Word of the Year

Words are so powerful. If you have tried affirmations you would know the immense power intentions can have, when they are verbalised.

What is ‘Word of the Year’

Choosing a Word of the Year is harnessing the power of the word(s) by aligning your values with your intentions and choosing the most representative word for those intentions.

In place of having rigid resolutions or goals, a word encompasses a whole lot more. It is a mirror to what you hold true and what you want to follow through for the year ahead.
The year may not even go as planned or as expected but if you have a moral compass in the form of a word, it becomes easier to make choices when you feel challenged by obstacles or difficult circumstances.

How I chose my Word

At the end of last year, I felt a strange need to find closure before moving on to new things. It was just an overwhelming need to look back and let go of things and beliefs that no longer worked for me. I thought of ways I could say my good byes before walking on newer paths.

I thought about it for a few days and the Universe sent some help along. I chanced on a ‘Decoding the Year Workbook’ (more about that in another post) that promised to help me analyse the year that was ending and find my way forward. Over the next few days, I worked through my feeling, emotions and learnings and what it was that I needed to focus on in the coming year.

I tuned into myself to look at my values, the principles I hold dear and evaluated whether my life was a manifestation of these values.

I also realised that over the years, my values had changed. Maybe it was experience, maybe I was changing but I definitely needed to make space for a new set of empowering beliefs. It did not mean I was fickle, it probably meant that I was open.

After some deep thinking, I came up with the words, ‘Open‘, ‘Receptive‘, ‘Blossom‘. I still had to choose only one. I had to ask myself what was it that I wanted to do in all spheres of life and what was one thing/mood/emotion that I wanted by my side as I navigated the year. Of course, I wanted to grow and to blossom and yes, I wanted to be receptive to whatever life was giving me. And then I thought of my beliefs that had been holding me back. I wanted to let go of them and be more open to not only what life had to offer but also to a newer way of thinking. I wanted to be open to opportunities and also to places and people.

So, the word for me this year is ‘Open‘. I would try to stay open to life.

Image: courtesy Pixabay

I hope to turn this new year into a new beginning with my word guiding me. The year could be unexpected but I would trust the path, knowing that all is good, that I am living my values and that I am exactly where I am supposed to be in this journey.

Have you tried to set an Intention for this year or chosen a word to guide you? I would love to hear how you choose your word.