Has anyone tried to live by a word for the year? I’ve followed author Gretchen Rubin for a long time, and though I don’t always agree with her views (such as my uncertainty of her personality book, The Four Tendencies), I’ve passively enjoyed her annual tradition of living by (or at least, writing) one word for a year. Certainly, one’s goals can change throughout the course of 365 days, but trying to sum up a goal via one single word is admirable. So, despite blogging off and on for 4 years, 2022 marks my first time choosing and reflecting on one word for the year (explore my 2022 goals here). And my word for 2022 is… GRACE.
Why did I choose GRACE for my word for the year? And what is my working definition of the term? While I wrote about Grace and Gratitude in the first spring of the Coronavirus pandemic, we are collectively fatigued by this raging virus. Yet every being deserves grace, even if grace can feel like it’s seldom given. I believe GRACE starts with you AND your relationship to the universe.
Grace is a gift of goodwill to yourself and others (working definition, 1/31/2022).
This is a working definition because I too am learning what grace means. Grace is sharing. Grace is showing up. Grace is growing and recognizing that everyone’s a work in progress. Just like flight attendants remind passengers to put your own oxygen mask on first, you too must give yourself grace first (ie time and space). Is the universe (ie, God?) a source of grace? How does one give grace to those who do not reciprocate it and is showing up in kindness worth it? How about giving yourself grace? Have you or I received grace recently? Did you (or I) notice? I’ll be diving into these and other topics as I continue learning.
Certainly, grace has cultural connotations, especially in the religious sphere. “Amazing Grace” is one of my favorite songs. Some folks like to say “Grace” before a meal or event. I also associate grace with dance and two very different, non-religious tunes, Blue October’s “Graceful Dancing” and The National’s “Graceless.”
Humans, young and old, can learn to take time and give space for learning and processing before responding: another definition of grace.
As a marketer at a Montessori school, grace is given as a sign of respect for both self and social-caring. And that’s another reason why this theme for the year resonates with me right now: grace is important work. I don’t know about you, but I’m trying to be kind, starting by giving myself grace first.
What can you, dear reader, expect for this GRACE content? From February through June 2022, I will spend a month on each letter of the word. I will write about applying GRACE to different concepts, with 3-5 words/letter. I’ll start by publishing on February 10th, such as the merits of giving and receiving grace to Goals, God, Grounding, Groups, Grief, Guilt, Gratitude, etc.
Some self-expectations: I will do my best to publish about GRACE on any day of the month that ends in 0, AKA every 10 days. While I’ve done weekly blogging before, I grew tired of the ritual. I’ve tried “beat” blogging, such as Corona Diaries (looking back on those posts from 2020, that sounds like a Beer Bible. Since I’m from WI, that sounds neat, but that “beat” was more about my struggles and successes that came from self-isolation, and beer was sometimes involved!)
In addition, I will try to post 1-3 pictures/post. I’ve found photos share context, give room to this sea of white space, and let me play with my graphic design skills, if I so choose. Today’s pics are from tree climbing and hiking at a park near my house after work today. This park has become a safe space to meditate before writing, which led to this very post. Much like grace, it has become a shared space for me to show to companion(s).
I almost always gain a new perspective from tree-climbing. 
Minutes and a mile later, it’s dark.
I have not decided if I will also publish each post to my socials, but I am posting this very article to IG/FB and maybe LI, so that’s something, right? I recommend bookmarking my website OR just returning on the 10th, 20th, or 30th for a new GRACE post!
Finally, this is a safe space, and comments are absolutely encouraged. How do you define grace? Do you have a word for the year? Climb any trees lately? I hope I’ll (virtually) see you on February 10th with my next dive into GRACE!
I love your post. By the grace of God go I. It keeps me humble and states I live by God’s power. This phrase implies I cannot expect others to measure up to my expectations. Who am I to judge or question other people? It is a reminder to look at myself, how I want to live my life and the values I set to live by.
Thank you for this lovely comment, Cathy! Cool quote, too: it’s a great reminder that God comes first, then me, then other people, all while trying to reflect/understand/believe throughout the process that is life. I agree about abiding by your own standards first. I write a lot about habits and expectations on this website. I too try to hold my self-standards and beliefs high, such as surrounding myself with good people like you. You might be interested in this post from April 2021: https://kaylielongley.com/raise-expectations-for-yourself/
I can relate to a lot of the things you stated in your April 2021 post. I’ve always been a self-starter motivated by the actions I take by being involved in my church when COVID numbers are low, work, connecting with family and friends, working out etc. This makes me feel complete. It’s not for everyone, but it works for me.
I like how you said you feel ‘complete’ when you contribute, Cathy. I feel more aligned when I’ve used my skills to help multiple causes. This has caused burnout in the past, and so I am working on becoming more AWARE when I’ve said, “yes” too many times. Thank you for sharing your experiences, thoughts, and feelings with me, Cathy!
Beautifully written and expressed, my dear friend ❤️
I’m sticking with “restore” for my 2022 word (Psalm 23). I cannot restore my soul, but God can. And I know that He wants to be the hand-in-hand friend to walk through this journey with me. I am looking forward to reading more grace posts!
Thank you so much for your kindness and wisdom, dear Krista! Only God can truly “restore” your spirit. Your soul comes from God. Acknowledging that is HUGE (and difficult). I wrote about grappling with God as the source yesterday – here’s my second grace post: https://kaylielongley.com/grace-and-grounding-and-going/