What's the Word? Why You Need a Word for 2020 & How to Pick The Right One for You
Today on the show I am talking about setting your intention for the year and picking a word or phrase drive you. I am sure you have heard of this before and if you are thinking this isn’t for you – stick with me. I am going to talk about why it’s a good idea to pick a word or phrase for the year, how to keep it top of mind as the year goes on and then I am going to share my word for the year.
Listener Spotlight of the Week
Oh my gosh Sarsav – thank you so much! I am blown away by your sweet words.
You’re making me tear up! Sometimes when I’m reading these, my other listeners, you all might be thinking “Wow she sure does love to read nice things about herself!” 1- you wouldn’t be wrong. Who doesn’t love to hear nice things? 2 –That’s not why I love doing these shout outs. I know that people go out of their way to leave these reviews and I also know it is sometimes fun to hear yourself, your name on a podcast when you weren’t expecting it. And so I love to give shout-outs the people that took the time to leave me review in iTunes because it does benefit me. It allows me to reach even more people with the podcast. And I love knowing that what I am creating is resonating with you. So it is my way of saying thank you for taking the time to leave a review. So Sarsav – thank you again for your amazing review.
All right, let’s get to today’s episode.
If you have been on social media in the last couple of weeks, you have probably seen people talking about and posting their word or phrase of the year. S owhat is this all about? Why should you pick a word rather than write a bunch of resolutions?
Resolutions don’t have a great track record. Did you know that 80% of resolutions end in failure? And that the majority of people ditch their resolutions by mid-February? Plus resolutions are so often about what we think we SHOULD be doing, rather than the bigger picture of what we want to do and who we want to be.
Unlike resolutions, you can’t fail at a word. It’s a reminder. The word you choose can act as a lighthouse to you throughout the year, reminding you of your intentions and goals. And you are going to need a reminder. Sure, you are all excited and amped right now, but that fades and you are going to fall off the wagon and forget what you wanted to get out of this year.
It happens to all of us. Welcome to being human!Your word of the year can help you get back on course.
So how do you pick your word?
First, go ahead and put your list of goals or resolutions down on paper. Write out who you want to be at the end of the year. What is your life like? What would you like to accomplish? What kind of person do you want to become?
Next, write down the qualities of the person you want to become. What drives them? What are their best qualities? What do they do that you don’t currently do? If running a half marathon is on your list of goals, who would you have to become in order to accomplish that? Would you have to be someone who stays committed even when they don’t feel like running?
Looking at the vision you created and the list of qualities, what words come to mind? Write them down, look them up in a thesaurus. Make a list of possible words that speak to you. Are there any that pertain to multiple parts of your life? How does the word apply to your physical and mental goals, your relationships, your finances and career? I am not saying it has to hit all of those, but the word you choose should be versatile enough so that it inspires you in multiple areas of your life.
Now…take a deep breath and choose one.
If you are stressing about choosing a word (oh hello, my people pleasing perfectionists!) here are a couple of things to remember as you are choosing your 2020 Word.
Focus on being rather than doing. Different than resolutions, your word isn’t a constant reminder of what you “should be doing”. Instead, it inspires how you want to live this year. Think about who you want to become, and choose a word that will get you closer to that version of yourself.
Be authentic. Your word should reflect YOU. It’s easy to see everyone picking VISION for their 2020 word, but if that doesn’t resonate with you, don’t use it. Your word is for you.
Don’t overthink it. I’m going to say something I know you need to hear, because I need to hear it… there’s no wrong answer. Don’t over-analyze this process. It’s not about going down a long list of words; it’s about choosing the one that keeps coming back to you. Stop the spinning in your brain long enough to listen for your word. Try this…take 3 deep breaths then ask yourself “What’s my word?” You might be surprised with what comes up. Don’t judge it.
Remember, your word can be anything you want. You don’t have to tell anyone your word. You don’t have to share it. All that matters is that the word means something to you. Your word will be your lighthouse you can look to throughout the year to help you stay the course.
So, now you have your word. You are loving it, it inspires you, it maybe scares you a little. That’s good! Now how the hell are you going to remember it throughout the year, when life happens and we are back in the day to day? You want to make sure it is in a spot that you see everyday. Here are some ideas.
Put it on your mug. You can order just about anything on Etsy these days.
Write it in dry-erase marker on your bathroom mirror.
Use Canva to create a pretty printable that you can frame and put at your workspace.
Make it your phone background or laptop background.
Post-Its. I love post-its. I have post-it notes all over the place. Write your word on post-its and stick them in random places, like inside your cupboard, on your car dashboard or in your gym bag. Get creative!
Wear it! Last year, I had my word stamped ona bracelet from MyIntent.org and it was the perfect way to keep it with me all day every day.Again, there are so many great vendors on Etsy who can create something really special for you.
Ok, moment of truth time. I am sharing my word with you. But, first, I will tell you my 2019 word. I chose WORTHY as my word last year and it wound up being just the lesson I needed. I worked on my own self-worth as well as how I spent my time. I let go of a lot of things that weren’t worth my time. I invested in people and programs that helped me increase my self worth as well as my net worth.
For 2020 my word is CURIOUS and it came to me while I was baking over the holidays. I posted recently on Instagram about my favorite holiday cookie – my sparkly chocolate cookie. Every year, I tweak them in some way. I never make them the same way twice and it really got me thinking about why do I do that? There is nothing wrong with the cookies. They are perfect if you follow the recipe as is. I tweak them because I am curious what will happen. I know if it’s a disaster, I can start over.
And I decided that I want to take that sort of energy into 2020. I want to approach this year with an attitude of “What if…?” What if nothing has gone wrong? And we are just trying things to try them. If they work, great. If not, next batch!
For me, I spend a lot of time wanting to get things right or fixing something so that it’s “perfect”. But I’m over the idea that there’s something wrong with me or with you or that needs fixing. I am all about making tweaks, trying it out, evolving. But not from a place of something’s gone wrong. I want to approach this year with curiousity.
For my business that means getting curious about – how do I grow my business to surpass my former corporate salary? How do I reach more people with the podcast?
For my physical health, it means getting curious about what would happen if I cut out alcohol for 90 days. Or trying out intuitive eating to see what exactly my body is asking for. When it asks for cookies, getting curious about that. Chances are I’m avoiding some feelings when I want some cookies so getting curious about that and not making a judgment or beating myself up.
For relationships, I am getting curious about how to stay connected to friends and family when everyone is busy. Getting curious about how to parent 3 very different children. How can I be loving and supportive and accepting in the ways that they need?
I love asking myself “what if…” and with CURIOUS as my word this year, I will be asking it a lot more! What if all the negative things I’ve been sayig to myself aren’t true? What if I DO know what I’m doing? What if there is no right or wrong answer? What if everything is working? “Oh! I am so excited about my word – and also a little terrified! So I think I am on the right track.
If you want some help getting clear on your goals for 2020, I am offering tune-up sessions in addition to my long-term coaching packages. If you are interested in booking a single session with me, send me an email at hello@lizheron.com or visit www.lizheron.com and choose your time.
Well friend, that is all I have for you this week.
Be sure to join me next week because I am interviewing Elisa Kotin, from TheWorldTraveled.com. And we are talking about solo traveling. I have always wanted to take a solo trip but have been a bit scared. Elisa has traveled all around the world by herself and is going to share some of her adventures as well as tips and some must-have travel essentials.
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