Re: a prefix, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion (Dictionary.com)
I’m going a slightly different direction with my one little word this year by choosing a prefix rather than a whole word for my one little word. Here are a few reasons for choosing re:
- The purpose of a prefix is powerful although consistently unnoticed. The most influential things in life tend to be that way – small enough to be easily overlooked but strong enough to make all of the difference. This is how I strive to live my life. Consistently there to make a difference, whether or not the majority of people recognize it
- According to membean.com, the purpose of a prefix is two-fold: 1. to begin a word and 2. to attach to a word’s root or stem. I feel a genuine, positive challenge to work towards living with this kind of purpose. 1. To begin, I have to show up and make the difference I’m meant to make. 2. I need to always be sure to attach whatever I do to values worth being rooted into
- The definition of re stands out to me as well. “Again” or “again and again.” We all truly learn by doing something again and even “again and again.”
I am resolving to be active this year in every aspect of my life, but my goal is to not be “busy.” Being busy is easy and not an effective and sustainable lifestyle. Being active, however, requires determination and intentional action. By planting re in front of the actions I choose, I’m holding myself accountable to choose actions worth doing again and again.
Each month, I plan to invest my efforts into a different important action that aligns with my values. This will require me to keep showing up and growing in new ways. For example here are a few possibilities I’m considering as my action words for 2019:
Return
Respect
Remember
It’s when I decide to be rooted in actions that mean something that they will be worth redoing again and again. When I’m choosing how I want to be active, I need to ask myself if the action is important enough to do once before participating in it again. So here’s to a year of actively doing things that matter.
Stay tuned for January’s post on which word I used as my root for re and how I grew from it.