I’ve never chosen a word of the year before but I couldn’t escape the word less as I began planning for 2017. But how am I doing in making less a priority?
(Note: This post may contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you use my links to purchase a product but your purchase price does not change. Check out the disclosure policy to find out more. Thank you for supporting My Joy in Chaos.)
Ah, a word of the year. I’d never done one before because I was sure I’d forget about it within a few months and then panic come December when I realized I hadn’t done anything at all. But God had other plans and kept whispering “less” to me during the end of 2016. He showed me where I needed less so that He could fill the spaces with His presence. If there was ever to have a reason to chose a word of the year that is the perfect reason. So “less” became my word.
But here we are in July, nearly the end of July, and what have I done? Have I spent anytime pursuing less so that He can be more? If I don’t have some accountability I tend to falter and that is not what I want. Update is here!
I broke down the focus of less into three areas – physical items, activities/plans, my own desires.
Less stuff
Every week I’m showcasing all the junk we are clearing out of our home. At this point I’m assuming we are close to two van-fulls. We have boxes to bring to the thrift store almost every week as we worth through the Clutter Buster Challenge.
I think my biggest fault in this area is that as I clear out items we don’t need or use I find other items we want to buy! I got rid of so many clothes that I wanted to buy a few new items that better fit my current body type and style. But I’m not kicking myself since the goal of the Clutter Buster Challenge is to clear our house of items that we don’t love or use so I’m being very intentional about buying items we really want versus what is simply a good deal or that might come in handy some day.
Less activities and plans
I mentioned in my original word post that this might not be the hardest area to tone down because we don’t really have activities. But we do have friends we like to get together with and far away family we like to visit. We wanted to visit a few extra times this year but looking at our calendar we decided that being at home and not rushing around was a better plan. We did a few day trips but slowing down and not filling up our calendar is really nice. The kids and I are enjoying the slow summer (although it’s still flying by!) and the ability to hang out at home, play at the park, and try new recipes in the kitchen.
Less self focus
I want so many things to happen but if it’s not God’s will, I want it gone. The only way I can focus less on me is by focusing more on Him. I’ve been spending more deliberate quiet time with God early in the morning. It’s mostly quiet in the house but I usually put my headphones in on with worship music and work through a Bible study chapter.
We still have over five months left of the year for me to continue working on less in each of these areas. That sentence sounds ridiculous but c’mon! My word is LESS! So here’s to five more months of less stuff, less busyness, and less self focus.
What word did you choose this year? How are you doing in living out that word?
