Everything you need to know About Choosing One Word for the Year

A few years ago, I was introduced to the idea of choosing one word that would be my focus for the entire year. I watched a YouTube video by Jon Gordon that really showed me the importance of choosing just one word. Let’s go there, the over achiever in me wanted to choose 3-5 because that would make me even better right?

Wrong…

The reason you choose 1 word and stick with it is so that you can truly bring that intention to your life for a solid 365 days. Whether or not you believe in manifestation ( the art of…..) or not, I am a firm believer that like attracts like. If you would like to watch Jon’s video, you can find it here. If you’re interested in his book, you can find it here.  

Think about when you purchase a new vehicle. All of a sudden it seems like everyone is driving your new car. The reality is that there were just as many vehicles on the road before you bought yours, it’s just that you are focusing more on that make and model because you’re excited about your new ride.

The same goes for any intention you make, including your one word. The more you focus on it, the more you will notice it. The more you notice it, the more you’ll do it. Think about positivity—If your focus is to be more positive this year, you’re going to avoid negative nelly or Karen or whoever it is in your life that brings you down. Which in turn is going to eliminate negativity that was previously present in your life. This will free up more space for you to bring in positivity.

The Secret Sauce

There is a secret to making this activity successful. You have to fully embody the word for this to work. Actually believe that you are the type of person who follows through and is that word. You will have doubts but when they start to creep in, crush them like the nuisance they are. That’s the power you hold inside your brain. You get to decide which thoughts you believe and which ones you let fade away.

The first year I did this exercise, I chose the word perseverance. I was struggling to avoid burning out from my teaching career and knew that in order to survive the school year, I was going to need to persevere every day. I credit my ability to actually persevere everything that was thrown at me that year with the simple fact that I was intentional about it. It wasn't just because I picked the word and that things magically changed. I literally woke up and decided that I was someone who persevered.  There were no ifs, ands or buts about it. I was a master at it… It didn’t really matter that I had actually persevered anything yet since I had chosen that word. What really mattered was I was showing up, every day knowing that I was that person. The one who doesn’t give up, who gets up when she’s knocked down and keeps going even when things are hard.

Last year, my word was purposeful. My goal was to be purposeful in every aspect of my life— including with my family, at work, and even in my self care. Now, we all know that 2020 was a hell of a year for everyone but keeping my word close and having constant reminders really helped. Sometime when shit hits the fan, for a lack of a better term, it’s hard to stay the course and not wallow in the sadness or whatever emotions you’re feeling. The key to this isn’t to avoid negative feelings all together, it’s that you can fully accept those feelings for what they are but not allow yourself to stay stuck there.

Tips for making it easier to stick to your intention-

• Post it everywhere– Had I known what path my life would take, I would have invested in post-it notes! I literally use them for everything. Especially when I get intentional about the word I choose. I hang them everywhere. On the bathroom mirror, next to my alarm clock, on my computer, in my office, I even create backgrounds for my phone and watch that have the word on them as a constant reminder that I embody that word no matter where I am or what I’m doing.

Turn it into a mantra– Start by writing all of the negative thoughts that come to mind when you think of your chosen word. Include any limiting beliefs you have about becoming this person. Once you have a list, pick the 3 that seem to bring out the most emotion for you. After you have your 3 chosen, turn them into a positive statement. Use these statements to create your mantra. Here is an example if you chose the word positivity—

“I'm never going to be a glass half full kind of person. I'm always focusing on the negative. Negativity seems to surround me. Everyone I work with is so negative all the time.”

Now flip these to be positive–

I can be a glass half full kind of person. Positivity surrounds me. Everywhere I look, I see positivity. Positivity flows to me when I'm doing what I love at work.

And now turn these into your mantra–

Positivity is everywhere and it flows to me easily.

• Repeat it often. Say it while you’re getting ready in the morning, working out, waiting a red light, you name it.. say it as often as you can. The more often you repeat it, the more you will believe it and start to embody it. Bonus points if you journal it. Write your mantra each morning or each night to help yourself become more intentional.

• Tell everyone– Having accountability will help you stay the course even when you feel like you want to give up on this whole thing.

• Don’t let “failure” stop you– There will be days or maybe even weeks where your word slips from the forefront of your mind but know that it’s okay. Don’t give up just because you let it slide for a little while. No matter how long you’ve been off track, it’s never too late to get back to it!

If you're looking for more information on creating habits based on your one word, check out my post all about habit stacking. You can find it here.

Need help choosing your one word for the year?

If you’re struggling to come up a word, here is a list that will help spark an idea.