It’s been a few years since I choose a Word of the Year (WOTY) to focus my year. I’ve had success with this concept in the past. My first ever, and very successful, WOTY was JOY in 2016 (link here, I still use the morning coffee mug I bought that year – Find Joy in Each Day). Then in 2018 I found SOAR inspiring all year (link here on how I choose that word), and in 2020 RELEASE (link here) made a huge difference in my personal development. Since then, however, I’ve found more success focusing on my retirement lifestyle vision statement with its strong incorporation of putting Positive Psychology into practice:
Active Body, Connected Heart, Creative Spirit, Contemplative Mind.
Mid 2024, it felt like a WOTY “choose me” (link here) with ACCEPTANCE.
Now, with everything that has happened in my life the past three months (link here to my last update on that), It felt right to rethink using a focused WOTY for 2025.
When I read these definitions on PATIENCE, it felt like exactly what I need:
Patience (def): The art of accepting without becoming irritated or anxious; Finding peace and serenity in the process; Accepting circumstances as they are; The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
Irritability seems to be my modus operandi at the moment. The hurricane recovery process on the house is moving at a snail’s pace, of which I have no control. Acceptance of what is seems to be a carryover from 2024!
I found some additional quotes on Patience that resonated (some with citations, some not):
- Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting; that is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow…. That is patience.
- Patience is to be calm no matter what happens, constantly take action to turn it into positive growth opportunities, and have faith to believe that it will all work out in the end while you are waiting. – Roy T. Bennett
- The greatest gifts in life are the one’s worth waiting for.
- Inhale patience, exhale irritability.
- Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
- The secret of patience is to do something else in the meantime.
Therefore, I will practice patience. I will keep going, one day at a time, letting the recovery process unfold at its own pace, perhaps with nudges along the way. I will (really try to) accept what is without becoming irritated. I will continue to have faith that it will all work out. And along the way, I plan to return to living as much as possible my retirement lifestyle vision.
And with that, I’ve put in place a January plan, mostly a return to the things I normally do – cardio drumming, dinners with friends, garden club activities, book clubs, hubby dates. I’ve added in a few things to plan (ladies’ afternoon, finalize spring travel plans), while leaving space for whatever is needed on house recovery – that list still has 16 items on it, many out of my time control – Patience!)
Did you choose a WOTY for 2025?
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My sweet friend, I don’t know anyone who more deserves some grace for perhaps being slightly impatient. Goodness. I am impatient because the dishwasher didn’t start when I pushed the button. Or my phone won’t connect to my earbuds. Real first world issues. You have been through so much. Not just this year, but with the move and adjusting to a completely new life in Florida. Am I remembering correctly that you also lost your mom not long after you moved? God bless you. Just too much. So, in my book you have every reason to be impatient or frustrated or downright angry. But I admire your WOTY choice. And the definitions you provided for patience. It’s not just the waiting that encompass patience, huh? It’s having a good attitude while waiting and there is MY problem!!
Soooo glad to read you are going to return to some ‘normal’ activities. That is going to feel so good!! I love familiarity and routine. I think we need a cardio drumming video. And definitely pictures from dinners with friends, book club meetings and garden club. Hope the first quarter of the year see the paperwork finalized for your home and losses and the beginning of rebuilding. XO
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Leslie, “From your lips to God’s ears” on the beginning of rebuilding!
I am working on patience right now as my builder “forgot” to verify the GEO company, the plumber did half the job on Friday and I hope shows up for the other half on Monday, and I still don’t have timing on the AC guy to remove the AC unit we will be reusing in the new build. Today’s blogs about juggling… those are just a few of the balls in the air! Patience!
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You are a master juggler. Will stop by your blog.
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O MY! You have had quite a year too…I am so sorry for your loss…Loss of your routines, your house and of normalcy….You are also going through a grieving process though you have not lost a loved one….I lost my husband suddenly ( within 5 weeks) to pancreatic cancer in April along with a beloved cousin and a brother in law…3 deaths in the family in less than 4 months…There are 6 stages of Grief… Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance and Hope….I found it interesting that you chose Acceptance for 2024 and Patience for 2025. I chose Hope….But I think I have had a bit more time to go through the process….I am still trying to find out what my new life is going to look like in the future without my husband of 45 years….But I do have HOPE for the future….Thanks for sharing!!
Hugs,
Deb
Debbie-Dabble Blog
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Deb, I am so very sorry for your loss. My dad died of pancreatic cancer and the suddenness of diagnosis to death is so painful.
I am familiar with grief as I just lost my mom last year. I had moved her to Florida to be closer to me as she needed more support as she aged; she passed 24 days suddenly (5 days from symptom to death) after we moved her. I know that this loss (of almost everything we own) is nothing compared to the loss of someone you love. Or the loss of a life you were looking forward to (my mom and I had never lived close to each other since I was an adult.. I was looking forward to mother/daughter outings).
