention to one thing at a time. My "present" to myself will be to be present in a moment in time. I don't think this will be an easy habit to break. I'm pretty ingrained in a world of distraction and constant interruption. The interruption being my thoughts jumping from one idea to another and then looking up those ideas one right after another. I hope that by the end of 2026 I will be more focussed on the people and activities that are going on around me. I will enjoy each activity for it's own merit and not just to move on to the next one in the wings.
We will see how it goes.
I encourage you to look around you and see what sticks out in your life. What word would you choose to focus on next year. Share it with me and lets see how the journey goes.
I pray it is a very happy new year for all! A new start for each of us to explore!
No comments:
Post a Comment