The practice of selecting a ‘word of the year’

[Raggydoll]

If you haven’t heard of it before then here are some links: 

 

 

 

It is basically a process of finding one word that you will work with for the coming year, to get you where you are hoping to go. As we all know, words are powerful and transformational. In those videos you also get tips on how to find your word and there are more links with information in the description bar of the videos. 

 

Some people choose a word of the year instead of making new year resolutions, while other combine the two. I’m personally going to skip resolutions (as I tend to do these days) but instead start incorporating a word for each year. I have found my word but I am going to keep it for myself. I’m just interested to hear if anyone else is interested in doing this or if you have tried it before. Thoughts or tips? I would also love to hear how you found your word. Mine came to me in a meditative state, after I had focused on what I want to achieve next year. The depth-year reading I was given by @Starlight was like a catalyst. So perhaps doing a reading beforehand is a really good idea (or you can do a reading to find your word in the cards - as in the symbols, themes etc). 

 

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

I never do resolutions, but have had a year word for many years. I have a friend who paints rocks and I commission her to do a visual for me, and keep it here on my desk to remind me each day. My 2020 word of the year is perspective. 2019 was equilibrium, 2018 was adapt. When the year is finished I take my year rock upstairs to join the others, which remind me my life is a work in process. 

 

edited to add: as words cross my path in autumn and on that might be workable I keep a list. But the real word, I know it when I see/hear/think it. A eureka flash goes off. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by AJ-ish/Sharyn

[FindYourSovereignty]

I have had a WOTY for the past 6 years and it has been wonderful to focus on, check-in with myself to see how it is going, etc. I order myself a bracelet (from an Etsy artisan) with the WOTY engraved on it as a constant reminder and energetic support. It can be really enlightening to write what the word means to you, why you feel drawn to it, and what you are hoping it will shift in you over the year - of course being open to receiving whatever gifts are intended for the Highest Good. 

[FindYourSovereignty]

3 minutes ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

When the year is finished I take my year rock upstairs to join the others, which remind me my life is a work in process. 

Love this - great idea!

[Raggydoll]

Such great ideas! I love the painted rocks that you can keep !! I might go down that route, or use wood. 

[DDwarks]

29 minutes ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

I never do resolutions, but have had a year word for many years. I have a friend who paints rocks and I commission her to do a visual for me, and keep it here on my desk to remind me each day. My 2020 word of the year is perspective. 2019 was equilibrium, 2018 was adapt. When the year is finished I take my year rock upstairs to join the others, which remind me my life is a work in process. 

 

edited to add: as words cross my path in autumn and on that might be workable I keep a list. But the real word, I know it when I see/hear/think it. A eureka flash goes off. 

I love this! Thank you.

[DDwarks]

1 hour ago, Raggydoll said:

If you haven’t heard of it before then here are some links: 

 

 

 

It is basically a process of finding one word that you will work with for the coming year, to get you where you are hoping to go. As we all know, words are powerful and transformational. In those videos you also get tips on how to find your word and there are more links with information in the description bar of the videos. 

 

Some people choose a word of the year instead of making new year resolutions, while other combine the two. I’m personally going to skip resolutions (as I tend to do these days) but instead start incorporating a word for each year. I have found my word but I am going to keep it for myself. I’m just interested to hear if anyone else is interested in doing this or if you have tried it before. Thoughts or tips? I would also love to hear how you found your word. Mine came to me in a meditative state, after I had focused on what I want to achieve next year. The depth-year reading I was given by @Starlight was like a catalyst. So perhaps doing a reading beforehand is a really good idea (or you can do a reading to find your word in the cards - as in the symbols, themes etc). 

 

Can you point me towards the reading, please?

 

Edit: got it!

Edited December 22, 2019 by DDwarks
Edit

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

a bracelet...humm, I have a tin full of letter beads and I just ran across some bracelet elastic, I wonder if I can make a perspective bracelet? something to think on as this year closes down.

[Raggydoll]

10 minutes ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

a bracelet...humm, I have a tin full of letter beads and I just ran across some bracelet elastic, I wonder if I can make a perspective bracelet? something to think on as this year closes down.

Great idea! Or you could create a set of meditation beads that uses letter-beads as spacer beads to spell out your chosen word. If that makes sense? Hard to explain!

[DDwarks]

24 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

Great idea! Or you could create a set of meditation beads that uses letter-beads as spacer beads to spell out your chosen word. If that makes sense? Hard to explain!

Any mala could do for this. You could use your word as a mantra. Just a suggestion, of course 😀

[Raggydoll]

50 minutes ago, DDwarks said:

Any mala could do for this. You could use your word as a mantra. Just a suggestion, of course 😀

Absolutely, and that’s also what I am doing 💗

[Starlight]

Thank you for the links to the videos, @Raggydoll. Jessica, at least I think it was Jessica, also has a video on what to do once you have a woty and how to work with it which is really useful. (If it isn't Jessica, I'll post a link to the video I'm thinking of.) I don't have word yet, so I'll have to knuckle down! 😄

[Raggydoll]

11 minutes ago, Starlight said:

Thank you for the links to the videos, @Raggydoll. Jessica, at least I think it was Jessica, also has a video on what to do once you have a woty and how to work with it which is really useful. (If it isn't Jessica, I'll post a link to the video I'm thinking of.) I don't have word yet, so I'll have to knuckle down! 😄

Great, I will look for it! And best of luck with finding your word (or perhaps it will find you? 💗)

[Starlight]

Found the article! It wasn't Jessica after all.

