I learned years ago that making New Years resolutions was basically setting myself up for a big ol’ self-inflicted bitch slap. However, maybe resolutions work for you & if so, you rock on with your fine self. For everyone else though, there might be a better way…
WHY RESOLUTIONS OFTEN AREN’T EFFECTIVE
…When we come up with NY’s resolutions in an attempt to change things only because we feel that we “should” (which is often the case) we’re setting ourselves up for failure because we just aren’t invested on a deep internal level. And typically these changes have to do with vices or behaviors that we view negatively like say:
- going to the gym instead of binge-watching Schitt’s Creek
- only eating kale all day every day as opposed to an entire package of Oreo Double Stuffs
- tucking away every single extra dime in the bank with no wiggle room for that killer pair of shoes you’d love to have in your closet
None of the above are bad choices per se, but if you are not truly into it & ready to roll up your sleeves, look at the bigger picture surrounding said behavior & do some serious internal work to go along with your resolutions, sadly they are bound to fail. And besides, where’s the fun in just looking to change one very narrow specific behavior?
When you’re not truly invested, your resolve starts to fade as time passes & your desires in the moment become more important than what sounded like a good plan way back in January. And let’s be honest, even now at about the 2 weeks into January mark, you’re ambition might be starting to fail you.
Wouldn’t it be way cooler to instead look at shifting our mindset across multiple areas of our lives? To work on making changes that really matter to ourselves & to our world? To have one easy to remember word that can serve as our daily mantra to help keep us on course?
That’s where a word of the year (or focus word) comes in handy…
WHAT IS A WORD OF THE YEAR?
A word of the year is a single word that encompasses the theme or overall idea of where you’d like to see yourself & your life being by the end of the upcoming year. Your word can be focused on something that you would like to improve upon, something that you would like more of in your life or even a vibe you’d like to saturate your world with.
A well chosen word of the year focuses more on your state of being…a feeling…an overall vibe. It’s a simple way to keep yourself laser focused on what you want for yourself. Living in a state of actually feeling what you want makes it so much easier to actually achieve what it is that you want; it gives you crystal clear clarity & the momentum to keep moving forward.
For example, my word for 2021 is…
After assessing, soul-searching & some deep thinking (I’ll explain the process below), I chose the word “thrive”. It’s probably more accurate to say the word chose me. It resonated. It made sense. It just felt right.
When looking at where I want to be in my personal life, my spiritual life & my business life, focusing my energy on thriving, in all areas, just makes sense for me this year. I accomplished much during 2020, however not as much as I would’ve liked; I progressed, but I didn’t thrive. So in 2021, I want to build upon the foundation that I laid in 2020 and truly move forward in all areas of my life…I want to flourish…bloom…grow wildly…prosper…thrive.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR
Set aside some quiet time to yourself. No distractions. Just you, a cup of your beverage of choice & your journal or notepaper & pen. Light a candle, perch in your favorite spot & get comfortable…
1. Brainstorm a list of words that represent what you want & don’t want in your life this year. Ask yourself these questions:
~What do you truly want to experience more of?
~How do you want this year to feel?
~Who do you want to become this year?
~What are your goals for this year? Who do you need to be to achieve these goals?
2. Look at your list. Which words scare you the most? Which would help you to grow the most?
3. Narrow your list down to 3 words. Keep in mind that the words you found to be scary are most likely the words that will lead to the most growth.
4. Choose the word that most resonates with you & exemplifies what you want to achieve in your life this year. Be sure that it is a word you can commit to.
Once you have chosen your word, post reminders everywhere. I made copies of my word image that I used above and I have one hanging above my desk, I attached one to the inside of my planner, I have one posted in my classroom at school. Use the word as your daily mantra, either by itself or as part of a personal affirmation. Immerse yourself in your word & the feeling it inspires inside you.
THE OUTFIT
Funny how I used to be super opposed to jumpsuits, but now they’re one of my favorite things. No thought, no fuss, no muss…a totally one and done outfit. And a jumpsuit is easy to dress up or down, especially the sweatshirt jumpsuit that I’m wearing today. It’s soft, slouchy, comfy & very cozy. I also own it in black, so ya, I kinda love it.
I added a few layers for both fun & practicality. These were shot the week before Christmas right before we got our big snowstorm. It wasn’t quite cold enough yet to need the full on winter gear however it was pretty chilly so the suede/sherpa vest, sherpa lined denim jacket and scarf were definitely necessary. And the gray velvet ankle boots simply because they’re awesome.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more good reads & style ideas…
Jumpsuit: GAP; Boots: Target (Similar); Jacket: H&M (Similar)
