The “Be Strong. Be Brave. Be Fearless.” paraphrase of Joshua 1:9 has been a daily encouragement to me, so I created a free printable to share it with you. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me.
I’m excited to share my word of the year with you. I missed mentioning it in January because we were deep into the Less of a Hot Mess decluttering challenge, which actually came about because of my chosen word — a full-circle moment that I love.
Have you heard of choosing a Word of the Year? Designer and memory keeper Ali Edwards popularized the idea of selecting one word to focus on, reflect upon, and let guide your decisions throughout the year. I’ve adopted the practice since 2013 and it’s become a meaningful way to track seasons of growth and change.
A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything.
My Words of the Year so far have been: Contentment (2013), Grace (2014), Rest (2015), Simplify (2016), and this year: Fearless.
Fearless
My words tend to mirror where I am emotionally and spiritually. “Fearless” began forming in my thoughts last summer and has slowly shaped the books I chose, the talks I listened to, and the goals I set. It’s become a lens for how I want to move through life and my business.
I’m naturally an introvert. I can be shy until I know people well, and sometimes that shyness comes across as cold or distant — which is not who I am. I don’t crave the spotlight, and as a child my social fears were often more limiting than I realized. Over time, caring less about others’ opinions has helped me loosen those fears, but new, subtler worries have taken their place.
My fears aren’t about physical danger. They’re the small, personal anxieties: What if I write a book and nobody reads it? What if I start a project and can’t finish it — and people think I failed? What if I’m not truly qualified to teach what I’m sharing? I worry about offending others, stepping on toes, or being perceived as pushy, so I sometimes stay quiet when I could encourage or help.
Those tensions show up in my work. For years I hesitated to fully put myself out there. But the decision to push past those doubts has led to meaningful growth and connection.
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Here’s an example of fear in action. I’d wanted to host a 30-day challenge for years but always talked myself out of it. I assumed it would be too much work and that I might not finish, which would make me look like a fraud. In 2016 I hired my friend Emily as a social media manager and assistant. Her encouragement and practical help convinced me to try the challenge, even when I doubted myself.
Emily helped keep the social side running and cheered me on when I felt overwhelmed. The Less of a Hot Mess challenge turned out better than I hoped. It connected me to readers who wanted decluttering and organization help, and it reminded me that taking courageous steps — even when scary — can be worth the effort. Yes, there were setbacks (I caught the flu the weekend before a huge post), but the payoff in serving others made the hard work meaningful.
When those negative voices surface this year, my plan is simply to act anyway — to put myself out there and keep moving forward. So far, adopting that posture has been freeing.
Be Strong. Be Brave. Be Fearless. — Free Printable
To thank you for supporting me on this journey and for encouraging me to be braver, I designed a free printable of the Joshua 1:9 paraphrase: “Be Strong. Be Brave. Be Fearless. You are never alone.” I loved the way that phrase fit on a chalkboard organizer I picked up recently, and I hope it will sit on your wall, board, or desk as a gentle reminder.
I love the closing line, “you are never alone.” That truth — that God is with us — is the foundation of courage. I recreated the design in six colors, and it’s available as a downloadable printable.
If you’d like to display one of these prints in your home or office, tap the image or follow the printable link. I hope it reminds you to move forward with boldness and grace.
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Thank you for being part of this journey. I hope “Fearless” nudges you toward the next brave step in your life.