I'm also using a planner and combining short journaling, a planner, calendar, goal setting, gratitude list, prayer list, stickers and mini scrapbooking and other items all in one place.In mid-December I started going to Al-Anon and realized that I spent too much time attempting to fix or manage other people or things that are not my responsibility, while neglecting focusing on my own life and areas I need to work on. They have great quotes, like "Live and Let Live" and "Let Go and Let God." The group is also helping me see my codependency issues, control issues and anger and resentments I have toward others when they don't meet my expectations. I could go on and on about this group, what I'm learning there, and their slogans, but will save that for another day.
The biggest decision so far this year was that I decided to take at least a month to live alone and work through some of my codependent and boundary issues. A healing time. To learn to make changes for MY life, and not to try to manipulate someone else to make changes in theirs. And that if they choose to not ever change, then learn to accept that and be able to move on, freely and without resentments.
All of this culminated in my mind to incorporate the word THRIVE. Nineteen days in and I realize that having a word is great and all, but that it was time to really explore what that word even means and how I can use it in my life in a practical way. What does it mean? What does it not mean? How can I apply it?
First is the definition. According to Webster:
Thrive [THrīv]
VERB
thrives (third person present) · thrived (past tense) · throve (past tense) · thriving (present participle) · thriven (past participle)
(of a child, animal, or plant) grow or develop well or vigorously:
"the new baby thrived"
- prosper; flourish:"education groups thrive on organization"
- "a thriving economy"synonyms: flourish · prosper · burgeon · bloom · blossom · mushroom · do well · advance · succeed · boom · flourishing · prosperous · prospering · growing · developing · burgeoning
While searching for the definition I saw multiple definitions on failure to thrive. This was a medical diagnosis given to my daughter when she was a year old. "A child is said to have failure to thrive when they don’t meet recognized standards of growth." It is a stagnation of growth and if it persists can result in a feeding tube becoming necessary for the child to survive.
So basically thriving isn't just out there having fun and living life to the fullest. No synonyms include the words party or fun. Not that we shouldn't live life to the fullest. I firmly believe we should make the most of the life we are blessed with. Twice in the past few months I've seen someone whose life was cut short, way to short, unexpected and devastating.
To truly thrive means to grow. Not just a growth of survival, an absence of death; but a growth that is marked by flourishing and vigor. As I make decisions this year, they need to be seen through the lens of thriving. Will this decision, will this choice, will this action encourage a vigorous growth in my life, or will it be detrimental to my physical, spiritual or mental well-being? What friends, situations and activities will reinforce the principles in my life and help them grow stronger? What choices will help me keep my boundaries so that other influences don't choke out success, but cause stagnation of growth? What am I willing to do so that I can make the best decisions to flourish and I don't get to the point where I would need an external force ("feeding tube") making decisions for me simply to sustain life? When I see the word thrive throughout this year, those are the questions I will be reminding myself of.
So there you have it, my word of the year for 2018. THRIVE!
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