Tag: inspiration

Endure: My 2019 Word

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I’ve had a hard time coming up with the mot juste for my 2019 Word of the Year. I wanted something that embraced diligence, discipline, consistency, tenacity… but none of those were quite right. I kept circling around to ‘persist,’ which I liked partly for the political connotations of the word as well as the meaning, but… I don’t know, it just didn’t feel exactly right.

I ended up choosing ‘endure’ as the word to have put on my reminder bracelet (made by Positive Charm on Etsy), partly because I love the song “The Earth Only Endures” by the Waterboys (video below), and partly because I’ve always loved a section in Hebrews.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

endure

intransitive verb

1 : to continue in the same state : LAST
2 : to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding

transitive verb

1 : to undergo especially without giving in : SUFFER
2 : to regard with acceptance or tolerance

persevere

intransitive verb

: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of

persist

intransitive verb

1 : to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning
2 obsolete : to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position
3 : to be insistent in the repetition or pressing of an utterance (such as a question or an opinion)
4 : to continue to exist especially past a usual, expected, or normal time

Pertinent Quotes

“If you persist, you will prevail.” – Lailah Gifty Akita

“Events may be horrible or inescapable. Men have always a choice–if not whether, then how, they may endure.” – Lois McMaster Bujold, The Curse of Chalion

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve

“Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.” – Goethe

“What is to give light must endure burning.” – Viktor E. Frankl

I particularly like that last one, since my Word for 2018 was Ignite. It’s cool to have a quote that ties last year’s word into this year’s.

So what about you? Have you chosen a word for 2019? What is it?

The Earth Only Endures – The Waterboys

My Word for 2018–Ignite!

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My mom recently asked me to design her a sticker using her word for 2018, and that got me thinking about what my word for 2018 should be. I haven’t actually done a word for the year before, though I know other people have found it to be a great method of focusing on what was important.

So I went to One Word 365, a website where you can get inspiration for words, connect with other people who have that word, and more. It generated a list of words for me, and the moment I saw ignite I knew it was my word!

Merriam-Webster defines ignite like this:

transitive verb: to subject to fire or intense heat; especially : to render luminous by heat; a : to set afire; also kindle; b : to cause (a fuel) to burn; a : to heat up : excite; b : to set in motion : spark

intransitive verb: to catch fire; to begin to glow

I love the “to render luminous by heat” — isn’t that a great image? When we’re feeling the heat, we’re under pressure, right? We’re stressed. Wouldn’t it be great to be the kind of person who is rendered luminous when under stress?

And “to set in motion”? I have so many things I’d like to set in motion in 2018. I want to start blogging here regularly in 2018. I want to spend more time being intentional about my business. I want to set in motion a plan to pay off my credit cards and start saving for the life I really want.

What about setting things afire? Not literally, of course. But I’d love to set my imagination afire. Set my creativity afire in my Etsy shop and my novels. Set other people’s productivity afire with the stickers I make and the blogs I post. Set people’s hopes afire that they can have the organized life they’ve always wanted.

So this year, I’m going to IGNITE.

Do you have a word for 2018? What is it?