My Word of the Year 2018

For most of us, the beginning of a new year offers the opportunity to plan and dream. However, my goals for a new beginning are quite often overly ambitious and become less of a plan and more of a dream. I've seen the idea of choosing a word of the year and it looks like fun. I like to read a word of the day and have a dictionary app on my phone. Even one word a day can be one word too many though on some days.

Learning new vocabulary is fun and as I read once paraphrased; "Learning the vocabulary of a subject is the beginning of mastery of  a subject". Vocabulary learning can in some ways provide a bit of a shortcut to more in depth learning and understanding. For high school students vocabulary study is suggested as test prep for the biggies, ACT and SAT. It's important to keep talking with one another and using a broad vocabulary with children.

The choice of a personal word of the year isn't really about vocabulary though, it's more about personal growth and awareness. It's an interesting challenge. And I'm taking it on for 2018.
I'm joining in the yearly word idea with my own word of the year. I'll see how far it carries and if there are any interesting results. If you are doing something similar or have in the past, let me know. Was it worthwhile? Fun? Produce any surprising results? What's your word for 2018? Keep reading to see mine.

Symbolic of my word of the year choice and a new found passion.

There are so many interesting ideas and activities. Many of my own interests have been put aside as I've raised my kids. As someone who likes to create, I have lots of back logged projects of art making and sewing. So with the idea to complete a few projects, improve my feelings of accomplishment and reduce my own sense of overwhelm. To learn to practice the art of not being so easily distracted, my word of the year for 2018 is:

Focus

focus

[foh-kuh s] 

 

• Synonyms
• Examples
• Word Origin

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural focuses, foci 

 [foh-sahy, -kahy] (Show IPA)

1.

a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity:

The need to prevent a nuclear war became the focus of all diplomaticefforts.

2.

Physics. a point at which rays of light, heat, or other radiation meetafter being refracted or reflected.

3.

Optics.

1. the focal point of a lens, on which rays converge or from whichthey deviate.
2. the focal length of a lens; the distance from a focal point to acorresponding principal plane.
3. the clear and sharply defined condition of an image.
4. the position of a viewed object or the adjustment of an opticaldevice necessary to produce a clear image:
   in focus; out of focus.

Happy New Word of the Year!