New Years resolutions went out the window almost a decade ago. Sick of the rollercoaster of excitement and ambition on January 1st transforming into dropped goals alongside nagging shame around January 12th, I needed something different. I mean we can could chalk it up to laziness, procrastination, or lack of commitment. But, honestly I’m sick of that story. Not to mention it’s littered with monumental gaps in content combined with American culture’s deeply embedded compulsion to be productive (and measure it) – soapbox rant over, promise. I sought out something different which led me to the concept of the Word of the Year and it’s going strong into 2024.
The beauty of a Word of the Year
is that can be integrated into your life as deeply or as gently as needed.
What is a “Word of the Year?”
It’s unbelievably simple – it’s just a word. That’s it. A word that can set an intention, inspiration, and direction for the year to come. Some years I grasped tightly to it and set more tangible promises to myself. Some years it was a bit of a mantra in the background of day to day life. In the midst of a global pandemic and navigating first-time motherhood, it almost completely evaporated from my purview. But hey, it’s the thought that counts?
My Process to Pick a Word of the Year 2024
There’s no right or wrong way to pick your intentions for the year. For me, I’ve learned I love to pick a verb and a word that has layered meanings. Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned my process:
- Dream on Paper – I’m a pen and paper gal, always have been. It’s how I process best and visualize the future. Every year I always start within myself before seeking inspiration from other sources. Some questions: What do I want from the next year? What do I need? What am I struggling with that I want to pour into a bit more?
- Brainstorm – It’s very rare that I know exactly what I want when I set out to pick my word every year. Instead, I dump out every word that has a spark of inspiration onto a page. Inevitably, I will get suck and start searching Pinterest or Google for word lists. I typically end up with 20-30 words. Some resources: Sage & Bloom, Elisabeth McKnight, the Goal Chaser.
- Cut it Down – After taking a break from the list, I’ll come back to it and ruthlessly start cutting it down. Next, I dive into the definitions using as many sources as possible. Like I mentioned, I love a multi-dimensional word. So, definitions can make it easy to find new meanings and sources of inspiration on how to apply the word throughout the year.
- Decide – No right or wrong answers, just the one that feels the best.
Memory Lane: Annual Painting Party
This all started eight years ago when I got this hare-brained idea to forego my traditional SMART goals plan (with workback schedules and goal check-ins, ofc) for a simple Word of the Year. I somehow convinced an amazing group of women who I had just recently met to join me. That began our beloved annual painting party complete with breakfast tacos, mimosas, and laughter. We’d all pile into my dear friend’s small Seattle apartment where she had inevitably set off the fire alarms every time cooking the bacon. Each of us came prepared with our chosen word with the exception of one who’d make a game-time decision each and every year.
With the exception of the pandemic, it was an annual tradition – a protected and sacred time for us to get together. At this point, I have an entire gallery of Words of the Year paintings. Are they they most visually stunning pieces of art? Ha, no. But they are some of my most treasured possessions.
8 Years of Words
- 2016: Vitality – The year I got married. Also, the year I traveled 46 weeks for my job including the nine weeks ahead of my wedding in Phoenix. I needed all the energy I could get my hands on.
- 2017: Breathe – You know what you need after an unbelievably chaotic year? To breathe. That’s exactly what I focused on.
- 2018: Wonder – I hated my job, it was a slow demise of a career I never wanted in the first place. I needed spark and lightness. I needed the whimsy of dreaming. I needed wonder.
- 2019: Rise – My first fill year at Amazon and I was dead-set on kicking ass and leveling-up. It worked, I earned my promotion and was pregnant by the end of the year.
- 2020: Embrace – To embrace my son born that July. To embrace the change I knew was coming and the control I knew I’d need to give up as a new mom. Little did I know the shit show I’d need to embrace that year.
- 2021: Centered – You know what you need after the most chaotic, anxiety-ridden, uprooting year? To be centered. To be rooted and grounded.
- 2022: Become – Did I follow Michelle Obama’s inspiration with this one? 100% yes. But also, I knew in my bones that I needed significant change in my life. In order to do that, I needed to become the next version of myself.
- 2023: Nourish – If this year has been about one thing, it’s getting back to taking care of myself. To nourish my physical body, soul, spirit, and personhood. Was I also dreaming about the bowls of pasta I’d eat in Italy? Also yes.
- 2024: Delight – Brightness, joy, and optimism aren’t typically words I’d use to describe myself. But it’s also something I’m craving lately – to delight in the moments, both big and small, of this circus we call life.
What will you pick for 2024?
I hope this gives you some inspiration for how to think about what’s next as we head into next year. What will your 2024 Word of the Year be?
Drop a comment in – I’d love to hear from if you. Have you already picked your Word this year? Is this something new? Tell me what you think!
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