My Word of the Year? Yes, that is title of this post and something I want to share here. I don't think I ever realized that I held a word in a significance place in my life till a couple of months ago. I was thinking about the past couple of years and reflecting as I journaled and a word would pop up as a summary of the year for me.
I thought about 2017 and the word I would often say when friends or colleagues asked me how I was doing and how my work was going and I would always say, "Abundance". It was a word that I would say in my mind when reflecting on a busy day and trying to get to bed. It was a word I would say first thing in the morning when standing in front of the mirror and getting ready for the day, "Abundance". It came out of my mouth so often that it became mantra for me...Abundance. It became part of me and helped me see a manifestation of just that, Abundance; Of life, love and work. I felt such a positive feeling when saying that word.
It was no surprise to me that when my friends began talking about what their 2018 Word of the Year was that I would feel protective of my word, Abundance. I did not feel like I could change it, I was emotionally connected to this word, it spent a whole year at the forefront of my mind and I did not want to let it go but that attachment in itself made me wonder if I could get what it was attempting to teach me.
So I decided that I could not be greedy by holding on to this word but that it was important to find another one. I began asking others what their word was and like trying on one pair of shoes after another, nothing really fit me. I was writing down bunches of words and saying them to myself attempting to find the "right" one.
I started thinking about what I wanted to bring into my life this year, what felt like a word that represented me, and in this process still continued working on my goal planning for 2018. As I was using my Powersheets which a very good friend gave me, I kept seeing the front cover and the word "Cultivate". I often thought about and wondered if it kept popping into my mind so often because I was seeing it on this book.
As the days went on, I realized that it was not important to me how this word came and found its way to me, that it felt relevant to my state of mind and what my intention was for 2018. I thought about all the wins I had in 2017 and how I wanted to not just maintain them but develop them further and watch them blossom. This process was no longer about Abundance but it was about taking what I had received and ensuring that I continue to Cultivate it. My family, my friends, my health, my work, my interests...they were all there and needed my presence and action, they need me to tend them with purpose and improvement. Cultivate.
Why is this important for you? Perhaps it isn't but if you are looking to start getting some clarity (which might end up being your word) on your goals or plans of actions for the year, having a guiding word can be a great reminder, a 1 word affirmation that you start and end your day with, a mantra that you repeat when trying to find that quiet place in your mind, or picking yourself up from a stumble or perhaps pushing up against a fear that has prevented you from moving forward...that word, your word becomes like a wand that summons peace, heals wounds and instills strength.
Find your word and then take it on your journey for 2018.