2016’s word was Respect (you can read that post here). 2017’s word was Patience (you can read about that here). I am joining the Friday Five 2.0 from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy to share why Believe is my 2018 word.
Oddly, I didn’t give Patience must thought in 2017. I didn’t even remember that it was my word for the year; usually I do keep that word in my thoughts. I feel that at time I did a good job with Patience, and at other times, I failed miserably with it. On the running front, though, I found my last point in last year’s post highly interesting:
It takes a #holotta patience to keep training, without seeing results, knowing that someday that training will pay off. But it’s worth it. It’s so totally worth it.
Because yes, 2017 was the year that years and years of training and disappointing races (and let’s not forget my first year with Coach Rachel) paid off. In spades! Yes, I wrote the paragraph above after my big PR at PCB, but before all the subsequent PRs of 2017.
You just have to believe. And let’s get right to why Believe is my word for 2018.
I need to believe in myself
I definitely suffered from poor self esteem growing up. And as most creative people, I tend to believe that I’m not good enough.
One of my favorite mantras is:
What the mind believes, the body achieves
I need to believe in the plan Coach Rachel creates for me
I was a little scared when Coach Rachel @ Runningonhappy had me running more weekly miles than I was used to last year. The last time I’d run that much, I ended up injured.
No injuries for 2017 and a #holotta PRs. Just believe in the plan!
I need to believe anything is possible
I was very surprised at some of the PRs I earned in 2017. While I do best when I don’t put a whole lot of pressure on myself to PR — trust me, I know how funny that sounds, but it’s true — I also need to believe in the plan, and believe that my body can definitely surprise me.
I need to believe everything will fall into place
At the moment I am only signed up for one half in 2018; I wouldn’t have even signed up for that particular race, but it’s part of something else. Yes, that’s what they call a tease. Before 2016 had even come to a close, I was signed up for two of the halfs I ran.
Yet I wasn’t signed up for the other two, and they weren’t even races I had ever even heard about, much less considered. I like to have a plan, but I also truly believe that things happen for a reason.
So while not really having a plan for 2018 yet kind of makes me itchy, I believe that things will work themselves out the way they are supposed to.
I need to believe that I can continue to improve
Is it necessary to improve? No, of course not, but it is also human nature to want to improve. I do believe that given the right day and the right circumstances, I still have a faster half in me.
Some of the races I’m eyeing in 2018 are daunting, and highly unlikely to be a PR. The one I’m already signed up for? It won’t be an easy race, but it won’t be at elevation or killer inclines, either.
Even without a plan, I believe that 2018 can be a great year filled with new challenges to conquer, more fun with friends, and yes, hopefully more hiking, too!
Talk to me. Leave a comment or answer a question:
Do you have a word for 2018?
Did you have a word for 2017 — and did it guide you?
What do you believe 2018 holds for you?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
I think you learned that you can push yourself and once you go beyond your comfort zone, the sky is the limit!
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I mostly don’t doubt what I can do — but there are things I know I can do, but don’t want to.
But I’m eyeing some scary races . . . again. We will be in negotiations the next week & a half as Mr. Judy is off until next year.
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My 2017 word was RELAX. And yes it did guide me.
No coach, no plans, no drills, paces, etc. Just run for fun.
We are opposite on the running front. I do and did not BELIEVE that I had or have faster half or 5k times in me. That’s why I am so surprised when a PR happens.
2018? Not sure yet. It may be SURVIVE. It will be my first full year of travel on this job which is sucking the life out of me. Good thing I don’t worry about my miles or paces.
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I like RELAX. SURVIVE can be a good word too. I hope your life-sucking job is rewarding in some way at least. 😉
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Um…hotel points to be used for race-cations!!
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There you go — that’s definitely a positive spin!
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Usually my word does guide me but not last year. Not sure why.
How about Thrive instead of Survive? It always helps to put a positive spin on a bad situation. And you never know, something good may come along.
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Wining the lottery so I can get a job that I enjoy. I would never not work but less travel would be nice.
Survive is positive. As opposed to sink or quit.
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But thrive is a much more positive spin. Do you buy lottery tickets? 😉
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Nope but my hubby always does. Thrive is doing well due to the obstacles. Traveling. LONG hours and never being home prevents me from eating well, sleeping well and RUNNING where & when I want. Thrive is not realistic. Goals should be realistic.
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Thrive can be realistic — it’s a mindset. If you believe you can’t you won’t. There are solutions for most (not all) problems — doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it does mean you have to be open & willing to change up what you do. Again,not easy.
