New Year: My One Word for 2015 and Why I Can’t Leave 2014 Behind

In Korea people don’t stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year. Instead, they get up in the middle of the night and they hike a mountain. They climb through the dark, snowy pre-dawn hours and when they reach the top they stand with their faces to the sky to greet the first sunrise of the New Year.

What a contrast to how we in the West often enter the New Year – stumbling out of bed at noon, tired and quite possibly hungover. For many, January 1st is a day of recovery. We spend New Year’s Eve celebrating the ending of something and the beginning of a new thing. We bombard the internet with reflections on the previous year. Even the less introspective among us take a moment to declare the past year, “the best” or “the hardest” or “the craziest” year of their lives.

I can never bring myself to make those kinds of statements. Because I don’t believe a year can ever be just one thing. Life is never just one thing, and what is a year besides a microcosm of an entire life?

Elaine’s comment on my Year in Review post explained this perfectly. She said she was struck by “how every year is a little life – with birth, death, family, love, travel, new things, familiar things, difficulties and good friends all swirling through it.” I thought this was profound because of what it says about the year we’ve just lived and what it means for the year ahead.

2014 had a life that is both self-contained and part of a larger whole. Entering the New Year doesn’t mean we’ve finished with the old one. We can’t discard it like a worn-out pair of shoes. We carry our past years deep inside our bones. They make up the very DNA of our lives.

The person I was as a child is markedly different from the person I am today, but I could never say I’ve left her behind entirely. You never completely stop being the person you were at 8 or 18 or 28. You carry all of these selves inside of you and they shape who you become. In the same way, we each carry dozens of lives with us –the lives we lived in our previous years – and these lives become part of our future.

But carrying the past year with you doesn’t mean you have to be weighed down or shackled by it.

In the past, I’ve looked back on my previous year and made some promises. I’ve set goals for the year ahead that were largely lists of how I would do better, be better than I was the previous year. I used to think that doing this was a way of leaving the previous year behind, but maybe all that is is a way of letting the previous year enslave me.

I don’t think we have the choice to throw out the previous year or any year of our lives. But we do have a choice about how we let it shape our lives. I can either look at the previous year and allow my mistakes and disappointments and perfectionism drive me to guilt-ridden resolutions, or I can look at the previous year and simply embrace it all, both the proud moments and the parts I wish I could undo, thank God for them, and let them be part of my story.

This year, instead of making a list of resolutions, instead of thinking of all the ways I failed in the last year or all the things I want to do better, instead of making 2015 a giant to-do list, I’ve decided to join the many people I know who choose One Word. The idea of One Word is to get rid of your list and to choose just one word to focus on for a whole year. “One word that sums up who you want to be and how you want to live.”

I’ve been thinking about my word for several weeks. At first I thought about “Belief,” because it’s something I desperately want more of – in God, in myself, in the world. And then I thought about “Present,” the practice of being fully engaged where I am instead of constantly thinking of the next thing or the last thing. Both of these are important to me, but when I really considered what summed up who I want to be and how I want to live one word rose to the top. My word for this year is Wholehearted.

Wholehearted is about sincerity and commitment. For me this means authenticity in my life and my writing. It means commitment to continue my faith-wrestling and to asking sincere questions. Being Wholehearted is also a commitment to courage, compassion, and connection. It is the courage to be vulnerable despite the risk, the compassion to love other people well and to extend grace quickly, both to myself and to others, and the choice to develop genuine connections with others. Wholeheartedness means committing to being fully present, to showing up for every day of my life instead of checking out when things are hard or boring. It means engaging with Today and believing that every day is a gift. And Wholehearted means believing that I am worthy of love and belonging – not because there is anything especially great and deserving about me, but because we are all worthy of love and belonging and because we can’t fully accept love and belonging unless we believe we are worthy of it.

This year I want to step into the New Year with intention. I want to turn my face towards the sun and say, “I’m here. Whatever you have to offer, I am fully present and ready to receive it. The births and the deaths. The joys and the fears and the disappointments. The beauty and the brokenness. The faith and the doubt. The longing and the contentment. The adventure and the mundane.” May 2015 be a step on the journey towards Wholeheartedness.

Happy New Year.

 

Image Credit: Iamidaho at Deviantart.com

1,082 comments

    1. Being attentive to your Soul is such an important part of having peace in the midst of any life circumstance. Thanks for sharing your word with me and I wish you all the best in the coming year.

