Un-word of the Year
I have loved the idea of crafting a word for each new year. Have you noticed this trend spreading around the internet? Have you picked your word? What a wonderful way to refocus based on each new season of our lives. And goodness knows, seasons change! Each time I picked a word of the year, it brought me a special perspective for my new season. Last year, my word of the year was Smile. In 2012, my word was Do.
This year, I didn’t have to think much to come up with my word. It was already there, waiting for me.
Except, this year, my word just so happens to be an Un-word!
An Un-word?? What is that?
Well, it is my focus word for something I need to RID myself of in the New Year.
I just do NOT need one more thing to do. Instead, I need to Un-do.
Is anyone else with me on this? I think as women we are so gifted at adding More More More, and saying Yes Yes Yes. And then one little thing or one little ‘yes’ SNOWBALLS until we cannot even think straight or we simply find ourselves in the muck. This is not God’s plan for our lives…. to let all the noise drown out the important things.
I am tired of it. The things I really need, are already right in front of me. And frankly, like most of you,
I am just too overwhelmed to keep drowning in the things that I am not called to be doing right now.
And I am not the only one. In fact, some of my awesome friends are joining me today in sharing their Un-words. And then, we are inviting you to join us too! I do so hope that you will.
So, my Un-Word — the main thing I am saying GOODBYE to in 2014 — is
Guilt.
Guilt. The self-inflicted kind. And it is high time I kick this party-pooper out of my life.
This guilt constantly pesters me, making me feel like I should be everything to everyone, and yet I am falling short. Those words that parade through my head, chanting “I feel bad. I feel bad. I feel bad.” I feel bad that I never bring cookies. I feel bad that I didn’t bring her that meal. I feel bad that I didn’t write him back. I feel bad that I didn’t get that thank you note out yet. I feel bad that I raised my voice at him. I am not talking about the pangs of regret that lead to good change. I am talking about constant, self-inflicted, feel-bad-edness. It’s like the Little-Engine-that-Hated-Herself.
I am tired of this self-inflicted pain. And I am ready to give it the boot. To Un-word it.
I have a lot of wonderful things in my life. I have a lot of wonderful people in my life. But, like so many women, I try to be a little bit of something to everyone and everything. This is due to a lack of focus sometimes, yes. But also, it is sometimes due to guilt. Guilting me right into good things… that often keep me from being present in the BEST things.
When I take a look at what I ‘do’ right now in my life, the list itself makes me lose my breath and want to find the nearest sand-hole for burying my head. Frankly, it overwhelms me! I have a to-do list of things that MUST get done, and I don’t even have enough time to do those things… let alone things I would like to get done. But just because this is my reality, does not mean that I need to live inside a tortured mind – A mind that is constantly degrading itself, saying “You are not enough.” A mind that is saying, “I feel bad about this. I feel bad about that.”
Because the reality is, I am nobody’s Savior.
And this self-inflicted guilt is simply Idolatry. An Idolatry that says, “You should fix everyone’s problems. You should help everyone. You should be everything to everyone.”
So guilt. I unFriend you. I am going to bring you out of the dark corners of my mind, and into the light by being aware of your sneaky voice. And when you show your chanty-“I feel bad”-kinda-voice, I will be ready for you. Because I know that you are my Un-word. And you can no longer sneak around in my head, unnoticed.
I am hoping that this Un-word will make a real difference in my year. And, I am hoping that choosing an Un-word will be a revolution of living with true Beauty in our lives. So, to that end, I invited some of my dearest friends to join me in sharing their Un-words. I am so excited to hop over to their blogs and read about what they will saying goodbye to in 2014.
Myquillyn, the Nester, at Nesting Place
Edie at Life In Grace
Angela at The Painted House
Let’s make this a revolution together.
Let’s say goodbye to some unneeded, yucky stuff in 2014!!
Then, let’s band together: Join us for the #unword2014 Linky party, next Tuesday, January 21 .
Craft your thoughts on your own Un-word, and share it in a post and come on over and link up next week. If you don’t have a blog, I would LOVE for you to still share your #unword2014 via Instagram (be sure to tag your post with #unword2014), or by leaving your Un-word in the comments next week. It’s an idea whose time has come!
Will you be joining us?
******
I would LOVE to get to know you better. Please leave a comment below, and follow along!
* * * * *
Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.
this post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting FHD!