 

https://thegoalchaser.com/how-to-make-your-word-of-the-year/

 

There are some good tips on how to make the woty a practical part of one's life. 🙂

[Raggydoll]

1 hour ago, Starlight said:

Found the article! It wasn't Jessica after all.

 

https://thegoalchaser.com/how-to-make-your-word-of-the-year/

 

There are some good tips on how to make the woty a practical part of one's life. 🙂

Thank you!!

[legendaryelement]

I have a little tweak on this concept where I use my Rodale’s Word Finder and do a “thesaurus crawl” to obtain a set of 12 or 13 related words.

 

You go to the entry & let yourself ‘fix’ on a synonym, note it under the original word, then flip to that entry & repeat the process. As I mentally explore each word, I will use various number (Scrabble tiles, numerology) or playing card value associations with the letters.

[Starlight]

OMG. I've just watched the second of Jessica's videos above and one of the words oty that she mentions is the one I'm thinking of for 2020!! Synchronicity at work?

[Raggydoll]

2 hours ago, Starlight said:

OMG. I've just watched the second of Jessica's videos above and one of the words oty that she mentions is the one I'm thinking of for 2020!! Synchronicity at work?

Cool!!! 

[Bodhiseed]

AJ and another blogging buddy got me into this practice. I chose 'Resilient' for 2019 - a mix of tenacity and flexibility. Since we spent the past year repairing the house from the winds and flooding of Hurricane Michael, it served me well. Still pondering one for 2020.

[Starlight]

In case anyone would like some extra help finding a word, Susannah Conway offers a free 5-day email thingummy with exercises to help you. It's a bit more secular than spiritual, I'm finding, but it may be helpful. 🙂

 

https://www.susannahconway.com/word/

[Emilija]

On 12/24/2019 at 12:44 AM, Starlight said:

Found the article! It wasn't Jessica after all.

 

https://thegoalchaser.com/how-to-make-your-word-of-the-year/

 

There are some good tips on how to make the woty a practical part of one's life. 🙂

Thank you for the article! I really liked her word+quote idea. I found some really inspiring ones! I think you folks have convinced me! I’m going to give woty a go. My word for 2020 is “Security.” I will work hard for financial security for my family and me. I’d like to start saving for a house. 😊 I’m sharing to keep myself accountable!

[Starlight]

3 hours ago, Emilija said:

Thank you for the article! I really liked her word+quote idea. I found some really inspiring ones! I think you folks have convinced me! I’m going to give woty a go. My word for 2020 is “Security.” I will work hard for financial security for my family and me. I’d like to start saving for a house. 😊 I’m sharing to keep myself accountable!

Yay! We can help with the accountability!! If you wanted to, you could set up a journal in the forum to track your progress. Only if you want to, though. 🙂

 

I was watching Dominique Saachse on YT last night (it was about goals, not a woty) and she's going to write herself a letter at the end of each month, checking in with her goals. I tried doing month-end reviews in my bujo for Depth Year, but only got as far as February.  Checking in regularly with a woty is a good idea, though. I like the idea of reading books connected to the woty.

[Raggydoll]

8 hours ago, Emilija said:

Thank you for the article! I really liked her word+quote idea. I found some really inspiring ones! I think you folks have convinced me! I’m going to give woty a go. My word for 2020 is “Security.” I will work hard for financial security for my family and me. I’d like to start saving for a house. 😊 I’m sharing to keep myself accountable!

Yay you! What a great goal!! 

[Emilija]

11 hours ago, Starlight said:

Yay! We can help with the accountability!! If you wanted to, you could set up a journal in the forum to track your progress. Only if you want to, though. 🙂

 

I was watching Dominique Saachse on YT last night (it was about goals, not a woty) and she's going to write herself a letter at the end of each month, checking in with her goals. I tried doing month-end reviews in my bujo for Depth Year, but only got as far as February.  Checking in regularly with a woty is a good idea, though. I like the idea of reading books connected to the woty.

A journal on the forum?  I never thought of that! In what thread would I put that in? I’ve recently started a little journal of sorts to go with my mediumship practice. In it, I have some Gratitude exercises. I’m sure I could incorporate some of these things and the woty into a journal here.
 

I also never heard of Dominique Saachse. I will look up some of her videos here in a minute. I like the idea of writing a letter, but something that has helped me in the past is writing a “contract” with myself. It would be along the lines of writing , “ I, Emilija, am writing a contract with myself to not spend the money on x-y-z on this day.” I would write this in a notebook or journal when Im struggling with temptation, and I would sign it just like a contract. I learned this from a lady in a 12-Step group.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Emilija

[Emilija]

6 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Yay you! What a great goal!! 

Thanks, Raggydoll! I appreciate you being so positive!🥰