Hey there, it’s been a while. It’s partially because life has been chaotic and partially because I’ve been trying to figure out exactly what I want to write. The combination of the two has always been a complete motivation killer. I can’t say I’m entirely motivated yet, but I miss having a place to be. And with the ridiculousness of what’s going on here in the States and the general upheaval that we’re most likely all about to experience here on top of what life has thrown me, well…
Let’s just say now is a good time for me to make a return.
To start things off, I want to bring back something I used to do for a very long time: participate – to some degree – in One Little Word. One Little Word is a project by Ali Edwards where you pick one word in January to help guide you through your year. It’s a single word that you focus and reflect on, and for many people, including myself, it helps guide you on a creative journey. The best part of all of this is that there’s no right or wrong way of participating in this project because it’s all about you, and that’s something I need to do a little more of. I’ve spent much of my life living for other people, and while I’ve made strides in living for myself, I need to do a little more of that. In the past, I’ve used words like “hope” and “create,” but this year, I’m going for something a little bit stronger.
This year’s word, and the first word that I’ve chosen in years, is:
Determination.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of determination in the way I’m using the word is:
a : the act of deciding definitely and firmly
also : the result of such an act of decision
b : firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end
I had considered just using the word “determined,” but determination feels right. However, there’s a strong possibility that I’ll switch back and forth between determined and determination. Determination just feels all-encompassing to me, whereas determined feels like a singular entity. I’m sure that makes absolutely no sense to anyone else, but it makes sense to me.
Some things I would like to do this year are get myself in a much better headspace, take strides in creating the life I have imagined, and become more consistent and intentional in my online and offline presence.
I want to create a community again. I had one for a while ago, but as life has moved on, a lot of us have dropped off. I would like to bring that back, but better.
I want to travel more. I would love to visit at least one new city and take a solo weekend trip somewhere. I want to experience more of the world and continue to educate myself on different places and their history. I want to visit local places I’ve looked at for a long time so that I can finally say, “Hey, I’ve been there!” after talking about it for ages.
I would love to get back into content creation overall. I loved streaming back when I was on Twitch and would love to do that again. I loved my time on YouTube. I would love to be able to return to sharing cozy games and whatever other content I feel like sharing all over again.
I would also really love to finish writing two novels that I have been working on for a very long time and attempt to potentially finish a third. I know it’s doable, considering I’ve written much longer works in shorter amounts of time, but I need to start setting aside the time to do so. I haven’t been very good at doing that.
This is just a very small list of things that I am determined to do. And while I’m not entirely sure what the word “determination” will look like for me at the end of this year, I hope that I can make myself proud.
Do you have a word to live by this year? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time.
Want to join a new community devoted to long distance relationships? Join the XO From Abroad Discord or stop by the XO From Abroad Facebook Group!
Def know about the chaotic part, ngl, I’ve been there in 2024 as well!
The one-word-challenge sounds fun, though. Curious on how it might change and what it’ll turn into at the end of the year!