I started choosing a word of the year back in 2011. We were going through a particularly rough patch and I was drained in every way possible. Emotionally, spiritually, and perhaps the most upsetting – financially. At 31 years old, my career was at a standstill, my family was uprooted, and we had to start building our life again, from scratch.
It was during those dark days that I first became interested in goal setting, guiding words, and manifestation. To be perfectly honest, I was just looking for some little piece of hope to hold onto, but in hindsight, two things impacted me the most – annual goal setting & my word of the year.
{Holy flashback!}
Each year, I take some time to reflect on what worked in my life last year, and what was missing, and then I choose a word that represents what I want more of in the coming year. My previous words have been:
2011 – Prosperity
2012 – Create
2013 – Shine
2014 – Ease
2015 – Focus
2016 – Abundance & Simplicity (I chose these words last year because I wanted to remind myself that abundance doesn’t have to come with stuff and clutter).
2017 – Learn
2018 – Unapologetic
When I scan this list, I can instantly feel what my emotional state was at the time I chose that word. In 2011 I was so focused on financial stability that ‘prosperity’ was all I could focus on. In 2013 I felt like it was time to stop shrinking myself and go all out with my blog – that’s why I chose ‘shine’.
As I think back on the last year, there is one thing that really stuck out for me as what I loved, and what I want more of in 2020 – celebration. Since 2018 was such a hard year for me health wise, we really focused on family time, birthdays, friends, and holidays in 2019, and I loved it. In 2020 I want to celebrate even more with friends & family, but I also want to celebrate professional successes – mine and those of other female entrepreneurs.
I’m choosing the word “celebrate” as a reminder – to celebrate all of life’s moment’s, big & small. And mostly to celebrate the every day and not take it for granted.
I LOVE this! Let’s celebrate in 2020.