Preparing for the Obstacles Ahead

Michelle Nott reflects on how the practice of choosing a word of the year helps her approach a year filled with challenges. 

Choosing a word of the year 

At the beginning of the year, my kids and I like to choose a word of the year using Jen Fulwiler’s word generator. We have been doing that for the past few years, and it has been a fun tradition. Sometimes I like the first word that pops up and will make it my word; other times I click the button a few times until something I like pops up, or I just choose a word on my own. 

This year, I have had a very difficult time coming up with a word that feels right. I am still struggling with choosing one and it’s already well into January! Each word I come up with doesn’t stick with me for very long.  

I think it is because I know that this year is going to be a challenging one for my family, and I have been trying to figure out how to approach it with realistic expectations while still trying to remain positive.  

Our past helps shape us 

I had a similar experience back in 2021. We knew that the year was going to be a difficult one for us as my husband had a military course that took him to a different state for seven months. He left January 2nd that year and we did not see him again until the middle of June, and then he finally came home in July for good.  

All of Christmas break I kept dreading the day he would leave, so I was not really looking forward to the new year. We faced several more challenges that year as well, and let’s just say that I am happy 2021 is in the past. But I am also grateful for the growth that those challenges gave me.  

It is helpful to reflect on years past and realize that even good years for our family were ones that contained challenges. Each year is going to present some difficult times. But we can change our perspective on how we approach them. 

How to start a new year knowing it is going to be hard 

This year, I really want to enter the year more prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead instead of feeling overwhelmed and filled with dread. So how can we enter a year knowing that it is going to be a challenging one?  

One of the words I considered for this year is “joy.” Finding small moments in my day or even my week that bring me joy are ways that I can find the positive parts of life even when things seem overwhelming.  

I also considered “discover” because I know that I am not the same person I was, and I am not going to be the same person at the end of this year that I am now. I want to discover who I am and who God is asking me to be as I am facing the challenges ahead. I want to be able to discover joy in each day and in my life even when things seem hard. 

As I am writing this, I am reminded that this year is declared the Jubilee Year of Hope, and I think it is another great theme for me to consider! Hope that things will turn out okay. Hope that I can strengthen my faith and relationship with God throughout the challenges and remain positive that they are helping shape me into the person I am meant to become.  

I think one of the reasons why I am having trouble deciding on a word of the year that fits is because I know that the year is filled with so many different events and challenges that will change me. One word may fit for a certain time, but another might be better for a different month. I may end up choosing a word of the month instead. 

So, the question remains: how to enter a year knowing that it is going to be a challenging one. I think the best way to do it is to keep moving forward one day (and one prayer) at a time.  

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Copyright 2025 Michelle Nott
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