a word for 2013: better

{via}

Surely you've heard of this word of the year/one little word business. The simple explanation is that you pick a word to meditate/concentrate on for the year to uplift and cause positive change in your life. Lots of people do it and after a few years of reading the effects it has had on others, I've decided that this will be the year I join in.

For 2013, my word is BETTER.

As a verb, it means to improve on or surpass.

Better isn't about being better than someone else.  This isn't about creating a level of competition in my life. I want to stop comparing myself against others and start concentrating on who I am now and what I can do better.  I could be a better mom/wife/daughter/friend/employee/Christian/person... but it is more than the labels I claim for myself. I want to be a better me.

I want to be in better health... lose the extra weight I'm carrying around.  I want to cook more, eat more whole foods, and set a good example for my kiddo.  I want to learn to deal with my feelings, instead of trying to quiet them with food.

I want to be better at being in this moment. Not dwelling in the past and not stewing over the future.  I waste so much energy worrying about everything. Things I have no control over. Things that shouldn't matter.     I spend so much time in my own head, thinking about what I should've/could've/would've done differently.  It has to stop.

I want to be better at doing what I say I'm going to do.  If I told you I'd be there at 10, I'll be there at 10.  Maybe even before 10, but I'm not going to push it.  If I told you I would call back, I'll call back.  If I told you I would make x, y, z, I will actually make it.  If I say I'm going to try harder and be better, I will.

I want to kick procrastination to the curb and be better at starting and finishing projects.  You guys should see my craft/crap room.  It is absolutely full of projects that are not finished or not even started.  My master bedroom has two walls with new paint swatches on it... it's been 6 months.  My new-ish painted kitchen has nothing on the walls.  It looks like we just moved in!  And the baby book that I was going to DIY?  Not even started, and my little is almost 14 months old.  The madness has to stop.

I want to be a better money manager.  In 2012 I got a really go grip on where the money was going.  Now it has to be fixed.  Our life could be absolutely and totally different, if only we were better with our funds.

I want to be a better writer.  I loved to write in high school.  I saw my high school English teacher at a wedding a few years ago and when I told her what I was up to (which was nothing, really), she said, "Why aren't you writing?"  Yeah.  Why aren't I?  I like it, I have plenty of ideas, so what's the hang up?  It might be ugly at first, but I know once I get going I know I'll be proud of myself for getting back to it.

I want to tap into my spiritual side and better my relationship with God.  Too many of my prayers are lifted up in desperation and not enough prayers are lifted up in thankfulness.  When I am consistent in church, reading my Bible (phone app) and keeping decent music on the radio, I'm in a much better place.  I'm a better {insert all the labels above here} when I'm in touch with God.

I actually considered getting "better" tattooed somewhere a few years ago because all I kept thinking was  things will get better. Tomorrow will be a better day. It has to get better, because it can't get much worse. While I'm lucky today to not have to cling to those thoughts as often, I still do remind myself that it can always get better. This word of the year has really been a long time coming.

The bottom line is that I want to feel better.  If I can pray more, buy less, write more, eat less, create more, worry less, feeling better can and will come.

2013 is the year of better.