It’s a new year and a time to reflect. I am big believer in the power of positive thought and manifestation, so for the last few years I’ve chosen a word to help guide me through the 12 months that follow. Some people have a mantra, or use a vision board. I also love a positive affirmation and getting creative on Canva to bring together the things that matter to me and to elevate my thoughts out of my subconscious.
What is a word of the year?
For some people no matter how hard they have tried in the past they just can’t stick to the resolutions that they make at the start of each new year. This is often due to combination of things, but more often than not, the root issue is short-term thinking and choosing goals that are what you think you “should” be doing, rather than focusing on how you want to feel or who you want to become.
That’s where using a strategy like choosing a single word to represent the year can be such a useful anchor to always remind you of the higher purpose in your goal. Choosing a word of the year can bring more intention to your life. It represents your aspirations and values. It helps you to maintain progress in your desired direction. Most importantly the act of choosing your word gives you space to reflect on the year that has passed and think about what your hopes are for the future.
This Year’s Word For Me is Grace
My word of the year is something that I reflected on while I was putting together the latest podcast episode. The last year has been challenging and I know that it is challenging for lots of you. I’ve recently had some family stresses resurface that have made me think more deeply. It is so difficult when you’re faced with a situation that you are actually completely powerless over, thinking should I have done more, should I have been there to help, what should I do now?
A good few years ago, a friend introduced me to the work of Brene Brown and ever since then, one of her bits of advice has stuck with me. I find myself using it in times like this when I’m struggling to accept a situation or understand another person’s actions or behaviour. Brene Brown says to reframe the situation and ask yourself “what if they’re just doing the best they can?” as for most people they genuinely are doing the best they can. That doesn’t mean accepting behaviour that is clearly unacceptable, it is more about your own boundaries and how you react to the situation. This very simple question has helped me make peace within myself and see things from another perspective.
So this year I am channelling this goodwill and radiating love so that peace can hopefully return and those I love are able to move forward with their lives. The word “Grace” completely embodies the way that we can honour the human qualities that we all possess, and that fact that none of us are perfect. Grace is showing kindness, empathy and understanding that those around you are doing their best even if you might not have made the same choices. When we act with loving kindness towards others that have caused pain, it can help us to find peace.
There is a quiet softness to grace. But it is strong and it has a positive energy. Grace takes struggle and gifts us the opportunity to leave the negativity behind. Grace is a true gift when given to ourselves. This year I will be giving myself grace and accepting that I don’t need to be the one that saves everyone, it is not my job to take the pain away because that would be impossible.
How do I pick My Word of the Year?
The word you choose will be unique to you and your life experiences. It is a personal reflection of your hopes and will help you to manifest your desires for the coming year. Here are some steps that you can take to brainstorm and arrive at your word for the year.
- Set aside some time to reflect on the past year. You can write things down, or record yourself talking in a voice note. In your reflection think about what went well and what would you like more or less of? Are there any activities or events that come to mind? What feelings come up for you, do you have any favourite or more uncomfortable memories? The key is to let the thoughts come, in whatever order they appear. Then take a look at what you’ve written or said. Are there any common themes?
- Next consider your goals, hopes, and desires for the coming year. Again let the ideas come. You may have lots of things that you want to work on, but know that realistically you will only be able to work on a few. When reviewing you notes try to identify the priorities or if there is an underlying common thread through your ideas?
- From this exercise, words may already emerging for you. Spend a few minutes to brain dump the words that you already are feeling drawn to. At this stage it can be helpful to look at lists of words online for inspiration. Pinterest has some great examples to browse and pin your ideas. Another tip you can try, is to look for synonyms of words that resonate with you, but just aren’t quite what you were looking for. An online thesaurus or google search is great for this. Remember you are aiming to choose a single word (or short phrase) that encapsulates your goals or aspirations for the year ahead.
- Don’t put pressure on yourself to arrive at a word quickly or feel you have to stick to it if things change or your feelings change. I find it is good to revisit the reflection activity and lists of words for inspiration to let my favourites settle in my mind. And if you really struggle to choose just one, it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one. They are for you and you need to feel they are representative of how you’d like the year ahead to unfold.
- The next thing I like to do once I have my word is write down my definition of what that word means to me, not the dictionary definition, but how you interpret it and how it will guide you through the year. This deepens your connection with the word and the intention you attach to it. To further embed the word in your conscious, you might find it helpful to create an inspirational visual representing your word that you can look at frequently throughout the year.
In conclusion, choosing a word of the year has become a popular activity and way to bring focus to the actions that you take. Only you will know what word is most meaningful to you in your heart and what feels good and affirming. I hope that me sharing my word and my tips about how to find your word has been useful and if you’d like to share your word for 2024 and what it means to you I’d love to hear from you.
Kindspace is here to help you on your wellbeing journey, with guided affirmations and journaling two great tools to work on your goals for the year. To learn more about Kindspace and how to get started you can get a free guide here. The guide will help you discover more about the world of smart home technology and how Kindspace can help you use technology to enhance your quality of life.