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  2. Beautiful perspective and profound. Thanks for sharing. I must say your line “We carry our past years deep inside our bones” was a trigger for me starting a blog about my 10+ years in the music industry. I can’t escape or forget my past. They are deep inside my bones and needing to get out.

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    1. I hope you find a way to let out those years of life experience and all that they taught you. Thanks for your thoughts. I’m so glad this post was inspiring to you. Happy New Year!

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      1. Thanks! I’m working on releasing my personal history of 10+ years in music industry on my blog. It feels great to get it out there and share! Enjoy early 2015.

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  3. Thank you for sharing your experience and idea. I would like to keep your word – “wholehearted” somewhere in my mind this year of 2015. I really like it so much!
    We Japanese have same custom that praying the first sunrise for wishes or resolutions. I did not know about Korean people also do.
    Best wish for your new year.

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    1. I didn’t know that about the Japanese either – that’s also a very cool tradition. It seems the sunrise is significant for both cultures. I’m so glad you appreciated this post and wish you a lovely 2015. Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts!

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  4. Thanks so much for your challenging words! I too often find myself reminiscing on past achievements, mistakes, regrets, memories, etc and I never find myself happy. I then realized, as you did, that to live is to live in what God is doing now. The Bible says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing!” A fantastic reminder to us that the past is in the past, the future will always be tomorrow, but today is right in front of us. Live well, God bless you!

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    1. Thank you so much! I’m so glad this post was inspiring to you. I like to remind myself that with God, it’s not just “fixing up” it’s “making new.” 🙂 Thank you for reading and for sharing our thoughts. Blessings on your coming year!

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  5. So good. I think wholehearted is a great way to try to live. A year ago I focused on trying to “be”. Be present, be thankful, be whatever was required at the time.

    Thanks for this thoughtful post.
    allisonsadventuresinadulthood.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks, Allison, I’m really glad you enjoyed it. It’s amazing how challenging something as simple as “be” can be. Did you see any results from your year of intentional “be-ing” ? Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!

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  13. Thank you for sharing, this was a fine read. The tradition of trekking a mountain on NYE sounds like something I would love to adopt too. Hope your one word carries you through a fulfilling year; I think my one word would be Intention- to have the courage and determination to pursue what I want with the patience and grace to withstand the mundane, adversity, rejection, and most of all- self-doubt. Happy New Year to you! Best wishes

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    1. Thank you! I think Intention is closely linked to Present because it requires your attention to the specific moment and place you are in, but then it also requires you to DO something –and to do it on purpose. It’s a brilliant word and I love your definition. Best wishes on your journey this year. Thank you for sharing your word and hope you have a lovely new year!

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  15. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading this post!
    Reminded me of one of my favorite TED talks (The power of vulnerability by Brené Brown)

    My word is -and will always be- “gratitude” because I believe I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate everything that I am and everything that I have without it.

    Wishing you a blissful year!

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    1. YES! I was very influenced by Brené Brown in my definition of wholehearted. 🙂 I watched both of her TED Talks and read her book, Daring Greatly, this year and all three had a huge impact on me. And I am with you on the gratitude. Love how you said it will always be your word – it’s never something we get over is it? I wrote a few pieces on gratitude last month (http://wp.me/p1iNmR-h4 and http://wp.me/p1iNmR-h1). Also read this piece recently (http://momastery.com/blog/2014/08/11/give-liberty-give-debt/) which is all kinds of wonderful and funny. Thank you for reading and for sharing and I hope you have a lovely new year!

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  24. This post was beautiful. While reading it I even got goosebumps, both from the way you write and from the wisdom in them. I like your attitude towards life, and am sure your new year will be exactly what you hope it to be without forgetting all the selves you have inside you.

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    1. Thank you, that’s so kind! I’m so glad you were inspired by this post. As a writer I really couldn’t ask for more. I hope your year is full of discoveries about yourself and about the world. Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

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  30. Oh wow!!! This post has spoken to me on so many levels, your words are truly a wake-up call for all of us, a reminder of the fact, that every day is indeed a precious gift, we should never take any day for granted and be thankful to see the sun another day. And by the way, I loved it when you said you wanted to turn your face to the sun.. what a brautiful metaphor for living life!
    And THANK YOU so much for introducing me to the concept of One Word, I didn’t make any new years resolutions this year, I actually never make any, but the idea of One Word I just love!!! I’ve read through your post and while I was reading how you were giving your word for 2015 so much thought the word “Trust” immediately popped up. Trust – Yes this is my word for 2015!!! There is so much ahead this year and only god knows what else will come across my journey through this year… there is my moms battle against breast cancer ahead this year for which I have to gather my strength and support her as good as possible and there is my studying abroad year in Shanghai, beginning in less than 7 months, racing towards me, for which I have to prepare.. This year is not going to be an easy one, this year will definitely require a lot of strenth and endurance, but I truly trust in this year as well. I trust, that whatever happens this year will lead me to where I need to be. I trust in the universe, that it will only allow things to happen that need to happen, I trust that there is a reason for everything that happens. I will also trust in myself, to trust others more, to open my heart for more people and I will welcome all the changes this year will bring with open arms. I will embrace 2015!

