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Words Have Power

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Picking Your Word for 2025


When my oldest son was born, my husband and I picked a few words to speak over him at bedtime every night. We chose simple concepts with deep meaning.  We hoped the repetition and intention would plant seeds in him that would one day yield a person who was grounded, confident and capable. We trusted God would take our words and use them to help turn our son into the person that he was to become.

 

Each night we say to him:

 

“We love you, we are proud of you, and we believe in you.”

 

We now have three sons, and we say it to all of them individually. Our 4-year-old even repeats it back to us each night before we leave their room. It has become a bedtime blessing from us to them, from them to us.

 

“We love you. We are proud of you. We believe in you.”

 

Words are powerful. They really matter.

 

We can say up to thousands of words in one day offhandedly, giving them almost no thought at all. We can also say a few phrases with power and intention, and they make a huge difference. Phrases like, “I do. I’m sorry. I can’t. I can.”

 

As leaders, let us understand the power of words. Let us understand that what we say makes a difference. With words we can build others up, shine light in dark spaces, speak encouragement, share passion and vision, dispel doubt, conquer fears and bolster a team.

 

We can also become better.

 

As we begin a new year, allow me to encourage you to pick your word and claim its power over your year. This is a word that you feel rumbling inside of you. It’s already there. You know it’s something that you need to work on, you’ve witnessed yourself already wrestling with it. Maybe you’ve even started changing in that direction, but now it’s time to declare it.

 

For Patrick, in 2024 it was, “consistency” and in 2023 it was, “urgency.”

 

For me, it was, “with joy” (two words, yes) and before that, “stay.”  

 

These words mark intention. They declare growth. They anchor us. As the clock ticks on and we are plunged headfirst into another year, we can take this word and allow it to ground our work, our home and our lives.

 

It’s time to pick your word.

 

Here are a few steps to take:

 

Sit Quietly.

 

Sit in a spot that is pleasing to you. It could be a sunny spot near a window, or your favorite chair next to the hearth. It could also be in the driver’s seat of your car if that’s where you find you have a moment. Think about your word but let your thoughts roam freely. Ponder your past year and the one to come. Note your accomplishments and dream about where you want to be in the coming years. After a few minutes, you’ll start to see a few words emerge. Write them down somewhere and look at them, slowly pinpointing which one might be right for 2025.

 

Carry it with you.

 

Have a couple conversations with others about your word. Talk to your spouse or a co-worker. Listen to what you have to say about it. This will help you clarify what it means to you. If you are considering a few different words, then talk about all of them, discarding them if they don’t seem like the right fit for the year.
 

Decide.

 

You may not have absolute clarity. That’s okay. Move forward with a word and your decision will clarify it. The energy and intention that you put toward your word will shape you in that direction and will create that growth. You need not wrestle over the “right” word, there really is no such thing.

 

Post it.

 

You need to see your word regularly. Let it be a reminder and a friend. Put it on your bathroom mirror, in the center console of your car and in your office. The more you interact with your word, the more it will guide you as the year barrels on and you find yourself in the thick of it, making decisions, taking risks, starting new things, working on your relationships, pushing for success and resting. It will permeate the spheres that matter, and it will help you to grow.

 

My oldest son is now in third grade. At his most recent conference, his teacher told us that he’s a joy to have in her classroom. She said he seems to know who he is and to love his life and his family. While there are many parenting factors at play in that significant feedback, I know that the words we have spoken over him have certainly attributed to it.

 

So, now is the time. Pick your word. Declare it over your year. Be the leader that you intend to be.

 

Happy New Year!


Author: Ashley Buenger 

 

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