New year, new me!!! You proudly exclaim, as you are stepping away from all of your bad habits of 2016, and into your fresh self of 2017. You are surely going to go to the gym twice a day, every day. Soda? Ew! You are also going to read at least 100 books this year, even though you don't like reading at all.

New Years Resolutions are a way that people over the years have made leaps and bounds towards the person that they really want to be. The only problem with New Years Resolutions is that they last maybe 2 weeks. You get to lunch with friends and that Coke sounds so good, and then suddenly you are excusing yourself for drinking soda again. Life gets hard and you don't go to the gym, but by the time June runs around, you forget all about this "important resolution".

What if you could use 2017 to work on one word that helped your growth and development? One word that made you who you wanted to be. I did this last year, and you would be surprised how one word resonates with you throughout the year. My word was "intentional" because I honestly felt that I was not being intentional enough with my time or relationships. This has sparked many nights of reflection and conversations with people who I know have my best interest in mind. I truly think that this one word can be a good basis for your 2017, but not everybody can be the same. Below, I have a list of words that would make good words to live by in 2017, but there are so many words out there. My hope is that this list inspires you to reflect on your life and think of a word that would be the most beneficial to you and your life.

1. Authenticity

I love this one because it feels like we live in such a superficial world. People crave authenticity, yet they fail to offer it. You see, authenticity is the purest form of showing your values. So if you find yourself being superficial with those closest to you, or even to everybody, this may be a good one for you.

2. Grace

We have all been burned, some of us more than others. It is so easy to hold grudges against people and burn bridges to avoid confrontation, but where it the love in that? If you find yourself struggling with grace and forgiveness, this one may be a good word for you to focus on.

3. Still

I'm an anxious soul. I try to control things that are not in my control, and manipulate people into thinking I am in control. It's cruel, it hurts me. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the world." Let this be a reminder to us that we are not the ones in control on this world. Our heavenly Father is in control and wants us to be still and trust in Him.

4. bold

Maybe you struggle with being bold. You are perfectly content on the outside of decisions, and you don't mind when your voice isn't heart. Be bold. This is a good one to focus on if you are trying to get out of your comfort zone for the betterment of your life.

5. Cultivate

Maybe you possess several skills. You are kind, you're good at talking to people, you are personable and you show passion in everything you do. But you feel like you aren't using your gifts to their maximum ability. Cultivating your gifts is something that seems very easy, but can be a harder route to take as it takes you away from your comfort zone.

6. Simple

Life is hectic. You are all over the place and a lot of people wonder how exactly you do it. You are becoming overwhelmed with all of these earthly things. Keep it simple. Take a step back and focus on the beautiful simplicity of your life.

7. Cherish

Sometimes we take the people in our life for granted. Other times it's the memories or the experiences. We have to learn to cherish people and moments because we don't know when the last moment will be. This is a big one for me, because I think that we can get so caught up in social media that we are failing to cherish the time spent with those closest to us.

8. Seek

Whatever it may be, seek it. Whether it is a career path that you are on, or maybe it's a relationship with Jesus Christ. If there is a void in your heart that can only be filled by a particular item or relationship, seek it. please.

9. Wonder

You want to be creative, you want to come up with cool new ideas and be on the front line of innovation. Let your mind wonder. Take away whatever may be holding you back and allow your mind to do it's thing.

10. Humble

Maybe you are AMAZING, but your ego is getting in the way of any further personal development. Identifying that and taking steps towards being more humble is an excellent goal for the new year

11. Love

I can be quick to anger. It's hard to realize that everybody else has their personal issues, just like you. If somebody cut me off on the highway, I wouldn't be proud of the things to come out of my mouth. We have to learn how to love people, and not just the ones close to us. We have to learn how to love strangers, please.

12. Find

Whether it be finding Jesus or finding yourself, there is something you need to find. So, what's holding you back? 2017 is a great time to pursue whatever it may be. Don't let anything stop you.

13. Listen

We are so quick to talk, but so hesitant to listen. I like this one a lot because it not only benefits us, but also the people around us. People want somebody who will listen and be wholeheartedly present, not somebody who will take your problem and twist it into a personal story. Not everybody needs fixing, they just want somebody to listen.

14. Passion

Passion essentially drives everything we do. Without passion, we are just rolling through the motions. Whether it be a job, a hobby, school, or whatever else... Find passion in it. Find passion in something that sets your soul on fire. This one could be great, very great.

15. Intentional

I chose this one last year because I could tell that I wasn't being very intentioned al with my time and relationships. This changed me for the absolute better, and sparked a lot of conversations with myself about my motives in relationships and friendships. I would 10/10 recommend this one if you are looking for growth in your relationships.

16. Change

This one is more broad, but also very impacting. Whether it be changing a bad habit that had once held you down, or maybe being the change that you wish to see in this world. You can change. You can be the change. Recognizing this and making decisions to change your behavior or mindset is a lot harder than you may have thought.

17. Hustle

This is one for you ambitious people. I'm not talking about drug hustling (i think that may be a thing??) I'm talking about pursing your goal steadfastly and not letting anything get in the way. Hustle hard.

18. Enjoy

This one relates to "cherish." But you have to learn how to enjoy things. You can't always control your situation, but you can control your reaction. Enjoy the little things in life. Enjoy life itself. Enjoy the people in it. Maybe you are focusing too much on what isn't in your life that you don't think about what is in your life. Enjoy it.

19. Surrender

This one is more specific. Maybe you have been holding onto guilt, sorrow, shame, or whatever it may be. Maybe it is finally time that you surrender those things to Jesus. He died so that we, as humans, could cast our fears, anxieties, and problems on Him. Maybe 2017 is the year that you should surrender your life to Him and start living for Him rather than yourself.

20. Welcome

Some people are very inviting, others are not. Some of us need to focus on being more welcoming to people because we don't realize the impact we are having on them. We have to welcome people into our lives and create a safe environment for them to belong. As Christ-followers, we are called to be His disciples and bring people into the Kingdom, but how can we do that if we push all of those people away?