How to Choose a Word for the Year
Every year, in the middle of autumn, I start to feel an itch—you might know the one. With the turning of seasons, crisper air, and the promise of the holidays close by, I become reflective, pondering what’s transpired in the year so far, how I’ve been feeling, and anything else I’ve been ruminating on. Often, a word will float into my consciousness as if by magic, sometime in October or November. It’s not a process to rush, and it’s not very involved. All you really have to do is say to yourself: I’m looking.
This is a stark departure from how I used to approach the end of the year. For many of us, setting goals has long been a tradition since childhood. When I met my husband as a college freshmen, he showed me a list of one hundred goals he set, which was something he and his family did together. Over the years, we curated our goals to a list of ten, and tried to cover a variety of circumstances—relationships, career, finances, etc—in an effort to be well-rounded.
A few years in, though, the constant list-making felt off. Although I appreciate the satisfaction that comes from crossing off a task or making a triumphant check mark, I was also itching for something that felt more nurturing.
That’s when I stopped setting goals, and started choosing a word for the year instead.
Consider this observation from Forbes:
“Many people fail to achieve their goals because they identify an outcome without also identifying the underlying motivation of that outcome. Without knowing your intentions, you make it too easy to sleep in instead of going to the gym, or let blogging fall by the wayside when more important things seem to come up (they always will).”
The word intention is what catches my eye here. Intentions aren’t tied to a specific outcome—it’s more like they’re attached to a specific purpose, which is a much more grounding way to think about how you might like to grow and change in the year ahead.
3 Steps to Choose a Word for the Year
This practice is a way of opening up to what the year might bring. It doesn’t negate any specific hopes and dreams you have, but it’s not rigid, either. A word allows you the spaciousness to grow, change, and make adjustments along the way. Here’s how I approach the process.
Step 1: Set an intention
The best words arrive when they’re ready. It might take a week, or a month. (I often begin considering my new word in October or November, then make a firm decision at the end of the year.)
When choosing a word for the year, don't rush the process.
The best way to determine your word is to simply set an intention to find one. Give yourself some time to ponder it. Reflect on the current year, and as far ahead as you can see, what the new year might offer. Ask yourself how you want to feel, not what you want to do or accomplish.
Writer Claire Diaz Ortiz put it this way:
“Pick one word that word that imbues the type of year you wish to have, and a word that can serve as a guidepost for what you want in the year to come. One simple word that will help you decide between X and Y, and help you remember what’s important when you find yourself in an endless loop of Facebook/Twitter/Email checking you can’t get out of.”
Step 2: Gather some options
As you reflect, gather a handful of words that might be contenders. See how you respond to them, and if you like, talk it over with your significant other or a close friend.
Step 3: Make your choice
When the time is right, commit to the word. Don’t worry about making the wrong choice. The beauty of a single word is it can manifest its meaning in several ways.
For instance, my word for 2015 was OPEN. This ended up applying to small moments like being open minded about an idea or recommendation (not caring where a group decided to go to dinner, say), and larger experiences like navigating new career options as well as quite literally, in childbirth.
Once you’ve settled on your word, embrace it. You don’t need to do anything specific, just be aware of it, and enjoy seeing how your word begins to apply to various aspects of your life throughout the year.
Over to you. Have you ever chosen a word for the year? Are you thinking of trying it for the first time? Share in the comments!
25 Words to Anchor Your Year
To help you get started, here are a few words to consider.
Abundant
Balance
Connect
Content
Curious
Encourage
Expand
Grow
Hope
Intentional
Joy
Listen
Nurture
Open
Patient
Persevere
Purpose
Release
Rest
Restore
Renew
Seek
Surrender
Trust
Truth
