With just one week left of 2017, I have finally decided on my One Word for 2018. It took me two weeks of off and on thinking, writing down words, crossing out words, and reflecting on just what word means the most to me in my life right now. In the past, I have chosen words such as Connection, Joy, Hope, and Believe. My One Word for the 2017-18 School year is "Difference". This time, I had a large amount of words that wouldn't make sense without explanation, but one word kept popping up from time to time. I finally realized that it was popping up because it was the word I would eventually choose. My 2018 word is "MATTERS"
What does it mean to choose One Word to focus you on your goals, your life, and your purpose for 2018? Jon Gordon's short video is a pretty good explanation.
Now that you know what Jon Gordon says about choosing one word, here is why I choose One Word and how I use it. I teach students to set goals and I even set some goals. But I will admit that I am always on the move and always doing something different, so my goals sometimes get forgotten or pushed aside. When I heard of this One Word idea, I figured I would give it a try. Not only did I choose my One Word, but I wrote it down on different pieces and types of paper and posted it around my office, my home, wherever I am the most. My One Word became something I would see at least once a day and it became key in my decision-making, my thinking, my workplace, my family, and my life. And it changed me. For the better. So for the last 4 years, I have continued to choose a word each new school year and each new calendar year. I have helped our staff and students participate as well. And some of my friends and family continue to choose words as well. Much like my word this school year, I hope it is making a difference in some of their lives.
So why did I choose "Matters"? Well, because so much matters to me and some things really shouldn't matter as much as I think they do. My family matters. A lot. I am going to spend 2018 focusing on each and every member of my large family and make sure they each know they matter. My students also matter. They matter so much to me. We have the most students we have ever had in our building at CMS this year and students can get "lost in the shuffle" when that happens. I don't want that to happen. I plan to make sure to seek students out and do things and say things that help them understand they matter. My co-workers matter. They work with these same 500 kids each and every day and that matters to me. They give so much time and energy to helping our students and I know I can't get to every single student but that doesn't MATTER....because my co-workers are giving love, care, and support to these students as well. The mental health of my students, young people in general, and our population matters to me. What can I do to make sure this matters to everyone else? Because I have chosen the word "Matters", I plan to do things in 2018 to help make sure mental health issues matter to every one. Whether it be presenting to students and staff, presenting to parents, or presenting information on a larger level, I want to change the way we all see mental health struggles. I want to help end the stigma of mental health. We care for broken legs and the flu, why can't we give the same care for depression or anxiety? So, 2018 will be busy for me because people matter. And I am going to make sure the people I come into contact with know this.
What doesn't matter as much? The negativity in this world, technology overload, money, stress, arguments over silly things, being late, being stuck at a stoplight, my sports teams losing (this happens a lot in my world), the past, maybe even the future, flat tires, and the list goes on. There are so many things we think matter.....but in the grand scheme of things....they don't. I am going to try to focus and reflect on this each day in 2018. Who knows how 2018 will turn out? Who knows what will happen in my life during 2018? But no MATTER what happens, I will focus on what truly MATTERS.
So, what is your One Word for 2018? Give it some real thought over the next week and I challenge you to come up with One Word and to write it down and put it places you will see it. Maybe like me it will become a tradition you do each year. Maybe like me, it will change your life!
