2013 marks my third year participating in the One Word Challenge.  As far as I can tell the challenge originated with Alece.  If it didn’t start with her, that’s OK . . . I heard it from her first.

I couldn’t escape my 2011 word, persevere, last year. I wanted a new word for 2012, but every time I prayed about it I felt I needed to keep it. So I did.  It was a good word for the year.  There was much I needed to persevere through.

Walking, gaining strength, new programs, new responsibilities, old junk–all required perseverance.  There were definitely times when I needed to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  No matter how tired and weary I was, I just needed to keep going.  That’s not going to change.  Ever.  It just doesn’t need to be my focus for the year.

This year’s word overwhelmed me on my birthday. I knew it needed to be my word for 2013.  I’ve been toying with another word, but this one keeps coming back.  The word for 2013?  Healing.

In some ways it feels like that should’ve been the word for the last two years, but it’s my word for this year.  Physical healing arrived as I persevered through surgeries and physical therapy, but I’ve realized there’s just so much more that needs to be done.  Yes, there’s the physical, but there’s more than that.

I have self-inflicted wounds that need healing. The core of those wounds are my expectations. Emotions are hard to set straight. Healing there is going to require some introspection, evaluation, and adjustment as I readjust and move on.

Spiritually, I’m not sure I need healing, but I need some rejuvenation.  I suppose that’s a type of healing, isn’t it?  There’s nothing seriously wrong here–no worries.  I just know there’s some change ahead.

Intellectually I haven’t been as sharp as I’d like to be. I’ve slumped a bit–taken the easy route too often when it comes to reading and thinking.  I won’t be jumping into Les Miserables in French right now, but I hope to beef up my reading (and, therefore, my thinking) a little in the coming months.

Healing.  It’s a tall order, but it’s a good one.  I know it won’t be easy, neither will it be a steady progression.  My life requires a more organic approach.  I’m OK with that.

I’m not really sure what all this healing is going to look like.  I hope you’ll be able to see a healthier me when we cross paths.  I know health is my path for the year.  I’m pretty sure it’s going to be an interesting journey.

Check out some of these 1 Words:

On choosing your One Word.  My friend Chris and his word for 2013.  My friend Jenny on her words for the last two years. Tiffani did chose one, too. And of course, there’s the link to Alece’s word at the top of the blog.

What’s your word for 2013?