While New Year’s Day is past, we are still just at the beginning of 2013. You may have noticed that many bloggers have chosen one word to simplify their goals for the year. I have done this for the past three years, and it has been a meaningful exercise. This is the word I have chosen for 2013:

ENOUGH

I have found that the exact opposite of this word to which I am aspiring this year must also be at the forefront of my thinking, so I can avoid it. That word?

EXCESS

Here is the message I recorded in my journal upon choosing these words for 2013:

Most of the goals I make stem from a need to trim excess from my life. Excess words, food, leisure, technology, clutter, spending. This gluttony crowds out what I value most in my life.

Excess words weaken my message and strain relationships.

Excess food gathers useless weight on my body.

Excess leisure ensures that the weight will not add muscle to fit me best for my activities.

Excess technology keeps me from real productivity and steals precious, irreplaceable time.

Excess clutter keeps my home and environment from working efficiently and robs my sense of peace.

Spending too much for the things that crowd out life’s best is an ironic twist that keeps us indebted to the government, the bank and even to employers.

So what is the antidote to this excess? How can I reach new heights in 2013?

I press on by laying aside every weight and straining for the prize, says Paul. Release. Endure. And the prize? ENOUGH. This is left when excess is trimmed, and it is such a lovely place to be.

I think it has been and will be a lifelong process, but I want to endure this year to really release and get closer to the state of just ENOUGH.

Instead of making long lists of goals, I will make this my word and line up the elements of my life as much as possible. It will take a series of small steps which I hope will equal long strides, continually releasing excess to rejoice in ENOUGH.

For you, the reader: Have you chosen one word for this year? Please share in the comments or include a link to your own one word post. I would love to hear all about it!

This post linked to One Word 365.