What’s Your Word of the Year?

Dec 21, 2022

New year’s resolutions are challenging to keep. According to Forbes magazine, by February 1, only 25% of people are still committed to their resolutions, and only 8% actually accomplish them.

I’ve always preferred writing descriptive, actionable goals instead of setting resolutions. The problem? A few weeks into January, I can barely recall the lengthy list of WHAT I set out to achieve not to mention HOW I planned to do it.

A few years ago, life coach Patricia Cimino, taught me to approach new year’s goals by using one word to capture all that I wanted to achieve in the year. This simple one-word goal setting strategy keeps me focused, connected + more on track to accomplish my goals.

Here is the process I use to figure out my WORD of the year, give it a try!

1. DETERMINE exactly what you want to achieve over the coming year in each area of your life.

2. VISUALIZE and daydream about what may happen once your goals are accomplished.

3. DECIDE how you will feel once you reach your goals and summarize this feeling with one descriptive WORD. Choose a WORD that you connect with: Confident, Strong, Accomplished, Resilient, Fierce, Professional.

4. SHARE your WORD with family, friends or co-workers for accountability and encourage them to generate words of their own.

5. BRING your WORD with you to your workouts and yoga practice, on family outings, and to work meetings. Let it serve as a mantra to motivate you through a long run or to remind you to hang-in when you feel overwhelmed.

So… ditch the long list of resolutions and allow your 2023 WORD to guide you through the next 12 months, instead. Once you create your WORD, encourage the rest of your family to do the same, (kids, too!).