Several years ago, I learned this from my mentor, John C. Maxwell. Every year, he would pick one word. That word becomes his focus for the year. It serves as a quick reminder of something he wants to work on, of something he needs to focus on when he encounters the challenges of everyday life. The one word is similar to what many of us have as new year resolutions. Except this one word is simpler, easier to remember, and easier to recall.

Over the years, the one word has helped me tremendously. I hold the one word close to me when I have a difficult day at work. I hold the one word close to me when I face fear. I hold the one word close to me when I feel discouragement. The one word has never failed to help me ride through those difficult moments and help me make the right decisions.

My past words have been “courage”, “positivity” and “grace”.

This year, my one word is “Faith“.

As an achieving, ambitious and hard-working person, you work hard; you are always learning; you want to be in the driver seat and take actions to determine your future; you persist. Yet, sometimes, the circumstances feel overwhelming. At times, you feel the chains of events are out of your control. At times, you have done all you could, but you still feel it’s not enough; you doubt the future. In those times, having faith in the cosmos, having faith in the law of karma, having faith in God, having faith in the goodness of humanity – having Faith – can lift us up and keep us going.

My father has been self-reliant all his life. After all, he survived a war. He started a business successfully even with empty hands at the beginning. He raised his children well even in the difficult environment. However, when unfortunate events happened to his daughter when she was studying abroad, it brought him to his knees praying: oh dear God, please help my dear child. At that moment, he realized that he has done all he can, and that his dearest daughter was then out of his reach. And, at the moment, the only thing he could do is to pray and have Faith.

I have and am taking steps out of my comfort zones. I have taken steps that make me stare fear in the face. I have taken steps that get me excited yet also doubtful about the future. As I am taking these steps, the word I choose this year is Faith. I am reminding myself daily to have faith – have Faith in God, in the law of karma, and in the kindness and support of friends and family around me.

Here are some of my favorite quotes about Faith:

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into light” – Hellen Keller

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of faith is to see what you believe” – Saint Augustine

“I believe in institutions and inspirations… I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am” – Albert Einstein.

“A living faith will last in the midst of the blackest storm” – Mahatma Gandhi

What is your one word for this year?

With loving heart,

Thanh Nguyen