Sam’s word for the year is “focus”

Focus.
Photo (left) Photo by Elena Taranenko on Unsplash .
Photo (right) Photo by Romain Vignes on Unsplash

Ann blogged about it: Word of the Year (Guest Post). Her word is EXPLORE.

Mina blogged about it too: Words and Challenges for the New Year. Her word is BECOMING.

Me, I’ve never been a word of the year person. I’m not sure why. Does it seem too “woo” for me? Too new-age-y?

That’s the thing. I might say that but I have chosen words. On my very first blog, way back on in the days of Friendster, I wrote a post called “My 40s are for FUN.” The theme of my 30s had been FAMILY, I said. Later, I planned my 50s to be about FITNESS. Enter this blog.

I’m also seeing a massage therapist who asks each session if I want a word for the purposes of focus. Last week after way too much time in conference chairs and airplane seats it was SOFTEN. He repeats the word while working out all the knots in my muscles and makes my knees just a little bit happier.

But this is my first time assigning a word for the year. I tried doing it during my stint with Precision Nutrition but it didn’t feel right. But this year a word struck me and that word is FOCUS. (What’s up with all the F’s? I don’t know. Sorry.)

Why FOCUS? Well, it’s a challenge for me. I like to juggle a lot of different things. I often read three of four books at a time. Watch a couple of shows. Have lots of different writing projects on the go. And I’m that way with physical activity too.

But this year I need to focus. I have one goal in mind which is getting ready for total knee replacement surgery next year. It’s not going to be easy. I have to keep up the physio, stay active, and do everything with knee health in mind. There’s no wandering off in pursuit of other goals. Everything has to be about my knee.

I need to practise saying things like, “that’s not the best thing for my knee and right now I need to give priority to my knee.” Focus.

I need to not do things, like certain yoga poses, that I can do but that hurt my knee. Focus.

I need to walk the right amount to help the joint but not enough to hurt it. Focus.

I’ll work out hard but then I need to carefully plan enough rest and recovery. Focus.

After I’d chosen my word, and written this post, along came Adriene. Perfect.