Forget New Year’s Resolutions & pick a Word of the Year instead
Here’s an idea for 2025 – instead of making a New Year’s Resolution, how about choosing a Word for the Year instead?
Some people love to make resolutions at new year, for others it’s not their thing.
Whichever camp you sit in, the problem with resolutions is that they tend to set an expectation that you will change your behaviour starting now, so when things slip, as they inevitably do, you can then feel like you’ve failed.
Another thing to consider is that if we try and align the way we live to the seasons, New Year is not a great a time to try and make big changes. Nature is still in the grips of winter, which is a time to slow down, rest and reflect. Spring is a time of awakening and new energy, lighter days and warmer weather, making this a good time for resolutions, if you’re so inclined.
So back to the word of the year idea – what’s so great about this?
Well, choosing a word for the year can help give you direction and purpose. It can help focus you and be applied to all areas of your life. It can help you set an intention for your life for the year ahead, rather than a resolution which can feel overwhelming, and instill a sense of disappointment or failure if you don’t stick to it.
A word can be more a guiding force about how you want to feel, bringing things back to what matters to you. It can feel more supportive and motivating rather than a judgement.
Here’s how to choose your word:
*Reflect: Take some time to sit down with a cuppa and a notebook and reflect on the last 6 months or previous year. What worked for you and what didn’t? What brought you joy? What do you want more of? What is stopping you from living in alignment with what you want in life? Is there anything you want to change or do less of in 2025?
*Visualise: Now picture the year ahead. Visualise your life, at home and at work. Think about your relationships, your lifestyle, your health, your hobbies. What does this look like? How do you want to feel? Is there anything you are not doing that you would like to do? Does anything stand out?
*Brainstorm! Jot down all the words that come to mind. Don’t overthink it!
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
Abundance Adapt Aspire Begin Breathe Build Care Change Creativity Dare Drive Empower Express Focus Forgive Growth Heal Inspire Intention Joy Knowledge Learn Liberate Mindful Nourish Opportunity Organise Play Positivity Rebuild Refocus Release Resilience Simplify Strength Success Thrive Vision Wisdom
*Now choose your word. Go through your list, sit with each one, whittle down your list, and see which one excites you. Pick the one that resonates and feels right for you. Choose it and commit to it.
Once you’ve chosen your word, you need to bring it to life! You could make it visible by printing or writing it out, or making a vision board, and putting it where you will see it regularly. Use it when making choices and incorporate it into your goals– does this thing align with my word? If not, what could you do differently to get you back on track?
Review: Take some time to review this every couple of months or so to check in and see how things are going. You can always tweak your word to make sure it still resonates with you.
My word of the year:
After reflecting on the previous year, and thinking about my goals for the year ahead, the word I have chosen is BALANCE. This encompasses what I am trying to achieve in all aspects of my life, including my business, creative pursuits, family time and wellness.
Do let me know if you do this exercise and I’d love to know what word you choose!