2020 Word of the Year

Each year my family selects one word to live by—your vision for the year. This word serves as your compass when making decisions, celebrating wins and getting through lows. All of my yearly goals all must measure up to the word, helping to keep you focused only on what matters most. Over the past 24 years I have selected some pretty powerful words. Yet none compare to 2020.

WELLSPRING

My 90-year-old grandma has been a constant source of life for me. She reaches the corners of the earth with her prayers and she loves with all her heart. Seeing her health change in 2019 broke my heart. And yet, it brought her to Kansas City, where I can spend every Sunday with her. We went from talking twice a day, every day on the phone, to now talking, napping and exercising on Sundays together. Her love is like God’s love. It’s pure, constant, never-ending and all-knowing. To experience this love is a miracle. And to spend my life giving it away to everyone I meet is my purpose.

One of the main reasons I chose Wellspring to be my 2020 word of the year was her.

Wellspring means an original and bountiful source of something. Grandma is certainly my source of love and faith! This past year every Sunday in church and every morning during my prayers I reflected on identifying my life’s work. A quiet whisper in my heart spoke to me reminding me that my name “Brook” means a small stream. A life-bearing presence that pops up unexpectedly in the woods, in the mountains, in the barren desert and brings life to all that encounter it.

As I settle into understanding my purpose I realize that my goal is to be a wellspring of life, of joy, of light, and of love. This year, I will embody a brook, bringing a trickle of life to places unknown.

My life coach taught me there is only one passage in the Bible that starts with “above all else.” Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart. For it is the wellspring of life.” To me, this passage is so clear. Our hearts guide and direct us in all that we do. Every word that comes out of your mouth, starts in your heart. And all our actions and choices are driven by the desires of the heart. Often times, we can spend money and time trying to guard our early possessions. Yet, God tells us that it's most important to guard our hearts.

Your heart is the most important leadership tool you have. It's not your experience, knowledge or work ethic. It is your heart that matters most. It is your authentic self, where all your dreams start, your desires and your passion live. This is the year I live to protect my heart so my actions, words, life, energy, passion and authenticity flow freely and fully with power to change the world. This is the year will be focused solely on creating and being light—a true wellspring of life.