How to Choose One Word to Guide You Through the Year
“Choose your words wisely, because they will influence your happiness, your relationships, and your personal wealth.” ~ Andrew B. Newberg
Happy New Year, beautiful friend!
It’s the beginning of a brand new year— A blank slate and an empty canvas just waiting to be filled with amazing adventures, beautiful relationships and potential fulfillment.
The possibilities of 2024 are positively limitless!
If you're like most midlife everygirls you have probably set some life goals for yourself to start the year. Am I right?
We women are always growing and learning. At this point in our lives we have amassed an exorbitant amount of wisdom based on our experiences and exploits. We know what we want, and what we don’t. And we don’t really care what other people think as much as we used to. (Cue George Michael singing “Freedom, freedom…”)
We are embarking on that precious era of being unfiltered and unstoppable as we navigate the upcoming years of our future in any direction we desire.
Are you feeling hyped? You should! You are freaking incredible!
How Can We Focus Our Trajectory This Year?
January is the perfect time for reflecting, dreaming and preparing yourself for the fantastic year to come. It’s also important to set yourself up for success and embrace strategies that you can actually sustain for the next 12 months.
Raise your hand if you’ve been down the path of making New Year’s resolutions, only to abandon them by Valentine’s Day.
Yep, that’s my hand in the air there…
I tried, I really did! Lots of times. I’m sure you had the greatest of intentions, too, right?
Girl, we are not alone here. In fact, we’re in the great majority. But it’s not a flaw in us, there are multiple reasons that we tend to give up on our resolutions within the first month or two of the year.
First, it’s important to acknowledge that the sheer anticipation and excitement of approaching the New Year’s celebrations with the “new year, new me” concept is so easy to get drawn into. We can see the big wave coming and we want to jump on board. Who hasn’t toasted themselves with a glass of NYE champagne proclaiming that “This will be the year of… (fill in the blank: prosperity/health/love/skinny jeans)!!”
As Gen-X female human beings, we are hard-wired to gravitate toward all things that represent hope and optimism (which, by the way, is just one of the many awesome characteristics that set us apart from the rest). We crave the possibility of it and seek it out.
But now factor in our innate desire for instant gratification.
The combination of the two results in a fantasy of instant transformation into our idealized best self while the world collectively counts down to the stroke of midnight. The whole scenario creates a fantastic magnetic pull that is almost impossible to resist.
Don't we all love a good Cinderella story with our own beautiful self in the title role? I know I do!
But, alas, there is not a fairy tale transformation that occurs at the end of the countdown that changes who you are. You’re still the same (wonderful) you, but to make change happen it’s on your shoulders to do the follow-through work.
Don't get me wrong, resolutions are great, but it’s just so easy to revert to old habits and settle back into your comfort zone. Without a strong roadmap to keep you on track your resolution is just a wish.
I cannot count how many times I chose the traditional resolutions of exercising more, eating healthier or losing 10 pounds. Can you relate? I would start out strong, but then life would happen and I would settle right back into my old habits and routines by Valentine’s Day. (Okay, that’s probably giving myself a little more credit than I earned. By MLK Day is probably more accurate.)
Frustrated with myself for not doing a better job of reaching the goals I had set, I tried out the more general ideals, like “This year I will be a better person,” or “I will be 1% better than last year.” The problem there was that those are so broad that I had no way to measure or track them.
How was I going to be better? What was I improving? How would I even know if I was getting “better” or not?
By March it was meaningless.
How Can One Single Word Change Your Life?
Then I found a technique that clicked! For almost a decade now I have been using the one WORD strategy. I know, at first, I was skeptical too.
The idea that one word could serve as a guiding force for my decisions and actions felt almost too simple to be effective, but my frustration with unfulfilled resolutions (and my lazygirl inclination) encouraged me to give it a try and I haven’t looked back.
Choosing a "WORD of the Year" can be an enjoyable and effective way to grow from lessons learned and move forward with more intention. It’s a constant, yet gentle, reminder to focus on creating positive change in your life.
So what have you got to lose? Give it a try!
Know that taking the time up front to choose the best word for yourself can take some time and effort, but remember to keep it simple and don’t stress over it. The work you put into your word choice now will set you up for a more successful experience during the next 365 days. Trust me, you will thank yourself by April!
How Do You Choose Your One Word of the Year?
Taking the time to follow a structured process will help you hone in on the one WORD that will have the most meaning and impact for you. Print off this step by step worksheet to help you get your thoughts down on paper.
Here is a step by step guide to choosing a WORD of the year that works for you.
Reflect on the Past Year
Find a comfy spot and take some deep breaths. Think about this past year and your place in it. Reflect on what you went through and how you handled each situation. Take the time to really ponder, pray or meditate on your life over the past 12 months. Remember that every experience you went through taught you something, you just need to discover what lesson you can take away from it. Jot down your big thoughts on the worksheet.
Ask yourself some of these guiding questions:
What were the major events and experiences (globally and personally) that occurred in my life?
How did those things impact me?
What are my emotions about the year from where I sit right now?
What did I learn about myself?
What surprised me about my reactions?
What do I wish I would have done differently?
What goals or dreams came to me during this process?
