How To Choose Your Word Of The Year

With the start of a new year, it’s almost inevitable to feel excited about the future, while reflecting upon the year we leave behind. It’s a great time to ask ourselves:

1. What worked well?
2. What can we do differently?
3. What do I most want to create in my life?

These questions allow us to learn from the past without beating ourselves up, with gratitude for all the learning, then quickly shift our focus to creating and designing our very own life blueprint, which is so empowering.

For a few years, I have made it a tradition to invest time with my family in which we chart the course for the 365 days ahead. One of our favorite practices is to select a single word that sums up how we want to be and live, and that will serve as a visible compass to intentionally guide our daily paths.

Why Choose a Word of the Year

When you settle into a word that will set the tone for the year and will serve as an anchor for your goals and dreams, you will be more guided and less distracted.

We’ve all heard that resolutions are hard to keep and how easy it is to “fall off the wagon.” However, having a word is more about what you can BE and not about what you can do, which makes all actions more intentional and all results more lasting.

When you choose a word of the year, it will reflect your values, your intentions, and the grand vision you have for your life.

Last year, my word was Holiness, and it set the tone for all my intentions. This year, I prayerfully chose the word “Commitment.“

The word commitment communicates an intense intention that is followed by an action plan. For me, being committed describes the mindset I need with regard to the processes I must be willing to follow in order to unlock my divine potential.

What does it mean to be Committed?

1. Commitment means stick-to-it-iveness, not giving up
2. Commitment means a no-excuses mentality
3. Commitment means having the Courage to do what is required
4. Commitment means loyalty and dependability
5. Commitment means steadfastness
6. Commitment means completion and no procrastination
7. Commitment means consistent progress, rather than unachievable perfection

What Am I Committed To?

As I vow to increase my level of commitment to what matters most to me, I made sure to choose my top 5 priorities to set myself up for success and avoid overwhelm:

1. My faith ~ my covenants with my Lord and Savior
2. Myself ~ my pledge to nurture my own needs
3. My marriage ~ my vows to be a faithful, loving, and supportive partner
4. My children ~ my responsibility to teach, protect, and nurture my children
5. My calling ~ my sacred duty to bless others with my God-given gifts

Yes, I realize these are ambitious aspirations – BOLD GOALS.

I believe in thinking, dreaming, and living big, yet I also believe in grace. I know I won’t have a perfect score at any of these and that’s why I decided in advance that it is okay to scrape my knees in the process. It’s the getting back up and forgiving myself that matters… and that, in fact, it may just be the best part of the plan!

How to Choose a Word of the Year

I will first encourage you to ask yourself the same questions my daughters and I use to evaluate the last year.

What worked well? Look at what brought you joy and excitement and what you’d like more of.
What can we do differently? Looking at all areas of your life, see what could be better and what is causing you stress.
What do I most want to create in my life?

Now we will go into the present and look into the future to get to your own word of the year.

Examine your core values

Get clear on what is truly and deeply most important to you. A quick to get an idea of your values is to think of what you admire in others. Think of what you wish to become or what you wish on the people you love. 

Pray, meditate, and ponder

Which word on the list aligns with what God intends for you this year? You’ll just know. As you go through the list, one word may trigger a different word that’s not on there. That’s fine too.

Don’t second guess your intuition, even when your word may not “sound like you” or be so obvious. Honestly, the word chooses you more than you choose the word.

Define exactly what your word of the year means to you

in the current season of life you’re in and for each area of the life you are designing. You don’t want to choose someone else’s word or one that someone else suggests. You get to choose what your word means to you, too, on your own terms.

Declare how you will apply it to your life experience. In my case, I’m declaring my full commitment to all areas of my life.

Some of the words my mom mentees have chosen this year are:

Trust | fearless | rise | present, compassion, brave, expand, conquer, relief, freedom, simplify, nourish, listen, impact, empowered, joy, progress, vigilant, supported, prosper, love, peace, patience, confidence, consistency, influence, delight, release, build, energy, liberation, bold, transcend, thrive, calm, goals, heard, enough, action, discipline, surrender, tenfold, vulnerability, momentum, order, legacy, balance, learn, motivated, purpose, transformation, time, circle, abundance, connected, grace, positivity, hope, intentional, soar, do, vibrant, mindfulness, focus, ponder, determined, do, worth, grit, illuminate, endure, seen, fierce, clarity, breathe, surrender, authenticity, execute, drive, growth, believe, grateful, nurture, explore, be… 

How to Apply Your Word of the Year to Your Life

You may notice that some of these are nouns, some are adjectives or quality words, some of these are action words (verbs), and some are in the past tense. There is no set rule for what your word will look like. Just make sure it feels right to you and it is a high-frequency word that invites positive vibration. Here are some examples of applying these in real-life choices:

• Asking “Will I feel supported if I go in this direction?” 
• Reflecting “How can I be more intentional in my conversations today?”
• Repeating a personal mantra “Choose to believe!” 
• Deciding “this is contributing to my growth.”
• Adopting the identity of the word “I am worth it”

Your one word or word of the year will guide, focus, and anchor your thoughts and influence your choices. It will help you become the mom, woman, and being God created you to be, and therefore, this alignment with your purpose will bring you fulfillment.

I always choose a verse from the Scriptures that adds clarity to my word of the year. Some people prefer to reverse the process. Do what works for you!

This year, my verse is Psalm 37:5:

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” ~ KJV

I just love how one simple word and one short verse can give you access to so much direction for each of my steps toward the life I want.

Make sure you find a way to have reminders of what your word is, whether it is a visual printout or a daily phone reminder. You may also share it with the people in your life who support the path you’re on, so they can provide accountability.

What is your word or phrase of the year?

I am so excited to learn more about the new journey you’re embarking on, so please share it. Happy New Year, love!

Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results and help others do the same. Dr. Elayna Fernández is a single mom of 4, an award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 5x TEDx speaker. She has spoken at the United Nations, received the President’s Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award, and was selected as one of the Top Impactful Leaders and a Woman of Influence by SUCCESS Magazine. Connect with Elayna at thepositivemom.com/ef and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.

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