4 steps to choosing your guiding word for the new year
What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. ―Anne Frank
👥 Serves: 1 person
🎚 Difficulty: Easy
⏳ Total time: 11-30 minutes
🥣 Ingredients: A quiet place with no distractions, pen and paper, a candle (optional for additional relaxation)
🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Awareness, Meaning, Positive Emotion, Ritualising
💪 Wholebeing Skills: Affirmation, Aligning with the cycles, Centring, Clarity, Commitment, Direction, Fulfilment, Intention-setting, Reflection, Ritualising
4 steps to choosing your guiding word for the new year
📝 Description
A reflective practice to choose a guiding word for the upcoming year.
In the novel One Word That Will Change Your Life, author Jon Gordon highlights the value of selecting one word to be your guiding intention for the year ahead. This word can be something you need more of such as “stillness”, or something you want to work on, such as “connections”. Whatever you select, your guiding word strives to add a rich layer to each day, reminding you of your goals, helping you plan and ultimately lead a more fulfilling life. By eliminating distractions and selecting one overarching word, it promotes improved focus, mental clarity, and a sense of inner peace.
This recipe has been created by our wellbeing content writer collaborator Marissa Del Mistro.
👣 Steps
Step 1 – Reflect (5’)
In your quiet space, consider the year past and write what comes to mind freely. Prompt yourself with questions such as:
- Did I truly enjoy how I spent my free time?
- How did I expand my comfort zone?
- What was the most challenging experience(s) and what did I learn?
- What made me feel joy?
- What accomplishment am I most proud of?
Step 2 – Visualise (3’)
Sit in silence with your eyes closed, freeing your mind from distractions. Be gentle with yourself, calmly inviting focus back if your mind begins to wander. Visualise what you want your days to look like, how you want to feel, how you want to interact with your loved ones… See how these visualisations make you feel. Slowly being to consider, what do I truly want to focus on in the next year?
Step 3 – Write (5’)
Let your pen loose, freely writing words that have come to mind. Write them all down, as you will edit later. Focus on single words rather than sentences.
Step 4 – Select your guiding word (3’)
The moment has arrived. Scan the words you have written down and take note of how they make you feel. Nervous? Excited? Surprised? Calm? Ask yourself, what do I truly need out of this year and trust your intuition as you circle the words that speak to your heart and mind in the moment. Once you’ve narrowed it down to 2-5 words, think about the year ahead and let the excitement of the new year propel you to making a committed intention to one word.
What word did you select? Get excited about your commitment and plaster your word in places and items you see and use daily to invite regular reflection.