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But first…a review of my 2018 focus

For the past few years I’ve had the tradition of choosing a one word or phrase focus for my new year. I set many “S.M.A.R.T. goals” to go with it, but this “focus” is the overarching theme I want for that chapter of my life. I usually choose it based on what I would like to improve on or something I want to make sure to remember throughout that year. You can read more about choosing a focus here (there’s also a free worksheet printable to help!).

My 2018 focus was a phrase I came across in Jordan Raynor’s book, Called to Create (read my review of it here). “Trust, Hustle, Rest.”

Click here to read about why I chose this focus and what it meant to me. When I chose this phrase as 2017 came to an end, I had no idea just how much I would need to hold onto this focus in 2018.

I dealt with health issues this past year (though I think it actually started back in 2016) that got so bad I was often crippled by fatigue and depression. Every day was a struggle as my memory worsened, my brain became foggier, and I felt so exhausted I could hardly move.

As I talked about in my older post, “Movement Myths: Resting is a Waste of Time,” I struggle with resting and taking time for self-care because I often glorify productivity and putting others first (my Obliger tendency showing). I’ve grown in this area over the years, but I still have a long way to go and this illness forced me to rest. A LOT! I mean there were some especially bad days where I came home from work, sat down, stared at the wall, and literally couldn’t will myself to move for over an hour because of the extreme fatigue I felt!

I learned a lot about selfcare, work/life balance, how to adjust to and work with different energy levels, giving myself grace (this one was especially hard! I’ve got big dreams to chase! And I often beat myself up when I don’t get “enough” done…but during this season of fatigue I literally couldn’t do as much as I used to be able to), and, most importantly, trusting God could still use me and my efforts to help other people even at my worst (and He did!).

Even though I still have a long way to go in trusting, hustling, and resting, I’d say 2018 was a success for how much personal growth I saw in this area! One example: I used to often stress about numbers (i.e. blog views, followers, subscribers, etc.) and overworked myself trying to reach the different goals I set for myself (both business and personal), but now I feel much more at peace about it all.

I’m still working hard, but now I don’t feel as bad when my posts don’t do as well as I’d like and I don’t beat myself up as much if I don’t quite reach my goals. I’m focusing more on growth and the journey than the end-goals. What matters most to me now is that I keep making forward movement and growing as a person (and taking good care of myself along the way!), more than the specific goal itself. As Bruce Lee once said, “A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” (That doesn’t mean I won’t keep setting realistic but challenging goals and doing my very best to reach them!)

And, btw, good news! After several doctor visits and trying many different things, I’m finally starting to recover! I’m still not back to 100% health and energy, but I’m feeling more energy than I have in very long time! This gives me a much stronger motivation than I think I’ve ever had before because now I know what it’s like to WANT to work hard but not have the energy to do so; I’m not going to take the health and energy I have for granted ever again, but use it wisely to its fullest!

So with all that in mind, that leads us to what I’ve chosen for my 2019 focus…

My 2019 Focus

Each year I create or buy something to use as a reminder of my focus throughout the year. Last year I commissioned a friend for a piece of art. This year I had my focus engraved on a bracelet from Bana Designs on Etsy! I love it! And it has an adjustable band which is perfect for my skinny little wrists (it’s so hard for me to find a bracelet that fits!).

So what do I mean by “EXPERIENCE”? For me it represents two major concepts that I want to focus on this year.

1. Experience Life to the Fullest

2018 felt like the shortest year of my life! It went by so quickly! Reflecting on this, I remembered a video I watched by Michelle Poler from Hello Fears (click here to watch it!). In it she talks about how our brains store similar memories into one box (i.e. every single time you brush your teeth, when you do the same thing at work every day, etc.), but it makes separate boxes for memories outside of our normal routine. So if you do the same thing every single day, it all starts to blur together and you might not be able to remember one day from another, making you wonder “what did I even do this week?” and making time feel like it’s gone by faster. On the other hand, mixing up your routine and trying new things gives you more distinct memories that can help you feel like time has gone by more slowly because you have more memories to show for it.

So this year I want to mix things up more and try more new things! I’ve already started a list of different experiences I want to have this year. Some of it involves facing fears (!!!), while some are simpler like taking more walks at different parks and calling up friends more often.

I also want to make sure I’m more present in my life. That means more intentionality and less distractions. Being more aware of my surroundings and taking every experience in deeply. I’ve also started a journal and I want to order a picture book with pictures I took last year to help me strengthen my memory.

2. Gain Experience

The second meaning behind my focus word is that this year will be a big time of gaining experience. I’ve been blogging for 3 years, but I’m still learning and have a long way to go. I’ve also become a beginner again as I launched my YouTube channel and am working on something else big and new for this year. “Experience” reminds me to give myself grace (especially when I think I should be farther ahead than I am in all of these things) because I’m still in a beginning phase; this year is a season for gaining experience so I can grow my skills!

So that’s my focus for 2019! What’s yours? Comment below; I’d love to know!

If you’re still having trouble deciding on your word/phrase focus for this year, here are a few more examples to perhaps spark some inspiration:

• My 2018 Focus
• My 2017 Focus
• My 2016 Focus

Want some tips for setting and reaching your goals? Check out these posts:

• Why I Don’t Believe in New Year Resolutions
• 7 Tips to Help You Actually Reach Your Goals
• 3 (more!) Keys to Reaching Your Goals