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This was the first year I really picked a word, and it worked well for me. Believe is a good one. I’m thinking of Family, which is odd with an empty nest, but that just means I need to make more of an effort to remind my kids how important they are to us and family is to them. 😉
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It usually works well for me, too, and I’ve been doing it quite a few years now.
I’m betting I keep believe more in the front of my mind than I did patience (probably because patience isn’t always easy to come by).
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I’ve never done the Word of the year thing because I would probably forget it half way through…haha. I think for me, I would be better off picking a word to describe the year I already had!
Can’t wait to see what 2018 has in store for you!
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Most of the time I do remember my word & it guides me throughout the year. This year was the first year it really didn’t! Maybe because it was a very busy year.
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Last year my word was focus and I was pretty good about it for most of the year. Like you, I can really get into my head and doubt my abilities. You made a ton of progress this year
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Focus is definitely a good one! It’s so easy to get distracted in this day & age.
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Great word! It’s so important to believe in ourselves, and it’s amazing what we can do when that happens 🙂
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You are so right! Thanks.
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I love that word and this post. I often have a hard time believing in my capabilities and I’m always working on changing that (definitely a work in progress).
My word for this year is appreciate. 2017 was a hard year in terms of the political climate, etc, so I really try to appreciate all the good things in my life.
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Great word, too, Kim! Although I was not a Trump supporter, I respect the office and hoped that things would turn out better. Right now I’m pretty disgusted with all of that, and not too long ago I did restart my habit of writing down things I am grateful for each day. It helps!
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I didn’t pick any words last year but I did list a couple goals. I only achieved one- I ran more trail races!
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It’s weird, I don’t usually do great on the goals. I don’t think about them. Unless it’s a goal race . . .
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My theme for last year was that I wanted to focus more on fun than finish times…and I do think I succeeded. I spent so much of 2016 chasing PR’s (sometimes subconsciously) that a lot of the Love of Running was lost. I’m not a competitive “racer,” so trying to act like one was such a fail. Totally not my gig. Like you, though, I seem to do so much better (speed-wise) when I’m not focusing on it.
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You seem to be a pretty good racer to me! But we’re all different & we have to know what works for us.
Merry Christmas, Kim!
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“What the mind believes, the body achieves” is one of my faves as well. Everything happens for a reason. You had an amazing 2017. Planning shmanning, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for you in 2018!
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Well, hoping to get to a little bit of planning in the next few days. It’s a collaborative effort. 🙂
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This is a good one Judy! Believe is the perfect word for me right now and on into 2018. For me, it’s so much easier to believe on others than it is to believe in myself. This marathon is testing that to the fullest!
You did have an incredible year. congratulations and best wishes for a healthy and fun 2018 filled with more PR’s!!
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Well, I believe in you, too. And once you’ve tackled that beast, you just never know what will happen. A lot of people say one & done but it seems to rarely work that way (because of course we can always do better!).
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🤔🤔🤔Hmmm…
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I BELIEVE in you Judy and that great things are going to happen for you in 2018!!
It’s crazy reading your post this evening, I was thinking of words this morning, not sure why because I have never done this, but ELIMINATE came to mind – the good kind!! I will actually get to co-habitate with my husband in three weeks!! We have only been together mainly on weekends and holiday the last three years. Knowing that he will be moving in, I need to eliminate all excess, unnecessary stuff. And eliminate all unnecessary purchases that just create more stuff. I have no intentions of eliminating anyone, you know like take them out, you know what I mean!!!
Merry Christmas to you and Mr. Judy!!
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Aww, thanks, Jodi. I hope you guys have had a great Christmas (really jealous of that weather right now, it’s gonna be REALLY cold here this week).
I can think of other words with a more positive spin, even though your explanation is definitely positive (like, merge comes to mind).
I’m not great at the whole declutter thing. I work at it, a little at a time, all the time, but I also seem to acquire stuff right along with eliminating it. 😦
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Believe is a great word. It implies overcoming doubt. I’m thinking what my word would be. It could be ‘shine’ not in a starry kind of way, but just about being where I am and happy with it. Maybe ‘glow’ would be better – especially with the hot flushes!!!
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Shine is good. I think glow is good, too!
I’m lucky I really don’t suffer much with hot flashes. I get them, occasionally, but not often & they’re always relatively mild.
Tea does seem to be a trigger but I’m not giving that up!
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