As each new year begins, I like to choose three words to keep in mind for the year ahead. These three words are not resolutions, but words that serve as a way to bring focus to my goals and efforts for the year.

First, I want to review my words for last year.  My three words for 2018 were: Listen, Love, Learn.

To be honest, I was not as focused on my words this past year, so there is a sense in which I need to still keep these same words in mind for 2019. But I will choose to repeat only Listen as one of my words for 2019.

Now, my three words for 2019:

Listen (repeated from 2018): I want to hear what God is saying to me through Holy Scripture, but I also want to listen to people so that I can clearly hear what they are trying to say. In addition, I want to focus on listening to my self-talk and considering whether or not I’m telling myself the truth. Finally, will try to listen to my body as I grow older, so that I can understand what it needs to thrive.

Stretch: Even as my age approaches the mid-sixties, I realize that I need to continue stretching and growing. There are always challenges that require that I stretch my skills and also stretch my thought processes. And as my body ages, I need to stretch physically.

Pray: Prayer is a specific growth need where I need to listen and to stretch in the year ahead. My prayer life is far from where I would like it to be. I need to be quiet and listen to God, and then bring my concerns to God. Instead of being content with what my prayer life has become, I need to stretch for improvement.

For more background on the three-word approach, see my previous New Year’s posts (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).

Why don’t you try the three-word exercise – choosing three words instead of new year’s resolutions? What are your words for 2019?

Happy New Year!