Find Your Word for 2015

Posted by Hiba on Dec 30, 2014 in Inspired Thinking

Instead of New Year’s resolutions, I now come up with a Word of the Year.

This is a simple way of focusing on something you want more of this year, based on the idea that what you focus on, grows.

Your Word of the Year can help inspire and guide your choices and actions throughout the year.

In 2013, my Word of the Year was PASSION. I used PASSION to guide the way I lived my life and the choices I made in both my work (starting this blog, leaving an 8 year career in advertising to share my passion for healthy living) and my private life (from going to Australia to everyday activities like cooking, yoga or reading).

For 2014, I decided my Word of the Year  would be LIGHTNESS. I started the year thinking of lightness as more about fun, laughter, not taking things so seriously. However, what life taught me this year was more around acceptance and letting go, which have proven to be an ultimate form of lightness. I also discovered another form of lightness in taking my pleasure more seriously, especially during the 6 weeks I spent in Dubai.

I also explored feeling physically lighter in my body not just through food as I had originally thought, but also through a greater focus on movement. During my 6 weeks in Dubai, I experimented with many different styles of yoga, pilates and even a combination of both, yogalates. I also reconnected with a love for dance through Nia dance and 5rhythmn dance. What I learned through these experiences is that I not only want to feel lightness in my body, but also strength – and that the two are very complimentary.

Finally, this year, I fell in love with ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which I am currently specializing in. Applying ACT concepts, which are very much based on mindfulness, helps me lighten my thinking. I now realize that self-doubt is just part of the journey, and that I can allow these thoughts to be there without getting weighed down by them. I wrote more about how I no longer take my fears so seriously in this article.

For 2015, my Word of the Year is PRESENCE. I would like to be more present in everything I do, from taking a shower, to talking with people to cooking. I notice that the more fully present I am to my experiences and my life, the more magical they feel. I want to be able to touch this magic more often, and to give more of my attention to myself and the people I am with by being in the here and now, instead of thinking about something in the past or future. By being present with whatever shows up, I wish to fully experience life, both the pleasant and the not so pleasant, to be more fully alive and vital.

So how do you go about finding your word of the year?

1. Connect to your desires. 

Take some time to yourself, and really think about what you WANT out of life in this moment.

You might want to try listing everything you can think of even if it seems frivolous. This can include anything from the new iPad to getting married to going to Thailand on holiday.

2. Identify the feelings behind what you want

Once you have your desire list, identify how getting what you have listed will make you feel. What is the feeling you are chasing? As Danielle LaPorte writes “You’re not chasing the goal itself, you’re actually chasing a feeling.”

For example, maybe you want an iPad because it will allow you to feel connected. Or going to Thailand will help you feel adventurous. And perhaps you want to get married because what you are really looking for is stability.

3. Choose the word that attracts you most

Now go back to your list and look at the feelings you have written. What comes across most clearly or really makes your heart sing? What word makes you feel expansive, inspired, turned on?

Play with the idea that this might be your word of the year for a few days before deciding on this. You can try writing several words out on post-its around your home to see which you feel most drawn to.

Once you have your word of the year, you can really own it by creating a collage of images that remind you of this, creating an affirmation around it (I desire to be more present) or simply having it written out somewhere you can see it. You can even use it for email or social media passwords as a daily reminder (for example:beherenow2015).

I would love to hear from you – what’s your Word of the Year?

If you want to start the year off with the support you need to lose weight, make peace with food or simply make healthier life choices, why not book a free Health Chat to find out whether my approach is right for you?