#OneWord2017

Instead of a New Year resolution this year, I am embracing #OneWord2017 to encompass my goals, both personally and professionally.

As I think of my One Word, so many others come to mind; I can’t pick just one.  But I will. Because that is the challenge. So it is kind of like a resolution - those things we resolve to do as the New Year rolls around and we struggle to think of something we will promise ourselves and others to do, to stick to, because it is the New Year.  And then we will feel bad about ourselves sometime around March or April because we didn’t stick to it.  We forgot.  We got busy.  There was too much going on. Life got in the way.

One Word we can do. One Word is just, well… One Word.  Easy to remember. Easy to commit to. Easy to remind ourselves of on a daily basis.  It’s just after all, One Word.  

So I begin the quest to find the word - the One Word that will define me in 2017. It must be something simple. It must be applicable to my professional and my personal life - something people can feel, something others can really acknowledge that, upon being in my presence, they understood.  So here is my list.  This is where I need to begin:

Live

Pause

Reflect

Commit

Presence

Support

Encourage

Motivate

Inspire

Culture

Opportunity

Embrace

Shine

Climb

Relentless

Pursue

Hope

Progress

This is my list.  And after much thought and consideration, I begin to think that maybe my word is not in this list. It should be jumping out at me, SCREAMING at me, making me understand that THIS IS MY WORD!  Take it and RUN with it! Make others believe!

But it’s not, and I have to begin anew.  Or do I?

Because there it was, in the midst of the words I had written:

Believe. The One Word that will define my 2017.  

I Believe in the power of teachers to motivate and encourage their students to be the best they can be.

I Believe in the ability of students to rise above our expectations of them and shine like the brightest stars.

I Believe in myself, and my capacity to see and understand the needs of my teachers, students, community, and family.

I will DO what I BELIEVE in with confidence!

I Hold This to be True: That we can accomplish whatever we put our minds to because of our BELIEF in one another and in ourselves.  

So think about it.  Here is your challenge: Instead of making a list of resolutions this year, pick One Word that defines your goals, dreams, ambitions and who you want to be in 2017.  I’m thinking this might be a challenge for students as well… Who’s up for this?  Could be a great whole-school project, and an opportunity to get creative!

Looking forward to hearing your #OneWord2017!