Choosing Your Word for 2019
The first time I chose a word or theme for a year was back in 2010. At the time, my Dad was very sick and in the hospital for extended periods of time. I am a big time Daddy’s girl and this was really, really hard for me. Whenever I would doubt myself or want to break down I would remind myself that I was doing everything I could and to just be strong.
I told myself to stay strong so many times that it became a daily mantra for me which I continued into the new year. My Dad passed away in January and I kept telling myself to stay strong. When that wasn’t enough I would ask God for the strength to go on. To make sure I never forgot, I wanted to keep it close to me forever. So, in April (2011) I had the word Strength tattooed on the inside of my right wrist.
Each year since then I try to choose a word that sums up what I want to focus on for the rest of the year. One word that will guide me and that will be a constant reminder of what I want to achieve that year. A word that acts as a promise and that will hold me accountable for my decisions. One word that will motivate and inspire me to be the best me I can.
If you have already picked your word for 2019, Awesome! I would for you to share it in the comments.
Choosing Your Word
The word you choose can be anything. A noun, verb, adverb, etc. it can be a thought or feeling. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you at this time in your life. This is not anyone else’s word—this is YOUR word!
I’ve found that my word usually chooses me but there’s no right or wrong in this process. Either way requires action on your part to bring that word into your life and keep it visible throughout the year.
Sometimes a word pops into your mind and won’t leave. Sometimes the process of deciding on your word can happen very fast and other times it can take a while. My suggestion is to give yourself a little time to consider a few different words and then make a decision after a few days.
Be Authentic! Your word should reflect you and no one else. It’s easy to copy someone else’s word, but their word isn’t going to help you.
Don’t analyze it to death. It’s simply about identifying the word that keeps coming back to you. Keep an open mind and start to pay attention to the word that you see, hear and recognize the most in the coming days.
It’s totally okay to not feel 100% satisfied with your word. There are hundreds of words to choose from so pick one and move forward. Remember the goal here is to identify a single word and create a relationship with it for the next 12 months.
Record your answers to the following questions in a notebook, journal or use the Choosing Your Word worksheets linked below.
1. Spend some time imaging what you want your life to like in 2019
What kind of person do you really want to be at the end of the year? What areas of your life do you want to improve?
Ask yourself:
What do I want to feel this year?
What changes do I want to make?
What new experiences do I want to try?
Why do I want these things in my life?
How can I make them happen?
2. Make a list of words that sum up your answers to those questions
Your list can include nouns such as strength or hope, adjectives like brave or calm, or verbs like connect or focus.
3. Start to narrow down your list to the top five words that resonate with you the most
Take some time to look them up in the dictionary, thesaurus, or the Bible. Really dive into the true meaning of each word.
Ask yourself the following questions for each word:
Why would this word be a good choice to guide me through the next year?
How can this word help shape my year in the direction I want to go next year?
Take a deep breath and commit. Just go ahead and decide on a word. Remember that there’s no right or wrong answer here. Simply follow your gut instincts.
Download the Choosing Your Word Workbook
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