But yes, I recognize I am grieving…too often going into anger! Working on acceptance… but need patience in the recovery! Maybe 2026 will be Hope… or maybe midway through 2025, I can switch. Impatient aren’t i?
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This is one word I was literally thinking about as we traveled through so many airports this holiday season and I honestly thought GOD himself was trying to teach me something. I am just awful at calling on my reserves of patience but can when I really must. It sounds like you have had quite a stressful, life-rocking, world- changing year and I can see where irritation and frustration would take over. I wish you all the best in implementing your WOTY!
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Joanne, I think I’ve reduced travel so much because I really don’t have patience to deal with everything involved in travel these days. Maybe after this year, I’ll have boosted my patience capability and traveling will come easier.
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Being so out of control with the hurricane repairs must really be doing your head in – patience, in the circumstances, is the perfect word. By the way, I must run off and google cardio drumming… I’m intrigued.
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Jo, the physical hurricane recovery makes my brain hurt. I counted in my journal this morning, there were 8 different elements I dealt with yesterday, trying to nudge things forward. I’ve found without nudges, they do not move at all!
Oh, cardio drumming can be as high or as low energy as you want it to be. It’s even done with the elderly sitting in chairs. I do it high intensity…getting in 5000+ steps and burning 400-500 calories in an hour. Plus, I laugh and sing and just have fun in class.
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That sounds amazing! (the cardio drumming, that is…)
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I’m so sorry to hear about your losses during the past year 😦 I went back to read your posts about it. I think your word patience is an excellent choice and you’ve shown a lot of it already!
I’ve had other struggles – but mixed with good things – and have chosen the word “courage” to get out of my bubble and learn to live without waiting for the next blow.
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That’s a really powerful word of the year! I tend to like staying in my comfort zone, so maybe one year I’ll have to pick courage as a WOTY!
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Hi Pat, it’s certainly been an ordeal for you in recent months and I feel for you. I love your word Patience, and all your quotes especially Inhale patience, exhale irritability. I do hope things improve soon with your nudges along the way and wish you well.
My word is LISTEN which has many different ways of looking at it. Take care and thanks for joining us for the linkup.
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Deb, it’s been fun seeing all the different words for WOTY and the why’s behind them. I’ll be curious to see how different ones play out through the year. And isn’t that “Inhale patience, exhale irritability” just great — incorporating breath as well! I have no idea where I saw it, but it totally connected to it.
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Ah Pat, so good to see you linking up here. And what a time you have had. I know that word is ‘useful’ and patience has never been my strong suit BUT I have learned over the past years of illness, recovery, then my father dying that nothing is really within our control. Time, and waiting, along with understanding that we personally have little say in what’s next.
Wishing you and your husband well in this recovery stage after such a big life event.
Take care
Denyse x
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Thanks Denyse. Learning that I have no control over so many elements of this recovery has been challenging., hence the learning curve on patience for 2025! This crisis is also allowing me to review where I am spending my time… so hopefully will be doing more link-ups this year. Writing (blogging) continues to bring me joy.
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Hi, Pat – Thank you for joining us for this linkup. I found your reflection on past Words of the Year and how they’ve guided you, paired with the intentionality of choosing PATIENCE for 2025,so relatable. The quotes you shared wonderfully illustrate the depth and power of patience, especially during challenging times. Wishing you a year filled with peace and joy ahead.
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Hello Pat, thanks so much for sharing your WOTY with us at the link up. Patience is a good one. Mostly I think I am a patient person but there are times when little things can try me, probably because I’m stressed about something else. Happy New Year! x
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In the case of fire the rebuilding takes a couple of years. But the area takes decades to return to green.
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Those quotes are so good. Some of them really resonated with me. What a trial you’ve gone through. Wowsers. I always feel annoyed that the news moves on from natural disasters so fast and the world forgets that those people are still struggling. We see it here in Canada with wildfire season. The aftermath can last years.
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Bernie, Ouch… years? Yes, I think that’s going to be the case. It’s one reason so many of my neighbors are leaving. They just don’t want to live 2-4 years in a construction zone with its all-day noise and dust everywhere. We shall see how we do.
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Patience sounds like the perfect WOTY for you, Pat. May it bring you some peace. I love the quotes you shared. I may try the breathing mantra myself when I feel myself getting irritable. I have chosen a mantra (and possibly a word) of the year, which I will share in a blog post soon.
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Christie, I enjoy hearing other’s WOTY, why /how they choose it, what they hope to achieve with it. And then, updates along the year of how it’s working. I’ve had a few years where my WOTY just didn’t work out…but this year, I’m thinking I’ll need it!
