New Year, New Theme

With the start of a new year, it's the perfect time to talk about creating a yearly Theme.

You may have heard of this concept before- "Word of the Year" or yearly "Theme."

Whatever you call it- having a BIG, inspiring word or a meaningful, feel-good phrase to guide you over the next 12 months can transform the way you approach a new year.

Why choose only a word or phrase to carry with you into AND through a new year?

With everything you're juggling (personal and professional), it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of the bigger picture. That's where the power of a word or theme comes into play. It serves as a beacon of inspiration, a reminder of your purpose, and a source of motivation throughout the year.

(all that might sound real cliche, but dang, it's true. you might want to read that again.)

Choosing your one, BIG, inspiring word of the year is more than a task to check off your yearly planning list- it's a strategic tool that can bring clarity and focus.

• When you're feeling indecisive or overwhelmed, your word (or theme) becomes your North Star, guiding you to make decisions and take actions that are in alignment with your long-term vision.
• When you get off track, notice your misalignment with your word. Your word will help you better understand how you got yourself into the kerfluffle in the first place.
• And when you're on track, notice your alignment with your word. Your word will align with your wins (which feels REALLY GOOD). 

How to choose your word: This is the FUN part!

1. Start by considering your goals, values, and the areas of your business and life that you want to prioritize.

Grab some paper and pen (or your computer) and ask yourself:

• What goals do you want to achieve in the next 12 months?
  • your word will encapsulate the essence of your goals
• What areas of life or business need attention or growth?
  • your word will act as a catalyst for positive change
• What inspires you and ignites your passion?
  • your word will evoke positive emotions, align with your aspirations and serve as an inspiring & motivating reminder for you throughout the year

2. Now, look at your answers to those 3 questions above and identify common words or themes that stand out and feel empowering and exciting (or motivating and challenging, if that's how you'd like to feel in the coming year).

Words to consider:

• Courage, Fearless, Resilience
• Authenticity, Harmony, Growth
• Abundance, Ease, Effortless
• Strength, Stability, Steadfast
• Radiance, Catalyst, Connection
• Simplify, Heal, Release

If choosing a single word is tough, give yourself permission to create a theme that encapsulates more than 1 word and expands on the meaning.

Look at your list of words and create a theme that correlates AND inspires you.

For example, here are some fun themes using the words above:

• ROAR LIKE A LION:
  • a year of Courage, Fearless, Resilience
• TIPTOE THROUGH THE WILDFLOWERS
  • Authenticity, Harmony, Growth
• NIAGARA FALLS KINDA YEAR:
  • Abundance, Ease, Effortless
• YEAR OF THE THOROUGHBRED:
  • Strength, Stability, Steadfast
• TIME FOR THE SPOTLIGHT:
  • Radiance, Catalyst, Connection
• YEAR OF THE BUTTERFLY:
  • Simplify, Heal, Release

Not quite feeling it with your list of words? Theme not coming to mind?

Use the thesaurus to explore other words or a theme that may ignite a BIGGER spark of emotion within you.

Whether single word or a theme that encapsulates more than 1, what matters most is how you FEEL in response to your word or theme. You're going for quality over quantity.

3. Now, for the final step. Let's talk about how to make your word work for you:

Once you've chosen your Word or Theme for the year, it's VERY important to do something with it (i.e. don't let it live in a journal where it never sees the light of day).

Here are a few ideas for how you can integrate your word into daily life:

• Create a Visual Reminder: (my favorite step!)
  • find a photo(s) that represents your word and evokes a feel-good emotional response in you
  • use that photo as your screensaver on your phone or computer
  • design a vision board and place it somewhere you see on a daily basis, more than once (more on this idea next week)
  • use your visual(s) to reinforce your commitment and keep your word at the forefront of your mind
• Incorporate your word into your reflective practice and planning:
  • check-in with your word on a regular basis, when reflecting daily or in your monthly/quarterly planning
  • align your goals with your word to ensures that every decision and action contributes your the overarching word/them of the year
• Share your word:
  • let your community and support network know about your chosen word
  • sharing your word can help you hold yourself accountable AND inspire others to partake in the exercise, too!
  • shared inspiration can amplify the impact of your word

Now what?

Whether it's January or July, I encourage you to embrace the power of choosing a Word or Theme for your coming year!

• Reserve some time on your calendar (I recommend 1 hour), grab some notebook paper and get to work.
• Brainstorm your goals, some inspiring words and combine it all into one meaningful theme!
• Create a few corresponding visual anchors, remind yourself of your word/theme in your reflective practice and share ALL this goodness with someone you trust! (Hello- ME!)

Make this investment in YOU! And when you do- Let it be a constant companion on your journey to success, guiding you with purpose and inspiration!

CHEERS to a year filled with growth, change and transformation!