One Word 2012

My word for this year was Patience. one-word-2012.html

I can look back over the last year to see that I have exhibited patience many times. I heard the word patience in my head on numerous occasions throughout the year and it has slowed me down a few times in the process. I take my "word" for the year seriously. I put a lot of thought and prayer into the "theme" that I will follow and have full intentions of making changes in my life surrounding one word. I am an overachiever. I get a "challenge" and I want to complete it with full gusto. I've learned over the years that if I get in over my head, I get overwhelmed and I quit. So, it's appealing to me to choose just one word each year to really focus on without the overwhelmed overachiever coming out.  One word is powerful and because I believe changing myself for the better is a journey, the "one word" experience really works for me.

So, to be more specific, I started this year with full hopes of looking at my impulsive self and slowing down. Being patient with myself, being patient with my life, taking the time to really soak up what is around me and to learn to appreciate the moment instead of racing to the next thing. I am still a mile a minute type of person, however, I've learned to really look at my impulsiveness and see it for what it is. I can take a moment of impulsiveness and decide if it's right for me or if I need to sit on it for a while before moving on it.

A huge test of patience for me, has been waiting to move to a new house. When Miles was born, we put ourselves on the 5 year plan. It felt like it would be FOREVER before that 5 years was up, so I worked to push it out of my mind. A little over a year ago, we did the same thing, we made some changes in our life and budget to make sure that when we are ready (when Miles goes to Kindergarten) our ducks would be in a row. This was something that I really had to focus on keeping patience with because I have done it the other way, I've tried to put our house up for sale by owner, and when it didn't sell, I rushed into putting it up for rent. I didn't take my husband's lack of interest to heart, when he stated he was not into the idea of renting. I ignored him and pressed on. As we rushed through this whole process, I was actively viewing homes and touring them and pushing and pushing and pushing!! I felt like if I pushed hard enough, it would happen. It finally took a cold hard tell it like it is lender to tell us we couldn't carry two mortgages and he basically laughed at me over the phone. I was incredibly offended. My dream was crushed right there and that was when I decided we needed to go about this the right way. The calm, straight forward, PREPARED way. We've been working our way towards putting the house up for sale, the kids will start at new schools next year in the district we are moving in to and it FINALLY feels as if things may work out. I have patience to thank. Patience told me to slow down, and to do things the right way. The slow, planned and calculated way. It's best for us and I am patiently yet eagerly awaiting the day it all unfolds for us! I've allowed myself to dream and to plan, and with that, I've been able to really pinpoint a direction. I couldn't have done that without patience because impulsiveness would have won. There is a time for impulsiveness, and I am thankful that I have learned how to figure it out in my own life!