My New Year’s post mentioned that in lieu of the traditional resolution I often select a word that provides focus or grounds me to the goals I have for the year. I have loved reading the blogs and tweets and posts tagged with #OneWord2018! The energy and excitement is contagious, and there is such power in sharing your word.

As I was searching for my 2018 word, I struggled to find a one. I was encouraged as I read Amber Teamann’s post that gave me “permission” to choose more than one word. That encouragement was reiterated as Matt Arend has a word to get his year started. But even after reading these and many other #OneWord2018 posts, I was floundering…till I realized, I am not done with my #OneWord2017.

My 2017 word was “unflappable”: marked by assurance and self-control.

Another definition reads, “having or showing calmness in a crisis.” It is a funny little word that had very serious implications for me.

When I first saw the word  (posted by a friend as her word) I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew it was the word for me.

For several years we have joked that when I get stressed…I get flappy. I am naturally animated when I talk, but there is no way to miss an anxious, stressed, frustrated flap. Sometimes the “flappiness” is a signal to myself that I need to take a deep breath, and other times it is a cue to those who know me well to tell me to take a deep breath.

So, in 2017 I set off to be “marked by assurance and self-control”, and to “have or show calmness in a crisis”. I made a graphic and saved it to the home screen on my phone,  I looked up all the scriptures on peace, saved some really cool quotes about being calm,  and tried to use the Breath App on my Apple Watch.

After a year of focusing on this word I can better recognize stressful situations, in the midst and from a distance. I can take a deep breath, find my center, and keep going. Which is a really great first step! After a year of concentrated effort, I very rarely flap…externally.

As I reflected on my progress towards becoming “unflappable” I realized..I focused more on the “marked by” and “have or show” than the REAL deep work of cultivating assurance, self-control, and calmness. And as it turns out, it is easier to look calm, than to be calm.

2017 was a good start on this “unflappable” path, but I still have work to do if this calm and resolve, assurance and peace are going be more than just surface characteristics. It may be one of my words forever, or at least be in the rotation.

Still learning…

-Ash