New Year’s resolutions don’t have the best track record, so instead choose your word of the year.

Why a word of the year?

We all love the New Year!

It’s a time when we pull out our new calendar and start “over.” We see this as a turning of a page or year, a bright blank slate to start again. We get to start new projects, new calendars, new planners will big new goals.

We get all excited and accept that this will be the year we make all the changes in the world.

The cat is looking at you with old confetti in your hair from last night… thinking here we go again.

The idea of a new date on the “opposite” side gives the impression that it is somewhat different. We get all nostalgic about this “New Year.”

It becomes the new unknown, a place in the far future, even if it is tomorrow. Then, when we get there we see our last year as “back then”, even if it was only 2 weeks ago.

Making a resolution puts a time limit on our success and or failure. In reality, the upcoming year is just another tomorrow and all we really have is today.

“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.”

― Vern McLellan

Lastly, when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, 25% of those who make resolutions quit in the first 2 weeks, only about 10% actually keep them.

If you are going to create goals or resolutions, make them small and realistic, with less expectation on resolving and more on understanding.

How do we do that?

The power of a word of the year

When we create our word of the year, we get intentional. We look back to our previous words and then we decide what word will suit our future self.

It is less about turning the “new year” clock and more about turning inward.

A word of the year is simple, yet profound in its ability to transform our lives.

Word of the year is an intention: An intention if focused upon becomes a goal.

Words in themselves are powerful at the moment. They create a feeling, an understanding. We still take a journey through our past year to see what needs changing and we look toward the future as a guidepost, but the word is chosen now.

It is relevant right now.

When we make a resolution it has a specific goal. However, the Word of the Year gives you options. Words have different meanings and the meaning can cover more than one thing.

Word of the Year themes

The theme of one word can bring focus to you personally, and professionally, or be related to family, self, dreams, and goals. It is an underlying string that connects that word to many different aspects of your life. It can also help you change your behavior, motivate you or inspire you.

My word of the year was brave. I wanted to be brave in my business so I made an intention to put myself out there and be brave.

I did live videos regularly, created a digital course, became a hypnosis instructor, created this podcast, focused more on my one-to-one coaching, and started to grow my business.

Brave also sneaked into my personal life as I faced my greatest fear of moving.

I did all these things but even if I only did one, I would have been brave. See the difference?

When you choose a word, it should reflect growth in your life. It should also be attached to your emotional state, as feelings drive intention.

A Sprinkle of Mindfulness

You should also choose the word in a mindful way. (You KNOW I would be adding mindfulness)

When we reflect backward and forward, we are doing a lot of thinking.

But when we get ready to choose the word, we should move into mindfulness. This is when we can tap into our feelings into the sensations that come up.

Getting out of your head brings clarity, and spaciousness so we can allow our intuitive process to unfold and connect to that word on a different level.

And it also allows us to choose something that maybe we wouldn’t have considered.

Now after having given you a few reasons to consider a word of the year instead of a new year’s resolution, you’re probably wondering HOW to pick the word.

Well, I have a treat for you!!