Writers, Start 2024 Off Strong with One Word

by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

How’s your December going, my friends?

If you’re like me, the last month of 2023 showed up a lot quicker than you expected. And there are only 22 days left until 2024 arrives!

Each one of us could look back over our shoulder at the past 12 months and recall personal and professional ups and downs. Joys and disappointments. Answered and not yet answered prayers. 

With the new year approaching, this is also the time of year when we ponder personal and professional resolutions.

It’s also when I wave my arms and yell, “Stop!” about doing the whole resolution tradition. Making the “I will” and the “I won’t” list seems so positive—until you lose the list in February and can’t remember half the things you wrote down.

There’s an alternative to starting the new year off right without making a list of goals:

Consider choosing One Word for 2024. 

This will be my 19th year choosing One Word to focus on for 365 days—and never once have I lost track of what word I chose as the days, weeks, and months progressed. You can misplace a list of resolutions, but one word? Almost impossible to lose track of a single word. Even more important, God has used the process of focusing on one word to change me in significant ways that influence all areas of my life. 

Some of my One Words have been: 

• Gratitude
• Hope
• Kindness
• Trust
• Confidence
• Inheritance

Last year, my One Word was “pray”—the verb, not the noun “prayer,” because praying is active. This quote by Mother Teresa inspired me: “God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” 

This was only the third time I’ve repeated a One Word from the previous year. I also repeated the One Word “forgiveness” and the One Word “listen” because as I mulled over my One Word for the coming year, God didn’t move me past the One Word I had focused on the previous year. 

Interested in trying One Word in the new year? 

Four Tips to Choose Your One Word for 2024

1. Pray about your One Word. God usually provides me with a scripture verse that anchors me to my One Word.
2. Be attentive for a visual. I’ve used a photo or some sort of graphic to remind me of my One Word. I’ve also worn a necklace or bracelet engraved with my One Word. 
3. Dive into your One Word. Consider reading books related to your One Word. The year I focused on the One Word gratitude, I incorporated a gratitude journal. 
4. Read My One Word by authors Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen. This is a helpful resource to learn how to choose One Word. I also recommend checking out their website, My One Word. It’s motivating to see One Words other people have chosen.

For 2024, my One Word is “rest.” I’ve been learning about sabbath the last part of this year and want to continue to do so in the coming months. I’d love to know if you focus on One Word each year and if you’ve chosen a word for 2024 or why you prefer to do resolutions.

TWEETABLE

Writers, Start 2024 Off Strong with One Word suggestions from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a  RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, released June 20, 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.