Have you made New Year’s resolutions in past years that you've never achieved? Most of us have. The beginning of a new calendar year is a good time to take stock of the past and look forward to what we can change and improve. But making a resolution for change with no focus and no plan to get there rarely works.
This year I’ve noticed several articles and blogs about choosing a Word of the Year (WotY) instead of making resolutions. The word can be a noun, verb or descriptive word or even a word for an emotion or attitude. The important part is that it provides a focus for the changes you want to make in your life.
Here are a few examples:
Next (as in “2020 done, 2021 next”) – This word creates a focus on looking forward. Many of us had a rough year in 2020. This is for a person who wants to focus on planning for the future and avoid dwelling on the past.
Discipline – This can mean concentrating on spending more time exercising, controlling spending, being more productive at work, and much more.
Joy – This word would inspire a person to look for happiness wherever it can be found and could be used to maintain a more positive outlook on life.
Uncomfortable – A focus on this term might inspire a person to get out of their comfort zone and try new things they haven’t done before. Change makes many of us uncomfortable, but we need to face this discomfort to grow and improve.
Flow - This is a word that can have more than one meaning or use as a Word of the Year... "go with the flow", flow with whatever life throws your way, and "flow", the state of mind where you're completely focused on the present, sometimes called mindfulness, common in high level athletes, musicians and artists who are totally immersed in an activity, concentrating only on the present.
Hope - After such a difficult year in 2020, a focus on hope for the coming year can help to look forward to a better future. Having hope helps us to take actions that will create improvements in our lives.
What’s the difference between resolutions and a WotY?
In the end, you still need to make stepwise changes to achieve your goals. But rather than looking at a long list, you are focusing on a single word that represents a change in attitude. Many successful improvements begin with a change in attitude and focus.
Of course, changes don’t happen without a plan of some sort. You have to DO something to create the positive changes you want in your life. But focusing on a single word that represents the attitude you need to make changes is a place to start.
So, choose a Word of the Year that encompasses the state of mind you will need to achieve your goals for the future. Post it where you will see it often – one suggestion is to write it on your bathroom mirror in dry-erase marker! – and take time each day to think about how it applies to your life. Then use the change in attitude to plan the steps you need to take to achieve the changes you desire.
So, what word will I choose?
I want to have a focus on my health this year, but I also have an urge to do more art and writing. So, now that I’ve thought about this for a while, I think I will choose Create as my “WotY” to focus on for 2021. I can create a healthier lifestyle, create closer ties with my children and create artistically too. A single word can be interpreted in several ways, creating inspiration to achieve several goals or become the person you want to be.
The photo above is of my first attempts at creating "Mandela Stones". Still some learning to do, but they're starting to look pretty...
Have you chosen a Word of the Year? Or, if you’ve decided on New Year’s resolutions, what single word could you choose to keep your focus over the coming year? Leave a comment below or send me an email… Perhaps your word can become an inspiration for others!
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and inspired 2021…
Comments