As we enter a new year, most everyone mentally attempts to let go of the present year as the new year approaches. But for those of us that deal with the effects of fibro, we can be a little hesitant as a new year is dawning. What I call our body-budget somewhat controls how optimistic we are. And that is understandable because we are subconsciously basing our anticipation of future events on our past experiences– especially if we have dealt with a lot of pain.
But I want to share something I discovered 3 years ago. After being tired of never fulfilling or accomplishing my well-intentioned new year resolutions, I decided to do it a little different. To my surprise, it was the best year I ever had! So, I did it again, and again. And here I sit ready to do it again.
Instead of a Resolution
Instead of outlining all the things I want to do, be or have, every year I choose a Word of the Year to serve as my beacon for keeping me on track, kind of like a light in the dark that reminds me of the direction I’m headed. It becomes my chosen direction for the year and symbolizes how I want to grow personally.
The word must be representative of my intention in the new year. I like this so much better than resolutions because it gives me flexibility with an element of delight and surprise as time passes. It means I cannot fail!
I always learn something, and my life is better for it in so many ways. I’ve never regretted the word I chose. The word becomes my mantra when I am feeling stuck and when I need help focusing my life. The word becomes my anchor for the year. I learn about it, use it and lean on it. It comforts me, supports me, encourages me and leads me.
One of the greatest parts about having a Word of the Year is that there are no deadlines! And I continue to be influenced by past Words of the Year because they become positive patterns in my mind that cement positive behaviors in my life.
Here is some guidance I’ve developed on choosing your Word of the Year:
- Take your time when choosing your word. The word should be one that inspires you, makes you feel good and helps your mind embrace possibility and creativity.
- The word needs to be one that you can commit to for 365 days. It will be your focal point upon awakening in the morning and a comfortable reprieve when you lay your head down at night.
- The word should bring you joy when you think it, speak it, write it, hear it, and see it. You should find pleasure in studying the definition of your word and applying it in your own life. Journal with your word as a prompt and hold it in your heart and mind as it works miracles in your life.
- The word should feel easy but leave you with room to grow and expand your thought and being. It should feel like a seed that excites you for the year and fills you with hope.
Some Examples
You will be surprised how often this word will make itself known to you– as if it takes on a life of its own it will present itself to you in print, conversation and contemplation.
Here are some sample words to help you explore ideas for choosing your Word of the Year:
Joy
Believe
Hope
Resilience
Healing
Contentment
Wholeness
Focus
Patience
Helpful
Encourage
Forgive
Peace
Authentic
Safety
Create
Stamina
Guide
Some Helpful Rules
You can choose a root word and then all forms of that word can also be used throughout the year.
- content, contented, contentment
- believe, belief, believable
- hope, hopeful, hoping
- help, helpful, helping, helped
- guide, guiding, guided, guidance
OH, one more thing! And this is so important. You must NOT tell anyone your Word of the Year. You do not want their thoughts, critique, or influence to affect the power of your word in your life.
Use a word that lifts and empowers you without putting pressure on yourself. Some words like “success” and “love” are loaded words because they already have ingrained definitions in our minds and thus are entangled within us physically. So be aware that if you choose a word that may cause a trigger feeling, all the beliefs about that word may need to be examined and redefined before proceeding.
I believe it is far better to choose a word you do not have previous sentiment to, but one that invokes intriguing possibilities and opportunities within you when you say it and think it.
You can either use an online thesaurus or your intuition to find just the right word to be your invitation for a mindful journey in 2022. However, do not become overly concerned about your word because whatever word you choose will benefit you all year no matter what!
Hearts & (gentle) Hugs,
Dr. Jen
Feel free to contact me at DrJenBickerton@gmail.com or through jenbickerton.com I would love to hear from you!