Yes, Another Post on 2016 Resolutions

God, save us all . . .

I’ll understand if you don’t even get this far (granted, if you don’t, I guess you won’t know I forgive you anyway). Who really wants to read any more about the resolutions that others are making for the new year?

Well, me, I guess.

Not that I need to read any more — I’ve consumed a crap-ton over the last week. I haven’t been able to look away from what other people are planning for 2016. Maybe I’ve been comparing their resolutions to my own goals that have been rattling around in my head for a while (what I‘m planning is way better than that . . . isn’t it?). Or maybe I’ve really been looking for truly “meaningful” goals to steal from someone else and make my own. Who knows?

But this year I’m trying something different.

I just finished my second reading of an article by Mike Vardy (of Productivityist) on the three words he’s using to set intentions for the new year. Instead of making resolutions the last few years, Vardy (who got the original idea from Chris Brogan), has starting coming up with three words for the year that will help guide him through what he will (and won’t) do over the next year.

It’s pretty much that simple. Vardy likes to pick three words that all start with the same letter as an extra challenge, but Brogan doesn’t. And the other tidbit that I picked up in the video included in Vardy’s article is, “If something I’m doing doesn’t cover at least two of these words, then I shouldn’t be doing it.” Anyway, if you want to read more about their processes, you can read Vardy’s article here, and Brogan’s here.

It makes sense to me, and I had already picked out one word for my 2016 theme, thanks to a suggestion from Chris Guillebeau. So I figured, why not choose two more words for a trifecta — or hat-trick, if you will — of inspiration and guidance for the year. So, without further ado . . .

My Three Words for 2016 (in no order of priority)

Connect: I’ve been thinking about this one for a while (though it was not my original theme word). In the time since I’ve moved to Jamaica (two years and seven months), I have isolated myself from everyone in my former life except my best friend. And lately I’ve been feeling myself pulling away from even her.

I don’t know why I’ve done that, and it’s something that I’ll need to explore more in the coming months. But I don’t want to be that way. I’m pretty picky about who I call friends (or admit to as family), so these are some awesome people that I’ve been missing out on. For none other than selfish reasons, whatever they are. It ends now.

Connect also resonates with me in a creative way, regarding my writing both here and on my new website (coming soon). I am hopeful that I will be connecting with others in professional ways as well as personal, but more on that later.

Save: Originally this word was going to be “debt-free” (the hyphen makes it one word, right?). Because this is the year to my personal financial house in order.

But I chose the word “save” because this can encompass so much more that just money. I’d like to save my energy (physical and mental) for the people and things that really matter to me. I’d like to save myself from getting angry or worried about stupid sh**. I’d like to save space to allow some truly amazing if unforeseeable things to happen in my life. I’m thinking there’s a lot I can do with this word.

Finish: I wouldn’t say that any of these words is more important than they others, but if I had to choose one, this would be (and was) it. I am a starter. I probably start a new project/hobby/activity weekly, sometimes more than one a week.

But I’m not — you guessed it — a finisher. I can’t even guess how many half-finished projects I currently have on my computer or in my house right now. And that’s discounting anything that I just full-on abandoned when I moved here in 2013.

Well, I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to someday be bitter with my life because it’s not what I want it to be, wondering how it might be different if I had just done X, Y or Z. Yet I feel like I’m already kind of turning into that person. So it’s time to start doing — and completing — some of the things that I’ve been talking about, or trying to do, for years.

That’s my plan. It will be fun to reflect at the end of the month and see how many things I’ve done — or not done — that help fulfill two out of three of my words for the year.

What about you? Have any resolutions, goals or words that you’re using for 2016? I’d love to hear them (just in case these fall through and I’m still looking for some to steal . . .)!