How to Choose Your Word of the Year
(It’s not too late)
Last week, I chose my word for 2021. I started choosing a word of the year in 2016, as a way to inspire and focus my actions. The outcome has been mixed. Last year, my word was FREEDOM, and we all know how well that turned out. This year, I chose CONSISTENT. A lower bar and a confrontation, all in one!
Consistency was such a unique challenge for most humans living through 2020, and I was craving a verbal anchor to get back to a productive routine. Yes, I’ve read “Atomic Habits,” “The Power of Habit,” and “The Creative Habit.” I even have a special affinity for the nuns who wear habits. But the something-something I was craving was not another habit hack; by choosing CONSISTENT, I’d be declaring to myself and the world that I’m not f-ing around.
I enthusiastically shared my word with my husband, and his response ruined everything.
“Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” Brian said, quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson. The love of my life then shamed me for not knowing the quote, and I gave up my word on the spot.
A couple things: first, Brian would never intentionally shame me, that’s my own bullshit at work. And second, when I looked up the quote, I discovered that smug Brian left off a key word that changes its meaning: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” (For brevity’s sake, we will not go into hobgoblins here, even though the word makes me laugh. And, noteworthy: I was probably most offended by the little minds part of the quote when Brian said it.)
So what exactly is a foolish consistency? It’s mindlessly following in the footsteps of others, or your own outdated ideas. In his essay, “Self-Reliance,” where this quote is found, Emerson is saying, resist conformity! Be an individual who thinks independently. Follow your own instincts and new ideas. “Insist on yourself,” he writes. “Never imitate.” Interesting that Emerson did this…. consistently. Throughout his adult life, he was either writing, or preparing to write or trying to write.
Perhaps we can be wisely consistent, or uniquely so.
Though it’s not necessarily sexy or fun, there’s enormous value in being consistent. One step at a time is how you build anything, whether you’re working from a blueprint or constructing your empire from scratch. One sentence, one brushstroke, one note. And while having a mission so powerful that nothing will stop you sounds amazing, consistent follow-through takes muscle, grit, and usually, support. This is considerably more challenging than flitting from one flower to the next. It’s ultimately more rewarding too.
There’s a lot to appreciate about being consistent. And obviously, I need a new word.
While my intention this year is to be uniquely, wisely consistent, that word, much like my collection of skinny jeans, doesn’t quite fit. So, I’ve come up with a better one that implies consistent action, needs no qualifiers, and gives me the all-important goosebumps: MOMENTUM.
There’s room to grow in that pretty word, plus, we have a history.
In early October, 2007, I had never run a marathon. By October 2008, I had run four and qualified for Boston. What happened? Momentum. With the help of my coach, I gained momentum by pushing through the resistance, which helped me develop endurance, focus, and confidence. It was a slow build, step by step, mile by mile. With marathons, the reward so much bigger than the medal at the finish line. What I was working toward came from within: a visceral desire to push beyond my status quo. That year, I set a personal record with every race. I did it, but not alone. It’s in that spirit that I’m starting — or restarting 2021.
Messy-inspired-unique-work-in-progress-unfoolish MOMENTUM.
That’s my word this year, and I’m sticking to it.
Have you chosen a word? It’s not too late.
Don’t be like me and pick something heady and logical like CONSISTENT that sounds good but doesn’t ring your bell. Skip to the front of the line by choosing something that reflects how you want to feel this year — in your body and in your life.
Here’s an easy process to help you get there: sit down somewhere peaceful — could be your couch or outside under a tree. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths, paying close attention to your inhale and exhale. Then, in your journal or a notebook, answer this question: How to you want to feel in 2021?
Free write for 5 minutes, filling in as much juicy detail as you can. When 5 minutes is up, take a few more minutes and answer this question: Why is it important for me to feel this way? Then take a look at what you’ve written. Circle the words that you see most often, underline others that you really like, then make a short list of word-of-the-year contenders.
Once you have your list, say each word out loud. Do you like the sound? The feeling of the word in your mouth? What happens in your body when you hear it? (That’s an important one — pay attention.) Cross off the words that don’t light you up. Then look up definitions to capture the broader meaning for the ones that spark a little something. Use a thesaurus to expand your word list if you need additional inspiration. Then take your time and try on a few. Wear one today, another tomorrow. And trust that you’ll know when you’ve found the one.
Get my Mini Guide on How to Slow the F Down.
Laurie Shiers writes about being an imperfect human and the quest for creative and emotional freedom. She’s also a professional coach whose collaborative approach draws on creativity, mindfulness, and neuroscience. You can find Laurie at brainchild-coaching.com.
