My one word for 2020 is one phrase this year, combining two pretty different goals, which I believe do not have to be mutually exclusive…
It’s:
Persevere but find joy.
The reason for the choice is… I’m the caretaker for my beautiful 92-year-old mother who has Alzheimers and multiple disabilities.
My dad passed away a month ago, too, at age 94, and we moved her from independent living to assisted living the same week because she is in a wheelchair and could no longer live on her own without my dad’s and my help.
I currently have half a garage full of “extra” stuff from their apartment — as well as two laundry baskets and 5 large Hefty bags of their financial info to sort through and straighten out in the upcoming months. That’s in addition to finding and gathering all the info to send to their accountant for taxes for the first time ever. (Yikes! My dad did the tax stuff through age 94!)
And I work at a demanding full-time job and put in frequent overtime to earn credit hours to take mom to doctor appointments without using leave.
The big picture seems pretty overwhelming at times!
But I’m determined to do a little every day sorting through things (15-20 minutes), get supplies mom needs, take her to doctor appointments and keep visiting her every other day so she has company and a patient person to talk to since she’s virtually deaf and that’s very isolating.
That explains the “persevere” part.
In my “spare time” I’m also determined to stay close with my wonderful friends — and try to maintain an active social life, doing fun things with nice people whenever possible.
And that explains the “find joy” part.
You’ve definitely got to have both!
Started the year out well in the “joy” department by participating in my first Polar Plunge — wearing a chicken hat and boa “feathers” and marching into the cold Atlantic Ocean along with hundreds of other people on a beautiful sunny day. It was truly a joyful event.
And today I made reservations for a one-week Caribbean cruise next month, which should also be joyful.
Is it all doable? We’ll see!!
Found some great quotes (below) for inspiration on the “persevere” part — although I really love the straight-to-the-point quote from an unknown person who said:
Embrace the Chaos and Move On!
(Maybe THAT should’ve been my more realistic 2020 one little word/phrase.)
- “Perseverance is impossible if we don’t permit ourselves to hope.” Dean Koontz
- “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.” Walter Elliott
- “Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson
- “Perseverance is not a passive submission to circumstances–it is a strong and active response to the difficult events of life.” Elizabeth George
- “Perseverance, secret of all triumphs.” Victor Hugo
- “Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.” Scott Hamilton
- “You aren’t going to find anybody that’s going to be successful without making a sacrifice and without perseverance.” Lou Holtz
- “With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.” Thomas Foxwell Buxton
- “Permanence, perseverance, and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” Thomas Carlyle
- “Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.” Benjamin Disraeli
- “Keep a relentless eye on your goals! Perseverance, joyful dedication, and unwavering focus will get you there!” Amy Leigh Mercree
- “No success was won without enthusiasm and perseverance.” Lailah Gifty Akita
- “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
- “You find success if you persevere and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles.” –Helen Keller
- “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Newt Gingrich
Related blog posts:
- My One Word for 2019 is Actually Two Words
- My One Word for 2018, Paired with Three Related Words
- My One Word for 2017
- How to Find the Perfect One Word for 2017
- My 2016 Word of the Year — and 247 Ideas for Yours
- My One Word for 2015 is Actually Two Words
- The Incredible Power of Words
- 2016 Life Goals
- 2015 Life Goals — Not Resolutions
- Mixed 2015 Life Goal Results: Some Wins, Some Dismal Failures
- Simple Life Goal
- 15 Bucket List / Lifetime Goals Accomplished So Far: The Dream Versus the Reality
- World Kindness Day and Random Acts of Kindness I’ve Received in the Past Month
- Kindness Counts: Make the World a Better Place
- Nicest Things People have Ever Done for Me
- Valuable Life Lessons My Parents Taught Me
- I Am the Woman I Am Today Because My Mother…
- A Tribute to Amazing Women, Fabulous Females in My Life
- Brave Women Go Places Alone
- Create a Happiness Jar — And Enrich Your Life in Less Than a Minute a Day
- Three Good Things — A New Twist on a Gratitude Journal
- Victory Log — List Today’s Accomplishments, Gain Satisfaction
- Ten Reasons to Keep a Sentence-a-Day Five Year Journal
- Feel-Good Way to Start 2015: List 200 Accomplishments