Oh my gosh, Darlene, AMEN! 😉 Great post. I can totally relate.
What a great post. We are certainly all “guilty” of that one. Here’s to ridding the guilt in 2014!!
Yes. I needed this. Guilt consumes me, and I’m exhausted by it. I can only be me, here and now, and yet I guilt myself over all the other things and women I wish I was. No more. Thank you for this.
Guilt, worry and regret are such a waste of time. Why is it we dwell on yesterday or what we think we should be doing instead of what is actually happening at this moment and planning for the future? Enjoy the moments. My word for this year is bloom, blooming and to always be in the process of blooming.
Patty at Home and Lifestyle Design
I was just talking with someone about this yesterday. Guilt has infested every part of my life and I am done!
Guilt that I can’t work more, guilt that I’m not with my kids more, guilt that I’m not with my husband more, guilt that I haven’t blogged in weeks. It is crazy!
I will definitely join you on the 21st. This is the year of taking care of me, not at the expense of others, but so that I can be there for them when they need me, not just when it fits into the schedule!
I LOVE…LOVE…LOVE…this. I do.
There is SO much pressure on each of us…and I LOVE the idea of letting go!
I’ll be sharing a link to this post on my blog…and participating!
Love it.
Kim~
P.S. I love your precious new little bundle of joy.
Say it, sista! Loved this post! Guilt is an excellent thing to unfriend. I’ll have to think of my unword too.
unbusy. I find it sad that we are all sooooo busy, so I’m going to be unbusy. I love it.
Yes, I love that you pointed out that we aren’t anybody’s Savior. We have our time and place…but there is only so much time and we can only be in one place at one time, we forget that.
Such a fabulous idea to kick the rubbish out of our lives–thank you, Dar! Guilt, buh-bye!
I love this idea! One of my “resolutions” is to let go. At least once a day, I think of all the things I am letting OUT of my life. Thanks for doing this; I will join you all next week http://cosycarolina.blogspot.com/. 🙂
the Little-Engine-that-Hated-Herself. — so insightful…
Well, I just finally got on the WORD bandwagon this year, so I’ll have to think about un-wording (unless I just choose the opposite of my word for the year). 🙂 However, I thought you might like to know about The Ultimate Linky blog where you can link up this linky party to spread the word to others who might like to un-word with you. You can find it here: http://theultimatelinky.com/home/
I love it! Guilt IS a party pooper, I just said to my husband the other day that we need to stop apologizing to people for our house renovation taking so long. We feel guilty we’re not better/faster/have more time to do it, but we’re doing it. That’s what counts. Thanks so much for the party!
I have been plagued with guilt for years, and I often think it’s rooted in love and good intentions toward others, but yes SO destructive to your spirit. Such a dangerous downward spiral, And you are doing so many beautiful things, such a rare and fleeting season of life, it can’t be wasted on guilt. Congratulations for recognizing it early! And very best, warmest wishes for your new year, guilt-free!
xoxo Much love from Oklahoma.
I love your word choice! I definitely need to feel less guilt in my life! Xoxo
[…] I reject you, “Guilt.” […]
[…] is the big link up for your Un-word 2014 #unword2014 !!! What is an Un-word, you ask? Well, check out my post on the matter, and read about my own Un-word. Then, declare your own Un-word to the world and link it up tomorrow! You can link up at any of the […]
fhd press:
FHD’s popular posts
sponsors I love
peruse
shop like it’s your job
FHD in blogland
categories
31 Days of Favorite Spaces A room I love about me Affordable Designer Rooms beautiful colors beautiful thoughts Bebe bebe bebe nursery before and after BHG blogland built-in of the Week client spaces contrast decorating yourself defining your style design boards design in progress design question ditto ditto d.i.y. ditto-worthy designers en masse farmhouse simplicity five faves for a song from my files here at Fieldstone Hill hiding the uglies high-gloss glamour Home tour Images Of inspiration Inspired to lessons in design living with beauty Living with Beauty: Beauty Tips and Tricks Living with Beauty: Wellness Living with Beauty: Whole Food Eating Living with Beauty: Within Master Designer mixed metals must have objects organizing overcome decorating paralysis project project kitchen project library project nursery punch color renovation rituals room by room sponsor style notebook traditions trends Uncategorized vision
br> br>Archives
br> br>Theme by Design by Kendall