The One Word Challenge is based on a book by motivational expert Jon Gordon called One Word That Will Change Your Life. The premise of the book is that most people give up on their New Year's Resolutions by the end of January. By focusing on just one word and remembering WHY you chose that word, you are more likely to stick to your resolution. Here's a brief video of Jon Gordon explaining the idea behind One Word That Will Change Everything.
Last year,
my one word was originally ‘yes’ but then I realized that there was power in
saying ‘no’ as well. After some
consideration, I changed my One Word for 2017 to ‘stretch.’ As a recent retiree I wanted to stretch
myself out of my comfort zone, try new things and take on new challenges. It
was a great year and I can honestly say that I feel like I did stretch myself
both personally and professionally.
Personally, my hubby and I sold our home in Walkerville, Ontario and moved to our dream home
out in the country on Lake Erie. Leaving
the walkable neighbourhood I’d lived in for the past 12 years definitely pushed
me way out of my comfort zone but it was so worth it. Now I wake up each morning and check on the
lake – is it rough or calm, and watch the birds at the feeder and in the
neighbourhood – blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, juncos, cranes, herons, ducks
and geese while I drink my morning tea.
Professionally,
I submitted a book proposal to Corwin Press which was accepted. That meant I actually had to write the book
and then revise it based on feedback from 12 different peer reviewers. I
submitted the final draft of the manuscript just before Christmas. What a rush!
For the
past year and a half, in addition to working on my doctorate I have been taking
courses on self-regulation from the MEHRIT Centre. That learning has influenced
my choice for One Word 2018. This year,
with each choice I make both personally and professionally, I intend to reflect
on whether this choice will contribute to my physical and mental well-being.
As a
retiree, there is no reason not to get to the gym or outside for some exercise
on a regular basis. When I choose to stay home and lounge on the couch, I need
to make sure that I am making a mindful choice. Is this relaxation what I need
right now for my well-being or would my well-being be better served by getting
up and getting some exercise?
Hi Lisa, Thank you for sharing your One Word for this year, and showing that retirement is a new beginning, not an ending! I plan on taking at least one day of the Self-Reg Summer Institute at Trent University, so I hope that it will be transformative for me as it seems like it has been for you. I loved hearing about your bird watching - if you are interested, Bird Studies Canada has a "Citizen Scientist" project called "Project Feeder Watch" that gathers data from people where they are about the birds in their neighbourhood (it's not too onerous a task - my 15 year old is doing it as part of his "helping others" religion class ISU).
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to comment. I retired at what I consider to be a young age (55) and it has been a wonderful beginning for all kinds of new and exciting learning as well as giving me more time for travel and time to spend with my family. I'll definitely find out more about Project Feeder Watch I find I watch a lot less TV here than in our old neighbourhood as it is so fascinating to watch the birds and the lake. Today the visibility is rather limited with the high winds and blowing snow!
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