As we enter into a new year, many of us may be sitting with our goals and desires for 2025. I feel that people are moving away from the idea of "new years resolutions", but we are still naturally inclined to see a new year as a fresh slate and consider what we want to achieve, manifest, and experience within the next twelve months.

I have been working with a "word for the year" for the past few years and it has been an incredible touch-tree, an anchor, a narrow filter to run through your decisions and to create greater alignment.

The idea (from what I have read and learned) is that we often create goals and things to achieve - and stop there. The problem occurs when we achieve those things but it doesn't actually satisfy the deeper desire and we feel disappointed or simply move on to the next thing. Instead, the deeper question is to ask: in creating these goals, what is it that I want to FEEL when I achieve them?

Then, chase the feeling. Because, deep down, that's what you truly want.

It could be an academic goal, with the desire to FEEL accomplished. Or a health goal, with the desire to FEEL confident or strong or empowered. Or a career/financial goal, but what you really want is to FEEL respected or a sense of freedom.

The premise of choosing your word for the year is to tap into the desired FEELING. And use that to run all of your decisions by. If your word is 'peace', will attending this event bring me closer to or further away from peace? You get the idea.

The other option is to use your word for the year as more of an action to pursue. You may want to surrender more to the flow of life, so you may choose the word 'allow'. Or perhaps you're chasing 'growth' or 'consistency' or 'fun'.

There is no right or wrong here; the most important thing is your word truly resonates deep within you. You'll know it when it hits. Ideally, just choose one word for the year. If you have two that work really well together, go with those two, but try not to pick two that are in different camps. You want to be streamlined toward one path, not split in two.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WORD:

1. Brainstorm ideas. If you get stuck, google some suggestions for your word of the year or even feelings words online to get you started. Consider your goals for the year and then dig deeper to the feeling underneath (or an action that will get you there). If you make a vision board, look for the feeling those images/words will bring you.

2. Narrow it down. You might have two (or more) words that mean a similar thing. Pick the one that resonates most strongly. Keep going until you have your one.

3. WRITE IT DOWN. If you've made a vision board, put it front and centre on there. Save it in your phone. Make a background for your computer or phone with it. Trust me, it's easy to forget your word when life starts life-ing. And if you forget it, it kind of defeats the purpose.

4. Be open to what that word may bring! I know of people who have chosen 'growth', and then been incredibly tested (because that's how we grow right?!). I've chosen 'courageous' and then made a big move. The only way to experience your word is to be given the opportunities to practice.

5. Use it throughout your year. If you've chosen 'abundance', make sure you're living in alignment with things that make you feel abundant. If you've chosen 'fun' or 'freedom', make sure your decisions align with that (maybe don't commit to a job you hate if you're pursuing fun and freedom, for example).

If you're looking for additional resources and want to explore this more, there are plenty of articles online now as this grows in popularity. And Danielle Laporte has some great books if you'd prefer something in your hands.

I want to end with this: sometimes your word will jump out at you - or punch you in the face. Other times it takes a while to drop in. Don't rush it. If you don't have your word first thing on January 1st, don't fret! Keep reading over your brainstormed words, journal about what you want for 2025, maybe pull some oracle cards for ideas, settle into the energy of the year. Let it come.

And if you ever want to be witnessed in the word you have chosen for the year, send me a DM on Instagram and let me know what's landed - I'd love to hear it!