Last week I hinted at my word of the year in my top 4 favorite books post and my goals post. Did you see what it is?
This word actually came to me in November, but I was honestly expecting something else to come up instead because it scared me. But no, those words kept coming back to me again and again.
I thought it over and asked Jesse for his opinion. I told him that while I felt like it was the word I should have chosen, it was also a word that was daunting to me.
Has something like that ever happened to you? In my heart, I knew I should say yes to something, or try something, or take a step forward, or commit to something, but that something… feels a little (or a lot!) scary. Do you know you need to make changes that won’t be easy, but will end up being really good?
My word this year is me. The more I sat there, the more I realized that this was the right word. Even though I knew I would have to make some changes to get out of this word… but these would end up being really good changes.
What is the word? the… Unplugged.
Yes, you can laugh at the word “unplugged” being chosen by someone who makes a living online and runs an Internet business full-time. As I said earlier, it’s tough to survive. But I truly believe it will be so impactful that it may completely change my life.
What does it mean to be unplugged?
First of all, the inspiration for this quote came from reading both. Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a life of presence in a digitally connected world and Reconnecting: How seven weeks of screen-free living with monks and Amish farmers brought back my lost human arts.
As I read each book, I felt like my mind and body took a deep breath. I want to experience the richness of life that awaits me when I completely unplug and focus on what’s in front of me.
Of course, since I run an Internet business, I can’t leave my phone and computer unattended. Nor do we intend to do so. However, I have a strong desire to spend time completely unplugged every day.
For me, unplugging means turning off my phone and computer and cleaning up for most of my day. I want to live more untethered to the internet, and the only way to do that is to completely shut down and put away the screen for part of the day.
How to live this word
Choosing your words is one thing. But just choosing it doesn’t change anything. Instead, you need to make a plan to keep your promise.
So in addition to setting a monthly goal for unplugged time, I created a plan to make it happen. I’ve been working hard these past few months. I can’t answer the phone in the first hour of the morning. (I try not to look at it except to turn off my alarm, but that’s about it).
Instead, prepare yourself and your children for the day by going for a walk and watching the sunrise, or reading a few pages of the Bible or a devotional or inspirational book. I try not to look at my phone until this is all done. Starting my mornings this way has made a huge difference in my days.
But I still struggle with the nights. And I know that’s because it’s online. I find myself getting caught up in “just one more thing to do” or “just a few more minutes of scrolling” at work. And we all know how that usually happens. This means that you are not sleeping well at night and have a hard time falling asleep early.
Therefore, the challenge of choosing this word means that we need to be more disciplined and actively develop good habits and set appropriate boundaries for cell phone and computer use at night.
Last week, I spoke with business coach Ali Worthington about how conflicted I feel about nights, struggling to get things done and go to bed early. She gently nudged me to think about whether I really needed to be online at night.
My plan to avoid turning off the power at night
After some resistance, I finally realized that she was right. So the reason I’m announcing this word publicly here is that my word of the year is unplugged, and this is how I want to live. Because I hope this word motivates me. In fact, aim to unplug at least two hours before bed.
My plan is to have a strict policy of not turning on my phone or computer after 8pm, and to shut them down and put them in another room. And instead of scrolling or finishing work at night, I spend time with Jesse and the older kids, take a bath, read a book, and go to bed by 9:45-10 p.m. .
I know this will make a huge positive difference in my day and life, but it will be a huge challenge to get through this. That’s why these words scare me and why I’m here publicly announcing them. Because I need as much responsibility as possible!
Do you have a word of the year for 2025? If so, tell us what it is in the comments!
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com