Word of the Year – How to Find the Right One

The new year is a mere few weeks away and with that comes the time for new beginnings and fresh starts. The most popular thing at the start of a new year is to make New Year’s Resolutions. Now matter how well intentioned you may be, you’ve probably noticed that most of your resolutions don’t make it out of the first quarter. 

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About 2 years ago, I dropped the idea of making a list of resolutions for the next year and instead chose to focus on ONE WORD. Resolutions fail mostly because there are too many of them and you can’t focus so you try to do them all at once and become overwhelmed. 

By choosing ONE WORD,  you are choosing to focus on a FEELING.  That word becomes your anthem song, the way you chose to live your life by. You can now create smaller goals that align with your word of the year and I’m sure you will feel more accomplished by the end. 

Last year wasn’t great…

I’m not going to lie, last year was a complete disaster for me in regards to following my chosen word. In 2020, I chose the word discipline. Check out my post from last year on how I chose my word for 2020. Most of the goals I had set for myself really relied on me gaining and learning discipline in order to achieve them. 

This was in the midst of the pandemic and working full time (& side hustle) with an extremely active toddler at home was seriously not easy. Now, I’m not using that as an excuse but I’m taking ownership in the fact that it was ME who didn’t allow myself to accomplish those goals simply because I let life overwhelm me. 

I want to crush this upcoming year, so not only am I choosing my word, I’m brainstorming some ways to help hold myself accountable. 

I’m following the below steps to help choose my word first and then I’ll be setting quarterly goals keeping this word in mind. 

To help myself I created a PRINTABLE WORKSHEET to help me choose the right word of the year. And now I’m offering that worksheet to my readers for FREE!

Fill out the info below to grab your FREE WORKSHEET. 

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Step 1: Reflect 

• Grab a cup of tea, or even your favorite adult beverage and answer the questions on the worksheet. Be completely open and honest with yourself.

Step 2: Write Down/Journal

• Write down a thought that kept you from pursuing your goals last year. Then write an honest statement to fight that negative thought. 
• Whether you’re a pen and paper or digital gal, there are TONS of options for this. This bullet journal kit is perfect for any newbie!

Step 3: Visualize 

• Review your answers and take a few moments and visualize where you see yourself over the course of the next 12 months. Do you want to be more present, practice more gratitude, switch careers, etc. Again, no one else is seeing this so GO FOR IT…

Step 4: Write Down a List of Words that are Actionable

• Now that you’ve reflected on the previous year and visualized your next year, what are some words that are coming to mind? Don’t worry about narrowing down yet, write them all down that way there are multiple options. 

Step 5: Review Your List and Choose

• You’re probably thinking ‘How can I choose just one?! There are so many!’. Well remember, it’s all about simplicity. You want a word that will encompass what you want to achieve or how you want to live for the next 12 months. 
• Now, I’m not saying you have to choose just one, you could choose 3 (1 for each quarter) to focus on.  Especially if your words are similar in nature. 

Step 6: Put that Shit Everywhere

• You’ve picked your word, now you want to make sure it is literally EVERYWHERE. Mirrors, phone/computer/tablet backgrounds, kitchen, living room, etc. Anywhere and everywhere that you could potentially see it. Sticky notes are perfect for this since they are small enough and won’t take up much room.
• You have to make your word/s part of your daily life, change doesn’t happen overnight and neither will this. But by seeing it every.single.day you are more likely to incorporate it into your life. 

This year my word is: BALANCE/ GROWTH

I’ve actually chosen 2 words this year that encompass what I want the next 12 months to be about. I chose BALANCE because I want and need more balance in my life. I want to learn how I can ‘have it all’. GROWTH because not only do I want to grow as a person, wife, mother, and friend; I want to grow this side business as well.

Remember…

Take time throughout the year to reflect. Change doesn’t happen overnight, it happens gradually and when it does, you don’t always realize it. Check in with yourself and others to see It’s important to celebrate the small wins just as much as the big ones. Those small wins are what will keep you motivated to keep going. 

A word is just a word until you put it into practice every.single.day. You are the one in control of your life, you are the only one who can make the changes. 

Let your word of the year be your anthem song to guide you throughout the year. What will your word of 2022 be? Let me know in the comments section!