Getting FOCUSED in 2024: Paul's Word For the Year

By Paul Roberts

Time for me to wrap up (and maybe tie a bow on?) my thoughts for my word for 2024.

Here at Grow Me a Story one of the things that Carol and I, your creativity cultivators, like to encourage is taking advantage of the beginning of a new year by finding a way to bring each year into focus. Last year many of us worked on a vision board, and then shared that vision board with our GMAS community.

This year Carol started us off a few blog posts ago with her word for the year, and her plan to perform a positive PURGE and pare down her schedule. Encouraged by her format, I spent the last few weeks refining my thoughts on what it would mean for me to be more FOCUSED in 2024.

FOCUSED: Facing Outward, Calibrating Upward, Savoring Each Day

Facing Outward: My goal to be more focused is admirable, but if I am not careful, my feeling of a need to focus can make me turn too far inward. My introvert side needs to be fed, and last year was too busy. Carol and I want to make sure we don’t take on too much this year, that we narrow our focus. Nevertheless, I also desire to recognize my need to continue to face outward each day. Face outward, toward my Creator, to people and things outside of me, beyond my walls, and into my community. 

Calibrating Upward: As I face outward, I want to be calibrating upward. Calibrate - to carefully assess, set, adjust. This “careful” calibration will need to be done regularly, at times daily, and will likely require some changing of habits. One of my favorite verses of scripture is found in Phillipians 4:8, which reads “ Finally,...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Consider this part of my “positive purge.”   

Savoring Each Day: This is where my introverted soul gets fed. This is the work of my contemplative soul, leading to regular times of inward reflection. Not an inwardness that leads to a self-centered privatism, gratifying only my own needs and desires; but an awareness of self that leads me back to community and a commitment to see the transformation and growth of that community.

I want to point out my very specific word choice in each one of those phrases: facing, calibrating, savoring. That “-ing” ending is my conscious choice. It’s not past tense, just a one and done thought for the year. It is an ongoing process, designed to remind me that my creativity, and living the creative life that the Creator has designed for me, is always and ever “new every morning.”

Here’s to being FOCUSED in 2024.

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Consider this another invitation from Grow Me a Story to share your word or vision board with our community.   

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