Build Deeper- The Quiet Abundance

A New Year’s Resolution

You look at your phone and wait for it to unlock. You mindlessly click to your social media and there it is.  “Can’t wait to leave this year behind.” “This year I’m going to (fill in the blank).” “What a year we had!” 

I always ignore social media this time of the year because people are just weird. Some are hopeful… Some have made big changes and I am genuinely proud of them. Most are either trying to brag and saying they are getting rid of the problems that they actually love having. 

A couple of years ago it was different. I had a friend post just one word- Flourish. This is a dear friend. She is smart and very loving. She is such an encouragement to me, so it’s no wonder that her New Years post has made such an impact on me years later. 

Flourish- grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment. (As defined by Oxford languages) Her goal that year was to grow and develop herself. In motherhood, her career, and as a person. I thought that was the most beautiful New Year’s resolution. It wasn’t necessarily a checklist to accomplish, but a daily goal to grow and be better. 

I decided I would adopt that resolution with her. That evening I wrote “flourish” on my bathroom mirror and kept it there for the entire year. 

It was a daily reminder to blossom. To take what each day has given me and be my absolute best. It was a year of growth and encouragement- and I kept the same “resolution” phrase the next year because of how much I loved how it romanticized each day. 

This year, I’ve had a new word stick out to me. 

Stewardship- the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property.

This year my goal is stewardship. 

Over my relationships- with God, my husband, my kids, my family in Christ, and my friends. 

Over my time- making sure I’m learning and not just doom scrolling. 

Over my resources- money (tied in with time, how to use time and money to make more money… related to the parable of the talents), with the materials I already have (making clothes or things from fabrics I already have, making food with ingredients I already have, trying not to buy new) 

And what money I do spend- adopting the idea of “buy nice or buy twice.” Sorry SHEIN… I’m ready for quality fabrics and to lean into healing my mind and body by wearing real cotton, wool, linen, etc and not plastic. 

I could list all my ideas here, but I’ll stop at this to give a general idea of my thoughts on stewardship. 

My hope is that you find a word you focus on daily to improve and romanticize each day so you can look back at the year end and see actual growth instead of checked (or unchecked) boxes.