    Thank you for sharing!!
    My best wishes to you, happy new year! 🙂

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    1. I’m so glad to know that this post inspired you in some way. As a writer, that’s the best thing to hear. It sounds like you have a lot going on in your life and a lot that is out of your hands entirely. I think we are so geared to want to be in control all of the time that it can feel scary to realize there are things we can’t control. Learning to trust is SCARY, but it is so necessary for us to be able to live whole a productive lives right where we are, when worrying about the future or other things we can’t change won’t do any good. And from my perspective, I honestly believe that we can trust God. I definitely don’t do a good job of this a lot of the time, but I do ultimately believe that he is trustworthy. That even when bad things happen, he is with us and he can make them beautiful again in some way. I do sincerely hope that your mom’s health improves and that your time in Shanghai is wonderful. I visited there last winter and had a great time. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story and your word. Happy New year!

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    1. Trusting. So hard, but SO beautiful. It takes a lot of pressure and stress off of us and our lives when we really get good at trusting, doesn’t it? I’m so glad this post inspired you. Thanks for sharing your word and have a wonderful New Year!

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    1. Aw, Steve, if I could Freshly Press you, I would! As it is, I don’t really have any idea what the Freshly Pressed gods are looking for or how they find it, but if it comforts you (or maybe not), I blogged for 4 years before getting Freshly Pressed. Don’t give up! Good luck to you and Happy New Year!

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      3. It was, but so windy I couldn’t concentrate to take good photos. I did get one or two and a few selfies of course! And a wee glass of fizz at the top too lol

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  35. Reblogged this on Steve Says… and commented:
    Hi Mr WordPress – I chose my Power Word over a week ago AND I did actually climb a mountain on New Year’s Day! Please can I be Freshly Pressed? Lots of love – Steve (Internet Moomin not troll) xxx

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    1. Thanks for reading, I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Welcome to the world of blogging. It may take a while to build up readers, but keep working on your craft and practicing your writing and you will grow as a blogger and hopefully attract others as well. Happy New Year and good luck with blogging!

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  43. Some people want to leave the past in the past. . . but what they don’t realize, is that the past makes the future. Past events are like stepping stones to climb towards your destiny or even provide incidents to be used to prepare you for what’s ahead. Thanks for the inspiration. Have a GREAT year in 2015.

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    1. Yes, that’s exactly it. And also, we can grow and change without shame and guilt hanging over our heads. We can carry the past with us and still keep it in a healthy perspective. If you’re constantly discarding the past, what’s left at the end of your life? At some point your present and your future are pretty much over. If you’ve rejected your past, you’ve rejected your whole life. I’m so glad this post was inspiring to you. Happy New Year!

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  45. Thank you for your message. Wholehearted is something I am desperately lacking. But I know it and I want to improve. To enjoy life is more about your attitude than about your material or social ties. Your mentioning of Korea really made me want to do the same thing. I wish I was in Vancouver and could go to the mountains that are above the city and observe the first dawn of a new year. I hope I will do it soon in the future, because there I feel at home and enjoy the nostalgia.

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    1. Wholehearted is something most of us are desperately lacking. 🙂 And I agree, enjoying life is largely about your attitude. And for me it’s also about trusting God’s provision so that I can rest in knowing that some things are out of my control and that that’s OK. You can either spend life trying to control things you can’t control and being anxious and miserable when you fail, or you can focus on what you can change – your attitude and your outlook and your actions. I hope you get to go hiking soon and see that beautiful view! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this post. Happy New Year!

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  49. I love this idea. I definitely think we as a culture let our past year enslave us in the new year. I am excited to embrace this way of thought for not only the year, but my lifetime.

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    1. I’m so glad this was inspiring to you! I think carrying our pasts with us make us fuller and richer people, but we don’t have to give past mistakes control over us. We can grow into more whole people without being plagued with guilt and shame over the past. Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts. Happy New Year!

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