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 2025 are positively limitless!
If you're like most midlife everygirls you have probably set some positive intentions or life goals for yourself to start the year. Am I right?
We women are always growing, learning, expanding and evolving. At this point in our lives we have amassed an incredible amount of wisdom based on our prior experiences and lessons learned.
We know what we want, and what we don’t. And we don’t really care what other people think… at least not as much as we used to.
(Cue George Michael singing “Freedom, freedom…”)
We are embarking on that precious era of being unstoppable and less inhibited as we navigate our future in any direction we choose.
Are you feeling hyped? You should! Girl, you are freaking incredible!
Do You Want to Focus Your Direction This Year?
January is the perfect time for reflecting on the past year and dreaming about 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.
What are your dreams for 2025? Do you have a plan for making them come true?
There a several strategies out there for focusing your direction during the year, and I have tried them all: Brainstorming, listing, making vision boards, setting goals, creating resolutions…
Raise your hand if you’ve been down the path of making grand New Year’s resolutions beginning on January 1st, only to abandon them by Valentine’s Day.
Yep, that’s my hand in the air there…
I cannot count how many times I chose the traditional resolutions of exercising more, eating healthier or losing 10 pounds. Without a clear plan in place I would dive in on New Year’s Day with the absolute best of intentions…
Then I would go off course once or twice before giving up on my resolutions altogether.
Can you relate?
But then one year I had an epiphany: Instead of focusing on what I thought needed to be “fixed” about myself, maybe I should put my energy into manifesting aspects of my life that I wanted more of.
What if I chose ONE WORD that encompassed all of my current hopes and desires?
What if I used that ONE WORD to be my north star for 365 days to guide my decisions?
What if I posted that ONE WORD in places where I would see it daily and be reminded to bring my attention back to it?
What if I filtered everything around me through the lens of that ONE WORD and shifted my perspective in a more positive direction?
Can ONE WORD Change Your Life?
Are you searching for a realistic strategy that can help you stay on course for the next year? Are you done with New Year’s resolutions that don’t stick more than month or two? Would you like to try a simpler way of manifesting more of what you want in your life?
Give this technique a try. It is a game-changer!
Focusing on ONE WORD of the year can completely change the way you approach your January goals, and allow you to keep on track all the way to the end of December.
Even if you go off course momentarily…
By using ONE WORD as your North Star you can recalibrate your GPS of intentions as many times as you need to and still keep moving forward without letting yourself down or giving up.
It’s not about “fixing” anything about yourself. It is about putting all of your energy into something that you want more of in your life.
Choosing ONE WORD to guide you through your year can be a fun, easy and effective way to grow from lessons learned and move forward with more purpose and intention. It’s a constant, yet gentle, reminder to focus on creating positive change in your life.
And the work you put into your word choice now will set you up for a more successful experience during the next 365 days.
Are you ready to choose ONE WORD to lead you through 2025?
How To Choose Your ONE WORD of the Year
Following a structured process will help you hone in on the ONE WORD that will have the most meaning and impact for you.
Here is a simple 6-step guide to choosing ONE WORD that can lead you to a year filled with more positive energy, joy and peace.
*Print off this worksheet to help you create clarity and get your thoughts down on paper.
Reflect on the Past Year
Find a quiet 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 the 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.
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?
Need 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 to the best 3 WORDS.
Keeping your intention on choosing ONE WORD that will help you grow into your best self this year, reread your list of possible candidates.
Circle 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 memes and quotes that come up for any of the WORDS.
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 multiple aspects of my life (personal, professional, emotional, etc.)?
Will this word influence my thoughts and direct me toward my goals?
Does this word align with my intentions?
4. Let it Simmer, then Select
Once you have circled your top 3 choices, 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, the Universe, or your heart that guide you toward a particular word.
Select your ONE WORD of the Year.
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 even been years that I wanted a particular WORD to be my chosen one, but then another WORD kept showing up until I realized that it was the best one all along.
Trust me, it works out for the best if you don’t try to force it.
5. Create a Visual Reminder
Keeping your ONE WORD in your sight throughout the day will help keep it at the front of your mind.
Here are some great ways to keep it front and center all year:
Create a vision board featuring your WORD in the center. Make it a family/friend affair. Grab some poster board, stickers and glitter and let your creativity spark! Put it in a place where you can see it every day and be reminded of your guiding WORD.
Design a digital vision board in Canva or another graphic design app.
Scan Pinterest for ready-made memes or inspirational quotes featuring your WORD and start a new Pinterest Board.
Make your WORD your screensaver or wallpaper on your phone or computer. Or make it your password. You’ll see it or type it multiple times a day!
Manufacture reasons for writing it out frequently, like in your daily planner. Add it to 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 high traffic areas, like 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.
Wear your WORD everyday on a bracelet. It is a super tangible (and literal) way to carry it with you all day long. My favorites are from Mudlove.com and Myintent.org, both fantastic companies with a lot of heart and amazing customer service.
6. Commit to Living Your ONE WORD for the Year
Once you have chosen your ONE WORD (or it has chosen you) commit to keeping it in the forefront of your mind for the next year and allowing it to guide you through all of your actions and decisions.
How do you intend to live it out?
Write down 3 ways you will intentionally use your WORD 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.
Share it with those around you. (Doing this can create a sense of accountability as well as a feeling of community.)
Get others in on it with you. Support and encourage each other!
What is My ONE WORD?
In case you're curious, my ONE WORD for 2025 is SHINE.
Why?
It’s been a year of big ups and big downs for me, but as I reflect on the past 12 months I can clearly see that when I focus my energy on what I can control (ie: my attitude, my mindset, my actions) I am more at peace with my life. Do you agree?
I have learned that although I may not be able to change what is happening in the world, I can influence the atmosphere of the circle that surrounds me.
So, if I want to live in a world filled with positivity and light, I need to shine my own!
To Sum it Up…
Finding and focusing on ONE meaningful WORD of the Year is a simple but powerful tool that helps you shine a light on what matters most to you, and guides your actions and decisions in a positive light.
Following 6 simple steps can lead you to discover the best WORD to be your North Star for the next 12 months.
By putting your ONE WORD in a highly visible place you can keep it at the forefront of your mind and stay on track all year long.
Your ONE WORD can help you learn, expand and grow into your best self throughout the entire year.
ONE WORD can change the lens through which you see the world and influence others to see their world in a more positive way.
In short, ONE WORD can change your life.
Have you chosen ONE WORD to guide you through the Year? Comment below and share your best advice for the rest of us everygirls.
Happy New Year, lovely friend. I believe that 2025 is your year! Now go grab a notebook and your favorite pen and start brainstorming!
The possibilities for you in the coming year are positively limitless.
