blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.
blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.
blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.
I originally wasn't going to share this on here, but I've decided sometimes a stream of consciousness post is necessary. It's nice to look back on and in the case, it will be a way to hold myself accountable. 

A few years ago, I noticed on Instagram, that when a new year came rolling around, some people choose a word for the year. I liked this idea, I mean, I like words and new year promises, so why wouldn't I? Yet several years passed and I did not choose my word - simply because I could not think of one worthy. I couldn't narrow down my hopes for an entire year into one word. 

2020 came to an end, and more than ever I noticed the Instagram posts where people shared their chosen word for the coming year. Words like alignment, growth, trust, health were thrown around. They all sounded great, but none of them felt like the one for me. They didn't quite align with what I was in search of, what I wanted my focus to be over 2021. I began to think maybe it was time to admit defeat, another wordless year as no word felt fitting.

And then as warm water fell on me in the shower one day, a word came to me. I wasn't trying to think of the word at the time, yet there it was, as clear as day. Control.

Why control?

I've become one of those people who things just kind of happened to and don't happen for. It has been a long time since I felt like I've taken control, but in 2021, I'm determined to change that.

I'm not naturally someone who takes control. I'm quite happy to let my friend pick where we're going for dinner (you know, back when we could do that), and my boyfriend can decide what we watch in the evenings (until it's football, and then I spend my evening reading in a different room). Usually, I don't take control, because I don't mind the outcome. But it seems my behaviour has leaked through to areas where the outcome matters to me. Sure, I don't mind whether we eat Italian or Mexican food, but I do mind how I'm spending my life day in, day out. Choosing (or not choosing) where we go for dinner should not feel the same as choosing (or not choosing) how I want to make a living. 

I think control is a great word for me because I see two different sides to that coin. Having control can be a good thing, and letting go of control can be a good thing. I feel for years I've held my control in all the wrong places. I'm ambitious when it comes to my career, yet I don't really have one, that's an area where I need to take more control. On the flip side, I've had panic attacks in shops before, because there were too many people and I didn't know my way around - the lack of control overwhelmed me. That's an area where I shouldn't desire that sense of control to the point that I go into panic without it.

I was listening to a podcast recently, and one of the hosts said something along the lines of "there are many things around you that you can't control but the one thing that you always have control over is yourself, you actions and your mindset" and that stuck with me. Accepting I can't control outer factors, but can always control myself gives me hope. It makes me want to take action, rather than accept defeat. 

I'm a big believer in manifestation and the law of attraction. I was listening to an audiobook on it recently and it spoke about both taking inspired actions and surrendering your wishes to the universe. Having faith. I like this idea that there's both a push and pull of energy. Places where control needs to taken and places where that control needs to be surrendered. 

You can control actions but not the outcomes. 

Sometimes control needs to be taken and then surrendered. For examples, I intend to take control of my career for applying for all the right jobs, but once I've completed the applications to the best of my ability, I've done my bit. I can't control what happens next, and I need to trust that the universe is on my side. 
blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.

During 2021 some ways I will take control include:

- Meditating on a regular basis - it's good for my mindset, and while I can't control my anxiety, I can control how I manage it.

- Doing the things I'm curious about - following my intuition.

- By not giving up on myself. 

- Putting my time into making my book the best it can be to up my chances of finding a publisher

- I can control how I spend my time. Less scrolling, more reading, more moving, less lounging, etc 

- What I'm putting into my body. I want to eat food which fuels me and leaves me feeling healthy.

- The media I consume. 

- The actions I take. 

- What I'm spending my money on. 


Things I can't control, and how I can reframing negative thoughts:

- Job rejections - rejection is just redirection.

- Political and world news. I can control how much of that media I consume, and what I share myself.

- What other people think of me - and at this point, I don't think I care. 

- What the universe has in store for me.

- Other people.

blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.
blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.

Outfit Details

Coat: M&S  - Dress (worn under jumper): Mint Velvet (similar linked) - Jumper: ASOS (similar linked) - Bag: Coach (similar linked) - Headband: Chloe Harriets Creates (my Etsy store)

blogger autumn winter outfit. Fashion blog post. Lifestyle blog post. 2021 word of the year - control.

Do you have a word of the year for 2021?