Word of the Year. My Breadcrumb Trail.

Upon approaching the New Year, I started to think about what my 2022 word would be. As I reflected back on previous years, I realized what a beautiful web my words had spun. As we journey through life, we learn from our experiences and use them to shape our future. I refer to these experiences as breadcrumbs. This is my Breadcrumb Trail.

2017: Fearless ⚔️

I had left my fancy job to journey out on the road of self-employment. When the hard truth hit that it wasn’t going to be as easy as I had estimated, I questioned my decision. I was scared, but didn’t want to quit without giving it a full chance. Every time doubt set in and I became discouraged, I reminded myself that I needed to Fear Less, and trust God more. Always remember, FEAR DOES NOT COME FROM GOD. If you’re feeling afraid, surrender your feelings to Him and ask Him to heal your thoughts. My business turned out to be a success and one of the best things I ever stuck with.

Speaking of surrender………

2018: Surrender 🏝

I had done such a good job surrendering my fearful thoughts to God, that I figured I should surrender everything to Him. I tend to put a death grip on everything that comes my way and control every single thing around me. Not only did I surrender my thoughts and feelings, but all of my OUTCOMES as well. I took the pressure off of myself and placed it on Him. This didn’t mean I didn’t work hard or just throw things to the wind, it simply meant that if the end result wasn’t what I was anticipating, I trusted God had something better planned. 

And He did…….

2019: Open 🚪

When I studied behavior change one of the biggest takeaways I learned was that in order to change a behavior, you first had to change the way you thought about that behavior. The problem most of us have, is being too closed-minded and too stuck in our own ways to even think about thinking differently! A great first step, is simply to be OPEN to an idea of something. This is safe, because you are not committed to anything. Being OPEN creates a path of less resistance, because we are not fighting for what we think is best. Opening my mind and my heart in 2019 lead me to the love of my life and what would be my greatest adventure.

2020: Adventure 🦁

This word seems applicable to just about everyone in 2020! I shut down my business and moved across the country that January. If I hadn’t been accustomed to being FEARLESS, willing to SURRENDER and OPEN to anything, I’m not sure I would have made such a bold move without any definite plans for work or life. I left on my one-way flight with the attitude that when nothing is certain, anything is possible. We make the decision to let life’s adventures and the ups and downs that come with it either define us or teach us something. My adventure included going from single to married and from unemployed back to self-employed. The greatest adventure was my Jesus Journey, going from a person who believed in God to a person with a relationship with Jesus.

That brings me to 2021……

2021: God’s Word 📖

My word of the year was simply God’s Word, through the Bible and scripture. I had read the Bible and gone to church for years prior, but it never made sense until I truly knew Jesus. In a time when it is easy to put our faith in man, I’m reminded that my faith needs to be in God. Regardless of the world around us, God is our Savior and judgment belongs to Him and Him alone. This is not easy, especially with the overload of information available to us and the endless conversations surrounding all things coronavirus. 

This leads to my 2022 word…….

2022: Aware 👀

It’s easy to get caught up in the day and go through the motions. Good intentions can easily fall to the wayside and goals can dwindle as life places tougher demands on us. When this happens to me, I usually don’t even realize it’s happening. Therefore, my intent for 2022 is to be more AWARE of:

• How much time I spend reading articles and scrolling headlines.
• How much time I am spending in God’s presence.
• What I am putting into my body.
• How much sleep I am getting.
• The amount of alcohol I consume.
• Who I am listening to and getting information from.
• The way I make others feel.
• The way I make myself feel.
• My thoughts.
• My words.

Most importantly, my focus is awareness of the correlation between my intent and my actions.

Whatever your 2022 word may be, I hope it guides you through a year of health, happiness and content. If you’re not sure where to begin, God’s Word is always a great start.

Thank you for reading Project Breadcrumb Trail. Please SHARE with your family and friends.

May God bless and protect our country and everyone reading.

~MLO