What's Your Word?
- Anliker Acres
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
As I sit at my computer in the new year's sunshine and the cold temperatures, I hope for another successful garden season and strong and healthy livestock.
Our schedule on the farm has been hectic for the last couple of months. We have the everyday chores of caring for the animals, preparing food for the holiday festivities, and visiting our friends and families. It has been a pleasure to spend time with those we love and catch up with everyone. We are in the stage of life where we have children who are married in all different directions, nieces and nephews getting engaged and preparing for graduation. Some take a break before hitting the college books again.
Once the holiday festivities are over and the "normal" routine is back in place, I can take a breath and focus on the upcoming seasons. I enjoy this time sitting quietly at the computer with my cup of tea, dreaming of all I want to experience in the seasons to come. In the past, I was of the mindset that I needed to have everything planned out, and if I did not achieve those particular goals in the time frame I set, then I would flounder greatly and inevitably throw it all out the window. I have been reading a lot about the positive effects of having a "word of the year" when setting and achieving those goals, which so many of us try to do each year at the beginning of a new year. I have been thinking and praying a lot about what I would like to focus on this year. Last year, I felt the Lord wanted me to "dial it in" and dig deeper into the activities, relationships, and projects that I already had in the making. The results I saw when I did just that were exciting. I was able to focus more and improve the existing skills I use. I have much more confidence in my sewing/alterations business and more knowledge of the herbs and plants I can grow to benefit our health. I saw improvements in the garden and the produce I grew due to focusing on those particular plants instead of trying new varieties, and my relationships are richer and deeper.
This year, my "word" is Consistency. At any point in my day, I will have new ideas I would like to try, plants I would like to grow, people I want to talk to, or a new fabric I want to make something out of. I tend to struggle with planning and sticking with that plan. I have WAY too many squirrel moments!
So, this year, my focus is on consistent planning and follow-through. I am working on a new planner that will help with this and then using it to focus on those things that must be done daily and those projects that are most important to accomplish to see that our homestead continues to grow and support the community. I look forward to doing our local Farmer's Markets again this year, selling my plant starts and producing. I will also focus more on my herbalism and the products I make for those wanting a more natural way of supporting their body. I am excited about adding to our homestead chickens that we will rotationally graze and raise to sell at the markets and from our on-site farm stand.
So, as I close out this post, more of a record of my overall goal, I feel more settled and excited about the possibilities that 2025 will hold. I hope you keep checking in and see if I can achieve consistency this year!
I hope you have a blessed 2025!
Sara