It’s that time of year again. We make resolutions, but most of us know we will abandon them before February comes. Here’s something different you can try this year. Choose a single word that motivates you and reminds you of the promises you made to yourself as 2020 disappears in the rear view mirror.

A New Way to Inspire Yourself in 2021

Dump those resolutions! The trend of choosing a focus word for the year as motivation has been around for almost a decade. There’s even a book written about it: One Word that Will Change Your Life by Britton, Page, and Gordon.

Choosing a word for the year can act as a gentle reminder to yourself that you can make better choices.

Give yourself permission to change your word any time you want if it no longer resonates with you, or your personal goals or direction change.

To help you get started, I’m going to outline the process for you now.

Here’s How It Works

1. Take some time to reflect on 2020

As you contemplate the year we all lived through, ask yourself some questions.

Where could you have responded to differently?

What were your challenges? Your mistakes? Your lessons? Your achievements?

Can you come up with a word for the year that sums up what was missing for you in 2020? If you can, write it down.

2. Think about 2021, and what you want to achieve.

Is there an area of your life that’s not working the way you would like it to? Do you have a goal you want to achieve?

What would be a game changer for you in 2021?

The next step is to find a word for the year that embodies the core vibration of what you want to accomplish.

3. Any kind of word will work to motivate you.

The most important consideration is that the word resonates with you when you say it. It can be a word, or more than one word, if it feels right.

Choose a noun like these: adventure, journey, search, challenge, teacher, artist, entrepeneur, counselor.

Perhaps a verb like these resonates more for you: lead, follow, forgive, create, release, breathe, celebrate, rise.

Consider a character trait or quality you want to focus on for 2021. Here are some examples to inspire you: kindness, authenticity, courage, confidence, honesty, mindfulness, perseverance, creative, dedication, integrity, humility, passion, tranquility, boldness, trustworthiness, loyalty, disciplined.

Perhaps there’s a state of mind or being you want to have more of in 2021. Some suggestions to ignite your vision are: abundance, peace, forgiveness, expansion, awareness, power.

4. How do I choose the right word for the year?

If you are clear about what you want to achieve in 2021, and you’ve made a list of words that you responded to, allow that list to simmer for a few days before you settle on your word for 2021.

Look up your front runners in the dictionary. The definitions may surprise you, and could cause you to make another choice because the word doesn’t actually match your intention.

5. What do I do next?

The most important thing for you to do is to keep your motivation front of mind. You can journal about the word for the year you chose. Write, draw, or paint the word on a canvas or board. Decorate it and hang it where you can see it often.

Make your word the home screen on your computer, tablet, phone or other electronic device. Hang it on your mirror or refrigerator.

Your word or words should inspire, guide and challenge you in 2021. Take some time to choose the word that will be your anchor for the year ahead. You have permission to change your mind at any time. Reflection and redirection are encouraged!

Now grab some paper and get to writing!

(c)2002-2021 DLHT/Julia Marie. All rights reserved. Personal sharing with others or posting on websites and in publications is permitted as long as the information is not altered, excerpted or added to, and credit of authorship and my website address is included: https://www.juliamarie.us/