A few weeks ago, a colleague (unaware of my blog) commented on how cringy the whole “word of the year” thing is. I was a bit miffed, but after a minute, I concluded that he might be right. In truth, it depends how we view the focus. If we view a “word of the year” as some divine message or treasure hunt, it does seem weird… maybe even cultish.
That’s not what this is. 🙂
Why I Focus on A “Word of the Year”
Back in 2013, I started this blog with big dreams of cataloging God’s work in my life. As an aspiring young writer, I wanted to make a footprint of gratitude… to remind myself as life went on. The aim of my blog has shifted and grown since then, but gratitude remains at the center. It also has spurred on my desire to focus on a specific new word each year. What began with A Grateful 2013 only amplified as I looked at other ways I could grow in a calendar year.
There’s no magic to it, though. Truthfully, there are thousands of words I could select for a word of the year. I need to grow in LOTS of ways. But the struggles and successes in my life, combined with what I’m reading in the Bible, often illuminate one or two areas in particular. That is my goal with having a word of the year: To follow where God is moving in my life, refining my character and stepping into bold new areas.
We’ve covered a lot of ground in the last 12 (gosh!) years. This last year was one of my favorite (and most closely-tied to my life) words so far: rooted. So I’m thrilled to share the word that will tie together my writing and my personal/spiritual growth in 2025. That word is: resilient.
A Resilient 2025
A few months ago, I signed up for a trail half marathon on a whim. I didn’t tell anyone (okay, my husband dragged it out of me) and I didn’t plan to race it. Having just raced a trail marathon in August, my goal was to simply enjoy a race. Performance anxiety is something I’ve dealt with since I was young, but the nerves I felt before this race felt particularly aggravating. I wasn’t even racing!
As I stretched and watched the sun rise, I felt God very clearly tell me that this would be the next chapter in my story: learning to stand boldly in the face of failure (in all areas of my life).
Nothing miraculous occurred that day, but I did solidify what my God-given growth area ought to be in 2025: putting myself in situations where I might fail. The spontaneous trail race was just a head-start, I told myself. And afterwards: I was glad I had done it. My nerves and self-talk were ROUGH. It showed me how much progress I get to make this coming year!
Facing Failure
The focus was clear but finding a word was more tricky. What word best communicates risking failure? Bravery didn’t seem quite right, neither did courage. I wanted a word that implied struggle; that gave a nod to adversity rather than mere success.
Resilience is a quality I’ve grown in over the past few years, but I’ve always thought of it more in terms of “bouncing back.” You know what you need to bounce back, though? Inertia. Grit. Focus.
By definition, to be resilient is to exhibit the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties; to adjust easily to misfortune or change. I don’t know about the “easily” part but I sure want to be more flexible and bouncy this year. And I know that those qualities come from a more resolute grasp of who I am in Christ and where my value comes from. How can I be afraid of others laughing, of running too slow, of messing up at work; when the God of the Universe is with me and made me for a purpose beyond performance?!
Anxiety over failure and others’ perceptions has paralyzed me for so much of my life. I’ve seen growth in that area, sure, but not enough that I easily step into new areas with ease. So this is the year that (Lord willing) changes.
I’m going to venture into new things every-other-month in a specific challenge. So that’s one way you can follow along. I will also be writing about the nuances of failure, how I’ve failed, and how I’m risking failure in 2025.
What would I do if I weren’t afraid to fail?
It’s time to find out!
Gratefully,
Hannah
Ps. Do you have a word or phrase that you are focusing on in 2025? Let me know below!
A Grateful Life Lived 
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