2. Brainstorm a List of Possible Words
Grab this worksheet or a notebook and a good pen (Don’t you just LOVE a really good pen?!) and brain-dump every word that comes to your mind. List each word that resonates with you, inspires you or motivates you. Think about any common themes or patterns that emerge from your reflections or touch on the goals and dreams you have set for yourself. Don’t edit or overthink during this step, just keep the pen moving.
If you need some direction, consider these prompts:
What do I want more of this year?
What will I start doing?
What will I stop doing?
What matters to me the most?
What will I focus on this year?
What ideas inspire me?
What words fire me up?
What words do I want to use to describe myself in December?
Would you like some additional inspiration? Click here for a list of 99 possible words you could consider.
3. Refine Your Focus
Now the real fun begins! Let’s narrow this down. Keeping your intention on choosing a word that will help you grow into your best self this year, reread your list of possible candidates. Start circling the words that leap off the page. Cross off any that you know right away are not the ones.
Don’t forget to check dictionary definitions or Google the memes and quotes that come up. Consider any nuanced meanings that might add depth to your choice.
Ask yourself these questions for thought:
What goals will this word help me achieve or emphasize in the coming year?
How will this word impact my interactions with others (family, friends, etc.)?
Can this word be applied to various aspects of my life (personal, professional, emotional, etc.)?
Will this word influence my thoughts and direct it toward my goals?
Does this word align with my intentions?
4. Let it Simmer
Now narrow it down to your top 3 choices and step away. Literally. Walk away from the list and return to your regularly scheduled life for 24 hours.
Relax your mind but keep it open. Pay attention to what comes in and out of your thoughts. Listen to signs from God or the Universe that guide you toward a particular word.
Don’t be surprised if your WORD isn’t the one you originally thought it was going to be. Like many other people I’ve talked to, my WORD has actually chosen me during this brief hiatus.
There have been years that I wanted a particular word to be my chosen one, but then another word kept showing up and made me realize it was the best one all along.
I have learned that it works out for the best if you don’t try to force it.
5. Make Your Choice and Commit to Living Your WORD
Once you have chosen your WORD (or it has chosen you!) commit to keeping it in the forefront of your mind for the next year. How do you intend to live it out? Write down 3 ways that you will intentionally use it to filter your thoughts. Find strategies to make it a part of your daily decision making. Keep it in sight and allow it to influence your actions. Read it over and let it motivate you.
Making your WORD visible will help it stick and keep you engaged with it.
Here are some great ways to keep it front and center all year:
Try creating a poster or vision board featuring your WORD in the center. Make it a family/friend affair. My daughters have begun a tradition of getting together with friends on New Year’s Eve and creating vision boards for the next year using their WORD. What a fantastic way to ring in the new year with fun and intention… Pizza, wine, stickers and glitter!? Yes, girl!
Think of the endless opportunities out there using technology. You could create a digital vision board in Canva or other graphic design app. Scan Pinterest for ready-made memes or inspirational quotes featuring your WORD and start a brand new Pinterest Board. Since you’re on your computer or phone anyway, go ahead and make your WORD your screensaver or wallpaper. Or make it your password. You’ll see it or type it a million times a day!
Manufacture reasons for writing it out frequently. Keep it highly visible as you plan your day by writing it right in your planner. Script it on your week at a glance. Write it at the top of your to-do list. Jot in on a post-it note and stick it to your high traffic areas, like on your bathroom mirror or your steering wheel. Doodle it in the margin of your notebook while you snuggle up and watch a movie that inspires you.
Simply sharing your WORD with those around you creates a sense of accountability as well as a feeling of community. Use it as a team-building activity or a family fun night. Support and encourage each other. Use it to guide activities and goal setting. Making it fun and engaging will help it stick and become more relevant in your life.
You can literally wear your WORD on your sleeve. I have had multiple bracelets created using my WORD.
It is a super tangible (and literal) way to carry it with me all day long.
My favorites are from Mudlove.com, but last year I branched out and bought one from Myintent.org. They are both fantastic companies with a lot of heart and amazing customer service.
What is My WORD?
In case you're curious, my WORD of the year is BLOOM.
I went round and round with a few different possibilities during the process, but this one just kept coming back to me. It felt right on several levels...From putting down roots in the sunshine state, to settling and growing into this new chapter of life, to the blossoming of my mindset into the person I've always dreamed of becoming.
And then there’s this:
My mom loved the expression, "Bloom where you are planted." If you were fortunate enough to know her, you know that she lived it like no one else.
How many people could enter a nursing facility at 53 and go on to become a beacon of hope and positivity for so many people that she was selected as our town's Citizen of the Year?
Not many, I'd imagine.
She left me with pretty big shoes to fill. But she also left me with an understanding that each day is a gift, and regardless of our circumstances (or maybe in spite of them) when we focus on looking for the good in our life we just find more things to be grateful for.
At 53 myself this year, I don't take this for granted.
What is Your WORD?
Remember that finding your WORD of the year is a personal choice, and there are no strict rules. It's a simple but powerful tool to help you focus on what matters most to you and influence each of your actions and decisions.
By choosing the right one now, your WORD can help you learn, expand and grow into your best self throughout the entire year.
Have you chosen a WORD for the year before? Comment below and share your best advice for the rest of us everygirls.
Happy New Year, lovely friend. Now go grab a notebook and your favorite pen and start brainstorming!
The possibilities for you in the coming year are positively limitless.
