Word of the Year 2021: Diligence

2020: Year of Change

I named 2020 the year of change. I knew 2020 would hold a lot of change for me. I was getting married!! However, I had no clue about the number of changes that could take place in one year. Not only did a pandemic change everyone's daily life, but there was an election, riots, and many more personal changes. 

The first big surprise was changing my and Michael's wedding date. As the world began to shut down, we. Pulled a hail marry and were sealed before the temple closures. In that week, many more changes took place. Restaurants began to close their doors, salon stopped service, and our college went completely remote. 

A week later, I began working at home due to the spread of COVID-19. 

 

Two weeks after that, Michael found out he had been laid off from his laundry job on campus. We got a new PERFECT little niece. Michael found a new job. 

A few canceled honeymoons later . . .

In July, I quit the job I had been at for years. I began subbing seminary and standing in front of a class every week. I loved it!! Even though seminary teaching didn't work out, I am so grateful that it pushed me to leave my comfort zone!  

In October, Michael turned 22 and decided he wanted to be a Marine Corps pilot. When we were engaged, I told Michael he could never join the military. However, a few months after being married, I wondered what military life would be like. I read blogs and saw how hard it was, but something screamed to me about its adventure. And the fact that I LOVE AMERICA! Then Michael scored extremely high in the military category on a career test. After talking, we decided that the Marine Corps was what we wanted. I will say that my heart had softened towards the idea before we spoke about it must mean that this is Heavenly Father's path for us. 

In December, it was my turn to change career paths. I did not get into the seminary program as hoped, but I was still pursuing a worthwhile degree to fall back on comfortably. I found an internship focusing on nutrition and weight loss, and I couldn't be more excited. 

So, in short, 2020 was a wild year of change for the Palmers! 

2021: Year of Diligence 

I don't know what 2021 holds exactly, but I am excited about it. I'll be interning, graduating, and starting a full-time job. I thought about naming the year accomplishment, excitement, excellence, but then realized what 2021 said to me. It was screaming at me that more than ever, I needed to be diligent. 

With all the exciting things in the year to come, it was evident that I would need to be diligent in getting there. To do well at my internship, graduate, and acquire and perform in a job, I need diligence. 

Diligence is defined as "careful and persistent work or effort." To me, diligence doesn't mean that I get the job done; it means that the job is done well. That precision is practiced in time-management, studying, and doing assignments. 

I also want to apply diligence to my personal life. I want to be a diligent disciple of Jesus Christ. I want to be a diligent friend, wife, daughter, sister, and aunt. I want to persistently love those around me by learning more about them and doing what will be most important. 

So years to 2021! A year that I hope to improve my diligence in!!