Here we are, at the beginning of another year. How in the world can it be 2022?!? It does not seem like long ago we were crossing into the year 2000. People often say life gets better and better as they age, and so far I would agree. My husband often reminds me how I am eleven days older than him, as if that is significant. Older and wiser I say!
Speaking of trying my best to be wiser, for the past several years, I have chosen a “Word of the Year” instead of setting typical New Year’s Resolutions. This has become a common practice for people wanting to set goals or focus on certain areas of their life. I find it much more doable and realistic than a resolution. Additionally, many resolutions are too vague, unrealistic, and if measures are not taken to stay accountable, it can be easy to completely forgo the plan.
Over 80% of people give up on their resolution by mid-February.
What is a Word of the Year?
A word of the year is an overall theme or intention for your life. It can be a characteristic about yourself you want to build or improve upon. It can be a feeling you want to embrace or become more aware of. THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS. As long as your word of the year is personal and meaningful to YOU, that is all that matters.
I like to think of my word of the year as the thread that is woven through every part of my life. A few years ago, I chose the word “true” as my word of the year. I was in a major self-discovery season of life, and digging into deep questions such as:
- Who am I?
- What am I passionate about?
- What natural skills have I been gifted with?
- Am I making choices based on my goals, or to please others?
- How can I make forward progress toward being my best self?
By choosing the word “true”, I was able to remind myself daily to be true to myself in my thoughts, words, and actions. It was woven into every decision, every baby step I made.
How to choose your word of the year:
- Reflect on your current season of life, and where you want to focus your attention. Is there an area you want to work on? Or a new habit you want to establish? An intentional reminder to set the tone of your days?
- Make a list of all your ideas. Don’t worry about choosing one just yet, simply write them all down.
- Read through your list a few times, and see which word stands out. Think about how it applies to different areas of your life, and if it feels right for you this year.
I have found that if I am paying attention to what I’m reading, listening to, praying about, and current goals I am working towards, my word becomes clear. It feels right.
My word of the year for 2022: ESSENTIAL
While reflecting on my past year and thinking about my goals for this year, I kept coming back to the basics. Am I focusing on the things that really matter? Am I overcomplicating daily tasks? How do I prioritize my time? What is truly ESSENTIAL? I am excited to focus on the essentials this year and really get back to the basics. Daily routines, weekly jobs, spending my time on my top priorities, to name a few. How can I simplify the essentials so I have more room for the unexpected?
Remind yourself of your word every day!
There are so many ways to bring your word into your daily life. My favorite way is engraving the word on a piece of jewelry. The Giving Keys has a variety of cute, customizable jewelry options. A few of my favorites include the matte black, vintage classic, and dainty key necklaces. You can find the links here!
You can also simply write your word on a notecard or sticky note and put it on your bathroom mirror. It doesn’t have to be fancy. The important part is keeping your word a priority.
The more you are reminded of your word of the year, the more intentional you will be living it out.
This post covered why I recommend choosing a Word of the Year rather than a New Year’s Resolution. I also shared tips on how to choose your own word, and the word I am focusing on for 2022. Additionally, I suggested different ways of keeping your word in front of you every day, so it can remain a priority.
This year, I will focus on what is most ESSENTIAL.
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