Sheila at Book Journey has been doing this for a long time, and I always seem to jump on the bandwagon late.

I had thought I would be absorbed in a short story collection, Sandlands by Rosy Thornton, but it turns out that I’m too absorbed in the audio of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run.

Sheila also has become a powerhouse supporter of the One Word resolution, and if you read her entries and how she comes up with her word, you’ll know why. There is a certain serendipity to her selection process.

I have tried to come up with a word before and failed to do so due to commitments and other issues that end up taking over. This year, however, my word is DELIBERATE.

• Adjective: done consciously and intentionally
• Verb: engage in long and careful consideration

I’ve had a rough year of over-committing myself, and it led to a lot of disappointments. I want to take more time to consider the opportunities before me before I commit to them. If I take too long to think and miss out on something, so be it. It was probably not right for me.

I love to help people. It’s part of who I am, but it shouldn’t be all I am. I need to do things that make me happy, too. One of those things is a renewed focus on finishing writing projects (I may not finish them all, but finishing one would be a huge step forward).

I also need to be more deliberate in my word choices and actions. I need to mean what I say and practice what I mean. I need to do this for myself and my family. It’s going to be a hard road this year, but I’m up for the challenge, so long as I carefully weigh all that is before me.

What’s your first book and one word this year?