{"id":5617,"date":"2023-01-07T14:33:21","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T14:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movingforwardcoaching.com\/?p=5617"},"modified":"2023-12-23T16:28:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-23T16:28:10","slug":"leading-with-my-heart-my-word-for-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movingforwardcoaching.com\/leading-with-my-heart-my-word-for-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading With My Heart: My “Word” for the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Life Coaching Tip:<\/em> Having a \u201cword\u201d to serve as your North Star for the year will help direct your decisions and guide your steps. If you haven\u2019t picked your \u201cword\u201d yet, I encourage you to do so, even if you\u2019re reading this in July! Your word will provide you with clarity and focus to stay the course as you move forward in the direction of your dreams.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

———————————<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the start of each year, I define my goals for the year, and I choose a word to sum up my intentions and guide me. This year, my decision was easy, because the universe seemed to plop my word in my lap in the late fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On one particular day, I was bombarded with hearts . . . to the extreme that coincidence was easily ruled out and synchronicity was apparent! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It started early that morning with a heartfelt text message of gratitude from my sister-in-law, seemingly out of the blue, laden with a stream of her signature purple hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that morning, a card arrived from a former client, with a big, beautiful heart on the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the afternoon, a gift from my life coach was delivered to my doorstep . . . a pink, heart-shaped, rose quartz to promote love, peace, and serenity.

And finally, it took me a minute to realize this one, but when I did\u2014my mind was blown! In the evening, I received a text message late in the day from a former client whom I hadn\u2019t heard from in years, offering me complimentary tickets to see Ann Wilson in concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you wondering how Ann Wilson fits in? Well, she\u2019s the main singer in the band, HEART!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how the word \u201cheart\u201d came into my awareness over the past few months and made it an obvious top contender for my \u201cword of year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision was then solidified during my last session with my coach, when I made the commitment to release ALL that is no longer serving me in my coaching practice. I\u2019ve decided to let go of anything that feels burdensome, unpleasant, or resistant, and fully embrace the many aspects of my business that bring me joy and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, I\u2019ve decided this year to passionately \u201clead with my HEART\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now that I\u2019ve given you this background information, here is where this story begins . . . .<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve made it a new practice this year to spend time during my morning walks reflecting on all that I love. If you have never intentionally done this, I highly recommend it\u2014as a way to nourish your mind, body, and soul\u2014and create the kind of grateful, positive energy that will attract more of the same back to you.

And so, this is what I was doing one morning as my pup, Ginger, and I were sloshing along the wet trails of the Lake Erie Bluffs after a rain spell. I was thinking about my vow to lead with my heart, sending love out to the world, and feeling a sense of peace and gratitude as a result.

A bit into our walk, Ginger and I ran into a friend, Thom, whom we\u2019ve gotten to know over the past year\u2014someone whom we see almost daily, as Thom and his dog, Arlo, are dedicated walkers, no matter the weather, just like us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thom and I often joke that we should have more rights to the park, since most of the other park guests are \u201cfair-weather friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our conversations are always light and friendly, but short, as one would be with an acquaintance passing by at the park.

On this day, I asked Thom where he had been the day before, which was a morning that Ginger and I were caught in a torrential downpour that left us both soaked.  Thom told me that he had been with his family\u2014his wife, daughter, and grandchildren\u2014at Disney World, and they had just returned the night before.

\u201cOh, that\u2019s awesome! How was it?\u201d I asked.

Thom told me that although they had a great time, he was involved in an altercation with another Disney guest who punched him in the chest! 

As it turns out, Thom accidently bumped into the man\u2019s young daughter in a crowded area and the man assaulted him in a flash. Thom said he had a huge black-and-blue mark on his chest as a result.

This made my blood boil!

\u201cI hope you reported him to security and had him arrested!\u201d I said.

Thom told me that a Disney employee had witnessed the whole thing and intervened immediately. Although they wanted to throw the man out of the park, Thom didn\u2019t have the heart to let that happen. 

