Why do we all have to pick a word of the year? I mean, I do get it but I always struggle with it. I understand that a word of the year helps to focus you but I am not that focused. I have numerous goals and have a hard time tying it together. So I put forth another introspective exercise. Let’s come up with a word we are rejecting in 2019!

FEAR

This whole idea of rejecting a word came to me while I was listening to Francesca Battistelli’s Breakup Song in the shower. (Please tell me that I am not the only person who does great thinking in the shower?) This song has really been speaking to me lately. It is all about kicking fear out of your life. Then it hit me, if I were to “break up” with fear how would that play out in my life. That gave me my word to reject.

Fear seems to stop me from doing a variety of things in all aspects of my life. Be it blogging, freelance, or just changing my life. I am afraid to write anything having to do with my views or opinions for fear of being attacked or being taken wrong. I am afraid to invest time into projects out of fear that my efforts return void. I don’t put myself out there in friendships for fear of being hurt again.

The Bible is very clear about the place of fear in a Christian’s life. In Romans 8:15 it is clearly laid out. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (ESV) So why do we allow fear to creep into our lives like a thief to steal our joy, our goals, our callings?  But no more!

So a question is, why not go with Courage as my word of the year? It is the opposite of fear, right? Yes, but… I feel like when you pick a word of the year it is there to motivate you. I don’t want to do things because they are courageous. I have no interesting in taking risks, per se. No bungy jumping or zip lining for me. No need to perform in front of people. I am ok in my relatively safe life.  I just don’t want fear to prevent me from doing anything like reaching for my goals I have my eye on. 

Fear, you are rejected from my heart, mind, and vocabulary for 2019!

What is your rejected word of 2019?