For four or five years now, my pastor has encouraged his congregation to identify a word for the year. By identifying the word for the year, it kind of creates your focus and year long quest. It is more than a new year’s resolution, it is a little different than goals. I would describe it more as a “due north” for the year’s actions.
Last year my word was invest. I desired to invest in others, invest in future, investing in my family, etc. I would say I was okay, just okay in my endeavors. I could have invested more financially in my future and I could have invested more into my friends and family. I think I did a pretty good job investing in my husband, my step-daughter, and my church community. I did take some time to invest in my personal brand and I feel good about that. Unfortunately my short comings and my guilt of failures tends to override my wins.
As I spent my days in reflection over the holiday break I realized that part of my problem with reaching my potential to “invest” was my inability to let go of habits, bad habits mostly! I reflect on the year and realize that too often my deterrence to changing my future is my attraction to my old way of doing things. I have these terribly poor eating habits, because I find comfort in the types of foods that I remember eating as a child around the dinner table. I have poor financial habits because I have always had the ability to make money. I don’t invest in my future because I am addicted to the joys (or splurges) of the day.
Today I want to be different. I want to let go – let go of those bad habits and those bad decisions. My word for 2019 is RELEASE. I plan to release some bad habits. I plan to release the people who get in my way of becoming the person I want to be. I plan to release my worries to Christ. I will release some of those bad eating habits. I will forgive those who hurt me, release the animosity. I will release more of the bad so that I can invest more in the good.
You can hold me accountable in 2019 – check in with me in a few weeks, a couple months and/or at the end of the year. I will be carrying less of a burden of BAD. I will let those habits go and raise the bar! #letitgo #releaseIn19
Alicja Carter, MHR, LADC, BHWC, has been working in the behavioral health and addiction treatment field for over ten years. She is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Wellness Coordinator/Coach for Gateway to Prevention and Recovery in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Alicja is passionate about pursuing a well life and collaborating with others for the purpose of stimulating positive change in her community.