As we welcome in the new year, I wanted to remind you about one of my favourite New Year’s traditions…
And I don’t mean resolutions!
I’m so over those.
Because we often use resolutions as a way to beat ourselves up.
For not doing what we set out to do.
For not accomplishing our goals.
“I’m going to go to the gym 2-3 times per week.”
“I’ll cut out sugar from my diet.”
“I will be in bed by 10 pm every night.”
Before we know it, we’re two months (weeks, days, hours) into the new year & our resolution has already crashed & burned.
We feel so disappointed in ourselves.
Or worse…like failures!
Ugh. Been there, done that.
So instead of creating resolutions now, I do something else.
Something that feels more powerful.
More hopeful. More self-compassionate.
I choose an inspiring word of the year.
A word that represents a yearning. A deep desire.
Something I want more of in life.
And I use this word to gently guide me through the year.
Like a wise old friend. Holding up a sign.
Reminding me of where I want to go in life.
And to stay on my own true path.
In 2020 I chose the word ‘connection.’
I’d been working alone the previous two years & was craving more human interaction.
And ‘connection’ turned out to be a very prophetic word…
Considering covid’s arrival that spring!
Staying connected to my friends & family (via zoom, text, phone calls & walks), as well as creating new online connections, helped me stay sane. In a year full of excessive alone time!
In 2021 my word of the year was ‘ease.’
I was tired of striving so hard.
Especially in business.
So throughout the year, whenever I needed to make a decision, I asked myself: would this make my life easier?
And if the answer was no, I didn’t do it.
Simple as that.
Using ‘ease’ as my sign post helped me navigate the year more gently. And honour my core values.
So my friend, now it’s your turn.
Here’s how to choose your own word of the year:
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- Find a quiet space – go for a walk outdoors, escape to your bedroom or car, have a hot bath…anywhere you’ll have some uninterrupted time to yourself.
- Get grounded – close your eyes, put a hand on your heart & take a few deep breaths to get connected to your body/soul.
- Ask & listen – ask yourself these three questions: “What am I craving? What am I longing for deep down? What do I want more of?” And listen for whatever word arises within. One that makes you pause & say “Mmm, yes, that’s it. That’s what I want more of in life.”
- Record & review – write your word down in a journal, on your phone, a post-it note – so you don’t forget. Come back to it whenever you need a gentle reminder to stay on track & live your life according to your own core values (not someone else’s).
If you follow the above steps & nothing comes to you, that’s ok.
Trust that it’s not the right time. Yet.
Come back to these steps later.
At a different time. A different place.
Or perhaps in a different way altogether.
Last year’s word ‘ease’ came to me while out walking with my friend.
It just dropped in suddenly while we were discussing this very subject.
This year’s word (‘surrender’) came to me yesterday. While I was blow-drying my hair (I kid you not)!
I’d been feeling a strong desire to let go & trust that my right next steps, in business & in life, will appear.
So ‘surrender’ is the perfect word to guide me through the year.
Our intuition speaks to us in all sorts of mysterious ways.
So remember to stay open.
And trust you’ll know your word when you hear / feel / see / sense it.
(Whatever your intuitive process is.)
But if you need some support, I’ve created a guided meditation to help you connect with your intuition & your word. Click here to download it.
And you can watch my latest YouTube video…3 Reasons Why Choosing a Word of the Year Works:
No matter what — whether you choose a word of the year or not — I wish you a bright, healthy & happy new year.
Kerry xo