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Hi Pat,
New to reading, but it sounds like circumstances have led to the selection of a great word for the coming year. I appreciated all the definitions you came up with (because I am definitely the opposite!). I don’t have a WOTY, but this may be the direction I need to head.
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Eilene, Welcome! I’ve had different WOTYs at different points of my retirement journey and Patience feels right for the moment. Feel free to “steal and reapply” if it feels right for your journey at the moment! In my career, I was fond of the “steal and reapply” mindset… one does not always need to create from scratch!
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I am not above “steal and reapply”!😁
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That seems like the perfect WOTY for you, Pat. You have gone through so much this year… and 2025 will – at least at the beginning – probably be full of challenges and setbacks too. Just remember that you are human, and it won’t be easy to practice patience all the time.
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Janis, LOL. Did you catch my “nudge” comment in the blog? Patience is gonna be hard…I’ve already sent three nudges on the process, and it’s Jan 3! But I am really trying to not get frustrated with no response…my guess is lots of folks still on holiday. I expect Monday afternoon, my mantra with deep breathing will be “Inhale patience, exhale irritability“!
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Pat, I know your situation is far from ideal, however, continuing your life amidst the frustration of upheaval is a smart thing to do. Regaining a sense of normalcy and having patience with the process will serve you well during this reset period.
My WoTY for 2025 is Path. We have intentionally created upheaval in our lives (once again) as we explore lifestyle options. The idea is to remain proactive within the process while allowing the Path to unfold. Your Patience Quotes will be a useful reference.
Happy New Year!
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Suzanne, Someone in a similar situation to mine (there’s lots of us) said, “January I need to return to Living!” Regaining some normalcy – restarting routines – is definitely my focus this month.
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Good choice, good piece. I’m still debating on WsOTY that encompass Hang In There, Keep At It, and Light Shines in Darkness and the Darkness Cannot Overcome It. Surely there’s a word for that.
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Fran, Persevere? Maybe not the “light that darkness cannot overcome” bit! One thing about a personal disaster, I’ve stopped watching anything on the news… blinders to the coming darkness. Feeling guilty about about that, but there is only so much disaster I can take.
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Perseverance is definitely a contender. But. Skip the Guilt! Guilt is so last year. I am unfortunately still addicted to the news, but get it mostly from the NYTimes print edition which is without the angst. Here’s to the New Year.
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I think it’s a perfect word for you Pat – a good reminder in the more stressful times to allow yourself some margin and to let go a little of the need to be in control. You are in the middle of a huge, messy, unhappy, grief-filled, life event…. Patience will help you navigate the tougher stretches. Here’s to a much better 2025!
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Leanne, I’ll be using your phrase “huge, messy, unhappy, grief-filled, life event” for sure. I also like life-quake, a term I heard couple of weeks ago. So, yeah my huge, messy, grief-filled life-quake! Wasn’t there a movie with similar title.. big, fat, something wedding? Ah well, I think that was a happy event.
Letting go of my need to be in control is exactly what patience is all about! So much is not in my control now, and will not be going forward.
Happy new year…. and looking forward to hearing your WOTY!
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Life quake. As a former Californian I always say I like my natural disasters to be unpredictable e.g. earthquakes. That’s based on my experience in other states, like FL (where I guess you live) and TN (where I once lived). When I was there, the craziest thing to me was waiting and waiting for a predicted natural disaster that never came! Of course, based on what you’re going through, I realize how lucky I was at the time.
I don’t remember on which blog I saw the WOTY concept. However, since I have been on the road to recovery from my own life quake, I have employed it as a means to get through the ensuing years. My 2023 WOTY was Forward; 2024 was Reinvention; 2025 is Resettlement.
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Resettlement… I might need that one in 2026! The crazy thing about hurricanes is you do know they are coming…for days on end. We call it “stalking the turtle”. Unfortunately what you don’t know is how big is it gonna be. We had flood protection set to a 7′ flood potential, we got 8′ – had never had more than 5 ft in last 75 years, so thought 7′ was good. But, nothing I can do about that now… moving forward (as you did in 2023!).
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I feel so sad at all the upheaval you’ve experienced. You have already shown exemplary patience. 🙂
My word of the year for 2024 was stretch- both literally my body as well as my horizons. For 2025, I have picked an odd word- actualize. I have gathered ideas for many many years of things I want to do some day. This year my intention is to actually make them real, hence the actualize. I also like that it has a second meaning that implies I am trying to improve myself. I was originally going to pick “manifest” but that has some negative connotations with manifesto, so off I went to the thesaurus.
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Chris, I enjoy when people pick more unique words, like actualize. So much better than manifest (overused these days, beyond the manifesto link), a real focus on action.
Thanks for thinking I’ve shown patience… I’m trying to work on my over-reaction to nothing happening. Holiday vacations have not helped… people back to work next week I hope!
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