Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year! As we start 2022, this new year is a blank canvas offering you a fresh start. You can imprint this blank canvas right now with what you desire and hope for in this new year. It’s quite simple. Each year, for the past 12 years, instead of setting resolutions for the year, I have set a word for my year. Resolutions always seemed limiting and have a judgmental quality focusing on regrets or disappointments, while a word is usually about a value I want to strengthen or grow. It is what I want to focus on for the year and although one word can be very succinct, focused and clear, it is also broad enough to cover so many aspects of life. It does not have to be related to either my personal life, my professional life, my physical body or my mental state. It can encompass all those areas for it is customarily a direction and not a destination. It acts as a guide for the next 365 days, a gentle compass to steer my course and a framework for my thoughts, deeds and actions throughout the year. This single word keeps me aligned with my most important focus for personal growth throughout the year.
A carefully chosen word can be a mantra for the year and certainly a personal mentor to keep you on track. It’s a word that is important, a word that has meaning. A word that inspires, brings the year into focus and sets a vision for the year ahead. Which is funny, because my word for 2020 was vision — making a clear picture or image for the future. Yet 2020 didn’t quite turn out how I, or anyone else, envisioned it. Although 2021 offered us some respite as the year progressed, and we were able to connect (the word for 2021) again as a community and with ourselves, the end of the year pushed us back a bit and we continue in an uncertain state. Over the years I’ve had so many different words: adventure, envision, explore, embrace, authentic, trust, mindfulness, listen, perspective. Maybe one of those resonates with you. Although it’s just a word, words are important and they have a great effect on our lives, whether they are in our head and set the course for our year, or they are said to or by us in a loving or not so loving way. They have an impact and a definite imprint on who we are and how we live.
If you choose to pick your own word of the year, here is a link to a downloadable worksheet to help you select a word. She also offers a lot of ideas for words if you are stuck! As I have done over the past 12 years during the first week of the year, I will be sharing my word of the year in my classes. As always, I look forward to seeing you in any of our in-studio or online classes this week, where you can not only hear my word but also find the time for reflection that may be instrumental in helping you select your own word of the year.
As always, thank you for reading my musings. Namaste, Leslie