Instead, he asked for permission to talk to the child and apologize, explaining that he would never push her intentionally.  He also warned the man that if he didn\u2019t get control of his anger, the consequences the next time would likely be dire.

Thom knew if he allowed security to evict this man from the park, it would further ruin the child\u2019s experience\u2014and he didn\u2019t want that to happen.

Oh, how Thom\u2019s compassion spoke to my heart!

\u201cYou\u2019re such a good person, Thom. I hope to learn from your example,\u201d I said. \u201cThe Italian mama inside of me wanted to head to Disney and punch that guy out myself when I first heard your story.  Gosh, you\u2019re amazing!\u201d

\u201cWell, I\u2019ve gone through a lot in my life, and I\u2019ve learned,\u201d he said.  \u201cI had a brother who was mentally ill, and I learned many lessons in compassion and patience as a result.\u201d

That\u2019s when it clicked.

Whoa.

\u201cThom, what was your brother\u2019s name?\u201d I asked.

He looked at me with a bit of confusion, clearly wondering why I was asking.

\u201cJohn,\u201d he answered.

BOOM!

\u201cThom, it\u2019s me!  It\u2019s Tracy! Do you remember me?  I was John\u2019s mental health case worker back in the day!\u201d I shouted.

Tears streamed down Thom\u2019s face before he even answered.  \u201cTracy! Yes, of course, Tracy!\u201d

Soon we were both crying, laughing, hugging, and squealing in amazement! 

We\u2019d passed by one another so many times over the course of the year, casually chit-chatting and learning miscellaneous facts about each other-like both of our spouses are Lithuanian, but never had we realized our connection!

And then came the reminiscing . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n


I was Thom\u2019s brother\u2019s case manager about 15 years ago, and I adored both of these men.  Like many people living with schizophrenia, John suffered from delusional thoughts and voices that often made him fearful and paranoid. But he also had delusions of grandeur, and he delighted in telling me tales of his wealth and fame-often generously offering to buy his favorite case worker a castle or two.

John was a kind, gentle soul who loved cactus plants, animals, and rock-and-roll music. Also, he had an eye for fashion.

But caring for John was challenging, so when I was first assigned to work with him, I reached out to his brother, who was his guardian at the time, to team up and offer my support. Thom said I was the first mental health provider in all the years to make such an offer, and he gladly accepted my assistance. 

Truly, the pleasure was all mine, as the bond between these two brothers was beyond inspirational\u2014and John\u2019s shenanigans often required a team effort and a decent sense-of-humor to manage. 

Sadly, John passed away in 2010.

I wholeheartedly believe it was John\u2019s spirit that reconnected us that morning.  Thom said he was just having breakfast with another of his brothers earlier in the day\u2014sharing memories about John. 

I sure hope the warm hug Thom and I shared after our realization helped to heal the black-and- blue bruise on his chest from Disney, because it certainly impacted my heart in a powerful way.

These reminders in life that we\u2019re not alone in all of this fill me with the kind of wonder, joy, and love that gives me goosebumps.

And that\u2019s why I\u2019m sharing it with you today, my friend.  I hope you can feel it too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

__________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you chosen your Word of the Year yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not, I encourage you to do this because your word can help bring clarity and focus into your new year. It can serve as your North Star to direct your decisions and guide your steps, so you can live more intentionally. 

As you\u2019ve probably heard me say before, we believe what we tell ourselves.  I mean, your subconscious mind is taking notes 24\/7. 

And since your thoughts create your outcomes, it just makes sense to choose a Word of the Year that will steer your thoughts in the direction of your dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can then refer to your word for guidance and inspiration when you\u2019re making decisions in the months to come or when you need to choose your next step forward.

How to choose your Word of the Year:<\/strong>

There\u2019s no way to get this wrong, and so if a word just pops into your head that feels right to you, go with it! 

However, if nothing comes to you immediately, here are some steps you can take to get started . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Reflect on the previous year. Briefly list what went well for you and what you would like to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Review your lists, and ask yourself these questions . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n