val·ue

noun (google define)

1. 1.

   the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

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2. 2.

   a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.

Ever heard of something called My One Word? Well, neither did I until the beginning of last year. When I first heard about My One Word, I didn't think too much about it. If I'm being completely honest, I didn't really think about it at all. I thought it was a cute concept and that it was a good way for people to be motivated to change themselves, but that was pretty much it. I was hesitant to dig deeper into its meaning and just left it at that. It took a couple months into the new year before my curiosity got the best of me and I began to investigate a little more into what this whole "My One Word" thing was all about. After doing a little more digging, I came to the conclusion that My One Word was probably the most ingenious way to practically make improvements in your life that'll transform your future. You're probably thinking, "Woah now, that's a little drastic - going from not thinking anything about it to thinking that it can change your life," which I would simply reply, "Yeah, I know." All I can really say is that I gave it a chance and it worked, so my perspective has been changed. 

Now, you're probably wondering what My One Word is, right? The simplest way to explain it would be to offer it to you as a process so here it goes: 

Step 1: Figure out who you want to be at the end of this year

I know it's February, and this post may seem to be coming a little late but it's never too late to make some positive adjustments to your life. Determine what kind of person you wish to be at the end of this year and let that inspiration drive you as you pick your word and begin to transform your life. 

Step 2: Make note of the qualities you would find in that person

You have a vision of who you want to be at the end of the year which is great, but what exactly does that mean? What do those characteristics consist of and what changes need to be made to mold into that person?

Step 3: Pick your word

As you set a goal for the person you want to be at the end of the year, pick one word that will help get you there. Even if you get stuck between two words, narrow it down to one and let that be your focus for the year. It'll not only help you get to where you want to be, but it will also transform your daily life in ways you can't imagine. 

A statement from myoneword.org says that choosing a word "will provide you with a lens to see the changes you need to make as well as a way to determine whether or not change is actually happening." I can attest from experience that that statement is true and will give you the push you need to become the person you wish to be towards the end of the year. Let your one word motivate you to improve the areas of your life that you feel are struggles or weaknesses, and you'll see a better you by the end of the year! 

The word value holds a lot of meaning to me and I chose it because I feel that it is an area of my life where I struggle the most. I tend to look for my value in others and let others' opinions affect the way I feel about myself. This year I want to focus on MY value, my actual value, not the ideas and opinions that others have formed about me. My main goal at the end of this year is to understand my value without the influence of what others may think my value is. Along with knowing the value in myself, I also hope to take more value in daily things such as time [spent with others], the beauty of a new day, and even monotonous things such as tests and homework (I'm serious!). I hope to find the beauty and blessings in each day and really find more value in things that I often take for granted. I hope that, as my friends read this post, they will encourage me to become a better me and help me to remember my one word on days when I'm feeling discouraged. And I hope to do the same for you as you take the journey in picking a word and transforming your life in 2014. 

For more information on My One Word, you can visit www.myoneword.org or follow @myoneword on Twitter. 

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

The age old question. We've been asked that question since we've been old enough to talk and I find myself today, as a 21 year old college student, still being asked that same question. Only now it usually comes in the form of "What's your major and what are your career aspirations?" Every time I get asked that question I want to curl up in a shell and pray the person walks away. But, in my attempt to not be a coward, I usually respond with some bogus answer that will make them think highly of me and make me think that I actually have a plan and know what I'm doing. Although I usually fool them, I can't fool myself. I was actually honest with someone the other day who asked, "So, what do you want to do after college?" in which I replied, "I'm not sure." Well that didn't really seem to impress him as he went on to tell me about how I need to "hurry up and figure things out" and how "my daughter knew what she wanted to do her freshman year of high school" and so on and so forth until I smiled and agreed with him of how wonderful his daughter is and how I need to get my life together. Conversations like that just always make me wonder why I haven't figured it out yet and I'm always left feeling guilty for not knowing. Because I'm 21 years old and I should have my life figured out by now, right? I should've had it figured out in high school when I was applying to colleges, or actually before that, sophomore year when I was deciding what to do my senior project on, or maybe even before that, in middle school when I was being told I needed to work harder so I can excel in high school and get into college so I can secure a job that I'm not even sure I want...yeah, a job I'm not even sure I want. I don't know where we got caught up in obtaining the "American Dream" but I'm not even sure I know what that is anymore. If it means going to college so I can have the security of working a 9 to 5 job, then I don't want it. If we truly live in the land of opportunity, then we can't only give one option when it comes to having a successful life. We need to allow room for dreams and give people a chance to pursue them without mocking or ridicule. The last thing someone wants to hear when sharing their dreams with someone is, "Yeah, good luck with that." Let's motivate one another to pursue whatever it is we want to do, whether that be to go to college and chase after a career or whether it be something completely different. No matter what you choose, however, neither one is the right or wrong way. Not attending college and pursuing dreams of mine may be completely wrong to someone else, but maybe to me it's the right thing to do and no one has the authority to tell me otherwise. Let's be a generation who encourages one another to follow our hearts instead of following a system. There's so much happiness and freedom that can be found in following your heart and going after what you love, and I refuse to live my life in any other way.