How to Choose Your Word of the Year
In my women's leadership community, something magical happens each December. Instead of making typical New Year's resolutions, we choose a single word to guide our year ahead. The results are often transformative – and sometimes surprising.
Take Kathy's experience - an attorney who owns her law firm in the heartland- with choosing "Grace" as her word last year. She expected it would help her receive grace from others. Instead, she found herself repeatedly being the one who needed to extend grace."I kept encountering challenging people at work," she laughs,"as if God was giving me constant opportunities to practice giving grace rather than receiving it!" Her word taught her something unexpected:sometimes our greatest growth comes from giving what we thought we needed to get.
WHY ONE WORD
Unlike detailed resolutions that often fade by February, a single word serves as your North Star throughout the year. It becomes a lens for decision-making, a mantra in difficult moments, and a gentle reminder of your deeper intentions.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT
There's fascinating brain science behind the power of choosing one word. Our brains are wired to filter information through our beliefs and expectations. By choosing a specific word, you're essentially programming your reticular activating system (RAS) – the part of your brain that determines what information gets through to your conscious mind. Your chosen word helps your brain focus on opportunities and resources aligned with your intentions.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WORD
My years of coaching have revealed a reliable process for choosing your word:
- Reflect on Your Season: Start by honestly assessing where you are in life. For Kelley, a CPA who consults with CFOs, health challenges led her to choose "Strength." What feels missing in your life? What challenges are you facing? What growth are you craving?
- Envision Your Future: Close your eyes and imagine it's December 31st of next year. What kind of person do you want to be? What stories do you want to tell about your year? For Billie, who runs an online bookstore, the vision of abundance in all areas of her life led to her powerful choice.
- Listen to Your Patterns: Melinda, a plant manager leading 34 team members, noticed patterns of wanting to break free from self-imposed limitations, leading to her choice of "Freedom." Pay attention to words that keep appearing in your journal, conversations, or even complaints.
- Test Drive Your Word: Before committing, live with your potential word for a few days. That's what Robyn, a branding expert, did with "Surrender." Does it energize you? Does it feel both challenging and achievable? Your word should feel like a gentle stretch, not an impossible leap.
COMMON CATEGORIES OF POWER WORDS
When exploring potential words, consider these different types:
- Action words: Create, Build, Launch, Grow
- Feeling states: Joy, Peace, Abundance, Gratitude
- Character traits: Courage, Wisdom, Resilience, Grace
- Behavioral traits: Focus, Discipline, Balance, Presence
MAKING YOUR WORD WORK
Once you've chosen your word, success comes through intentional practice:
- Make it visible: Put it on your mirror, your desktop, your phone wallpaper
- Share it intentionally: Tell people who will support and remind you
- Check in regularly: Schedule monthly reflections on how you're embodying your word
- Look for evidence: Keep a journal of moments when your word showed up in your life
Some women in our community create powerful visual reminders. Kristi designed a triangle diagram with her word "Trust" at the top, connecting it to "Traveling Light" and "Hopeful Expectancy." Katlin, a Denver-based project manager, turned her word into a daily mantra, writing "She is serenity amidst the chaos" on her mirror and workspace.
BEYOND RESOLUTION SEASON
The beauty of a word of the year is that it transcends typical goal-setting. While a resolution might be to "exercise three times a week," a word like "vitality" encompasses not just physical health but also mental and emotional well-being. Your word becomes a filter for decision-making. Kim, CEO of a midwestern Chamber of Commerce, uses her word "Unity" to evaluate opportunities through the lens of bringing people together.
REMEMBER, ITS A JOURNEY
Sometimes, like Katlin, you might find that a phrase works better than a single word. Her "She is serenity amidst the chaos" mantra perfectly captures her intention for the year. Other times, like in my case, you might need to sit with several words (Breakthrough? Imagine? Lead?) before the right one emerges.
Remember: There's No Wrong Word. The perfect word is the one that resonates with YOU. Don't choose a word because it sounds good or because someone else chose it. Choose a word that speaks to your heart and aligns with your vision for your life.
YOUR TURN
What word is calling to you this year? What do you want more of in your life? What quality would help you face your current challenges? Take time to listen, reflect, and choose a word that resonates with your deepest desires for the year ahead.
