Do you buy into all the “word of the year” hype?
It is a thing now!
I first heard about it back in 2014, which was when I first discovered Powersheets. This was when Powersheets came unbound and hole punched for a 3 ring binder (and you could buy an Emily Ley simplified binder to store them in!).
At the time, the idea really rocked my world. It felt super intentional to choose ONE word that my year would embody. It also felt like a ton of pressure.
Since then, there have been years I’ve skipped this… years I’ve done it and then totally abandoned my word at some point… and then years I’ve really stuck with it and felt like it actually did help me live more purposefully.
This is one of those years I’m hopeful having a word will bring some much needed purpose and direction my way. Because the last couple years I’ve felt like I’ve been living in survival mode and I’m ready to walk into this new season and see what it holds. I’ve really lost touch with who I am, the things I love to do and where I want my life to go.
And after a couple weeks of soul searching, I’ve finally landed on my word.
My word of the year is “renewed”.
I really resonated with the definition of renewed which is why I chose it.
For me, I’ve felt like I’ve seriously lost touch with the good stuff I used to do. So much of it definitely got interrupted due to life circumstances – we moved a few times in a very short period of time, added a third baby to our family, upheaval with work… pretty life changing stuff.
So my hope for 2020 is that I’ll resume some of the things I used to do that brought me joy but I abandoned.
Another hope is to bring fresh life and strength to projects and dreams I’ve placed on the back burner for so long. Stuff I’ve ignored that I’ve wanted to do because I was afraid of upsetting someone, or shining too brightly or failing at it.
Some of these dreams go back an entire decade. And that realization was so sobering to me. Was I seriously going to allow another decade to pass before I jumped on these? No.
Which brings me to the last part of the definition that resonated with me – “replace something that is broken or worn out.” This comes down to being more purposeful with who and what I surround myself with. Things that drain me emotionally can’t be a part of my life anymore.
So that’s my word. Renewed. If choosing a word for the year is something you’d like to do, I’ve got a few things you can try to help you come up with it.
Imagine your future 40-50 years from now.
Crazy to think about, right? But … think about it. What will matter to you then? What will you care about?
Probably not likes on instagram. Or the argument you just had with your kid about the costume she wants to wear to the grocery.
I wrote down stuff like… being in good enough health to maintain my freedom. Being financially stable enough to give without worry. Having made a name for myself in my career.
Here’s why this works: when you approach your life with a long term strategy, suddenly what you value really shifts. The short term, silly stuff of life kind of fades away. Which means you get more purposeful.
Looks for themes among what you write down and try to come up with a word or two that connects them.
Choose 3 areas of your life you want to improve.
What are 3 areas of your life you’d love to see improve? Maybe it’s your health… your relationships… your spiritual life.
Choose three places and then write down what it is you want to improve about it. Just jot down some thoughts. Then once you’ve done that, write down a few steps you’d have to take to make those changes a reality.
The last part of this is to then review what you’ve written and look for a theme. Name something that jumps out at you and seems to connect the statements.
Find these commonalities and try to find a word or two that describe them.
Write a letter to future you.
And when you’re writing the letter, imagine what you’d tell yourself in 2030. Imagine what you’d congratulate yourself for accomplishing, what you’d make note of that happened, and what your hopes would be the next decade after that.
Really use your imagination here and don’t be afraid to dream wildly big.
And when you’re finished – you guessed it! – look for themes. Where are their threads running through the letter? What words describe those threads?
Now, choose your word. But take the pressure off.
Once you’ve done one or all of these exercises, you should have a short list of words. My advice is to look up the definition of the word or words and make sure it really embodies what you’re wanting to focus on in this next year.
Then… tell yourself it’s okay if midway through the year (or sooner) you feel like you need to change the word. Life happens. Priorities shift.
But for now, focus on that word and let it drive for a little while – make decisions out of that word… let it help you bring clarity to what you’re planning for your life.
It’s kinda like a compass, right? Let it guide you.
And, hey, if you really want some extra great guidance you can always snag your own copy of Lara Casey’s Powersheets (not an affiliate link, btw) which is a more in depth way to go about your word + a way to track your progress through the year as you set and accomplish your goals.
Leave a Reply