One Word to Shape the Year … (or in my cases, two!)

Every year on January 1st, my mom would choose a single word to guide her through the year. No long lists of resolutions or lofty goals—just one word to focus on for the next 12 months.

I scrolled through her social media recently and found her last word from the beginning of 2022: Thrive. She wrote: “For the past two years, our world has looked different. We have faced challenges and difficulties. I’ve found it hard to flourish and grow. Happy New Year to all. May you thrive.”

When I read that today, I couldn’t help but feel angry. Thrive? She passed away suddenly 6 months later. But the more I think about it, thriving sometimes, is just about holding on, about finding even a sliver of light when everything feels impossibly dark. When she asked us, my word for 2022 was Joy. Let me tell you, 2022 was anything but joy — so much for that! I got Covid, I had a brain injury, I had surgery which they nicked a nerve and now I am in chronic pain and in physio weekly, I was forced to quit my job due to my brain issues, my Taita died, my mom died 6 days after and all of that, was up until July 29th … and my word was JOY? What the fuck. My sister’s word was Resilient. Resilient … now that was probably the smarter pick. We all had no choice but to be resilient.

In 2024, my word(s) were … enlighten, Magic and Rest. Well … all of those things pretty much sum up my 2024. It was a year with lots of amazing travel, hearts found in the most strange places, and enlightenment … oh yeah!

The whole “word of the year” thing has stuck with me for years now. To me, it feels so much better than making a laundry list of resolutions that I’ll most likely forget—or abandon—by February. I’m sure there’s some statistic about how most people fail at resolutions by then. One said 80%. Well, shit. No wonder I’m sticking with the “word of the year” approach! Who knows, maybe you are part of the 20%, and if you are – good for you … can you teach me your ways?!

This year, Brody is working on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, which means I’ll be ringing in the year alone for the first time in over six years. It feels bittersweet, but I think journaling might be the perfect way to honor my mom and set a quiet intention for myself.

But what word(s) will I choose? I don’t know yet. It has to mean something—something to push me forward but also hold me steady when things get overwhelming. Maybe Heal. Or Connect. Or Sunshine. I read a quote that said, “If I do but one thing today, may I be human sunshine for someone.” It has stuck with me, but also Sunshine meaning more travel to warm places. So perhaps … I have found my words! Whatever it is, I want it to be a reminder. A little nudge to live—not perfectly, not with all the answers, but with purpose.

Because at the end of the day, these words are more than just goals—they’re promises to myself. They’re anchors to come back to when we’re drifting.

So, what about you? If you are journaling or having conversations with your loved ones … If you had to pick one or two words to guide you through 2025, what would it be? And what would it mean to you?