Chapter 6

Live Your Word: Look Out

LOOK OUT

When your word comes to you, it may come in the form of a character trait, a discipline, a person, a spiritual focus, an attribute, or a value. The following examples of possible words are not meant to be a particular list from which to choose but rather a starting point of ideas: Love, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Rest, Prayer, Health, Train, Flexible, Devotion, Intimacy, Discipline, Smile, Commitment, Overcomer, Bold, Positive, Green, Inspire, Finish, Purity, Integrity, and Strong. Over the years, we have heard people share these and many other words that have special meaning to them. In fact, one of the things we love about sharing the One Word concept with others is hearing the fascinating words people choose and the reasons their word is meant for them.

But our favorite part about helping others find their One Word for the year is hearing how people have lived their word and the impact it had on their lives.

Live It Out

Once you discover the word that is meant for you, then it’s time to live it out. As the saying goes, this is where the rubber meets the road. This is the most important part of the process—your moment of truth!

This is the fun part. If you’re like us, you’re feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. It’s almost like the adrenaline rush before a big race or game. You’ve prepared your heart, discovered your word, and now it’s time for life change! The process is exhilarating, but it will also prove to be challenging. You’ll face obstacles you didn’t anticipate. Most say that finding your word is the hardest part, but actually living it is. You will be stretched—we promise. But we often learn the most when we step out of our comfort zone, so stay the course. The results will be worth it.

The Look Out step has a double meaning: Look out, and you’ll begin to see opportunities all around you. Look out, because One Word will change your life in unexpected ways.

Step outside your comfort zone.

You may immediately see some areas of opportunity in which you could improve. This is the low-hanging fruit. You may be tempted to think that this is going to be easy. Yet the difficult areas of life change are often revealed later. We have been amazed by how many unexpected lessons we’ve learned as the year unfolds.

It’s essential to remember and focus on your word throughout the year. The stress and challenges of life will cause you to forget your word if you let them. We know this well through our own experience. If your word is not at the top of your mind, it will be forgotten.

Keep your One Word front and center.

Through years of trial and error, we’ve discovered simple and powerful ways to keep the One Word front and center throughout the year.

First, post your word in prominent places so you see it regularly. What gets your attention gets your focus; what gets your focus gets done. The opposite is also true: Out of sight, out of mind. It is imperative that you regularly see your word.

It’s your word, so own it, personalize it, and internalize it. Creating reminders is important. Here are some examples that have been very effective for us over the years:

• Write it down and post it in prominent places, such as in your kitchen, in your car, in your planner, on your desk, or in your locker at school.
• Create a screen saver with your word.
• Paint your word on a sign and hang it where you will see it every day.
• Take a picture of your word and save it on your smartphone.
• Keep a journal and write down the insights and lessons learned each week.
• Start a One Word dinner discussion once a week where you talk about progress with your family.
• Create a weekly focal point or challenge every Monday. Choose one of the six dimensions of life.
• Look for sayings or quotes that relate to your word.
• Pick a song that reminds you of your word.
• Write a poem or prayer.
• Create a document on your computer to collect “All Things One Word.”
• Get a tattoo (we suggest a removable one).

The options to have fun with your word are endless. Enjoy the process. Find the ways that work best for you.

Second, share your word with your Stretch Team—that inner circle of friends and family most important to you and whom you trust without hesitation. We call it your Stretch Team because it consists of the people who stretch you and help you grow. Give them permission to ask you about your word. This keeps you accountable for staying on track. When you share with them how you are being shaped by your word, they will be inspired to join in the process as well.

A Few More Tips

As you progress in living out your One Word journey, we have a few tips. Some people try to approach One Word as they would New Year’s resolutions. They see it as something to check off a to-do list; it either gets done or it doesn’t.

Don’t check the box; experience the journey.

But that’s not how One Word works. Instead, you will probably experience your word as a journey of ups and downs that all help shape you into the person you were created to be. You don’t win or lose with One Word. Whatever you experience throughout the year, that’s what is meant for you.

Once you have used a word, don’t repeat it the following year. If you don’t make the progress you think you should or if you feel as though there is more to learn, that’s okay. You may want to try the same word again, but resist the temptation for a do-over. You will never fully exhaust the meaning and application of your word. Let it stand as the year in which you learned lessons as a result of your word, even if you didn’t fully master that word. If it is really tough living out your word, then that is part of your growth process. No recycled words. Each year is a brand-new word for a brand-new year.

No do-overs; opt for a new word each year.

When you do these two simple things—post your word prominently and share it with ­others—you ensure your growth. There will be no false starts or failures. You will experience highs and lows, but they are all part of the process. As you live out your word, let God use the simplicity of your One Word theme to revolutionize your everyday life.