Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

If you remember, my word for 2017 was manifest. Let’s talk about that for a second. For me, 2015 brought lots of unexpected changes so I picked the word ‘go’ for 2016.  The thought behind that was sort of looking forward to new experiences and not looking back. Just go. For 2017, I was getting a better handle on this thing called life and I knew I wanted to manifest the life that I wanted. Overall, manifest was the perfect word for this year. It really helped me be more intentional in the things I did and how I acted and reacted.

As we go into 2018, I still believe in the idea of manifest and I’ll take it with me in the new year. My hope for 2018 is that it brings understanding and patience for the things we don’t fully grasp.

Side note: I’ve been told to always be careful when praying or wishing for patience. Apparently, that’s when God sends the most tests your way. What do you think about that?

At any rate, 2018 will definitely be my continued year of manifestation because I strongly believe our thoughts can drive and determine our future. You remember The Secret? Sort of like that. This year, in addition to manifesting my destiny (that sounds fun doesn’t it?), I’m adding another word. Ready to find out what it is?

My Word for 2018

That’s right, my word for this year is INTENT!

So what exactly does the intent mean? There are four definitions according to Dictionary.com.

1. something that is intended; purpose; design; intention.
2. the act or fact of intending, as to do something.
3. the state of a person’s mind that directs his or her action toward a specific object.
4. meaning or significance.

In 2018, I’m striving to be more intentional personal and professionally. I also want to be in tune with the intentions of others. Yes, I want to focus on myself but often times I find that (1) we misconstrue the actions or words of folks because we’re unsure of their intentions. And (2) when we understand the intentions of others (and ourselves), we can respond and react to situations much better.

Intention and purpose are two words that have always been on the forefront of my life but I never made it an actual goal to focus on it; that’s all changing now. I remember an episode of Oprah (yes, I’m going there) and Dave Ramsey was on the show. They both said something that really stood out to me about intention (watch the 1 minute clip).

I’ve already started incorporating my word into my daily life. I’m really into the why and purpose of what I’m doing – especially when others are involved. So if you’re reading this and we may work together in the new year, know that if the intention and purpose is off, I’m saying no. With every project I start, every collaboration I say yes to, I’m first asking myself: what is the intention and what is the purpose? If it doesn’t line up with who I’d like to be as a human being, I won’t allow myself to be part of it.

It’s really that simple.

Happy New Year, darlings.