Word of the Year 2023

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Should You Choose a Word of the Year?

Unequivocally yes. I began choosing a word of the year instead of making resolutions in 2016 and my life has never been better. Does that mean that I haven’t had heartbreaks, hardships, and difficulties? Nope. I’m human. What it does mean that by shifting my mindset from a fixed mindset of making resolutions to a growth mindset of choosing a word of the year, my life experience also shifted.

There are many past blog posts on this site explaining the benefits of choosing a word of the year. Because of that, I will not restate them or begin again. Nevertheless, because the circumstances of the past 2 years with COVID have been unique, I am going to highlight the marked benefit of giving up resolutions.

Resolutions vs Word of the Year

One of the problems with resolutions is that they are very black and white. You either do them or you don’t. A word of the year allows for flexibility and growth in a way that resolutions don’t.

For example, imagine yourself pre-COVID, blissfully writing out your 2020 resolutions in December of 2019. What if your resolution was to go to the gym 3 times a week. That got pretty hard in March, ey? What if your resolution was to go out to dinner with your partner once a month. Not so possible once the restaurants closed down. What if your resolution were to travel more? I think you see where I’m going with this.

On the other hand, what if you had chosen a word of the year? It’s all still on! If your word was health and the gym shut down, your brain looks for solutions. Likewise, if your word of the year was connection and you’re not longer able to go out with your husband, your brain would use it’s power to look for solutions. If your word of the year was new experiences and you could no longer travel, your brain would look for solutions.

Fixed vs Growth Mindset

Resolutions are limiting and focus on our weaknesses. Choosing a word of the year is expansive and focuses on possibilities and what we want to grow in our selves. That’s what we are all about! So how to do it?

Print up your FREE WORD OF THE YEAR WORKSHEET and follow these four steps.

How To Pick your own Warrior Word of the Year?

1. Assess

Know where you’re starting from. Assess your current situation by reflecting on questions like these:

How do you feel most days?
What are 3 words you’d use to describe how you feel most days or felt most days this year?
When you think of your life, what do you wish were different?
What do you want more of in your life?
What do you want less of in your life?

2. Dream

Set your mind free. Turn off your inner critic and limiting beliefs and imagine your best 2023. This is not a time to let your brain tell you why these things aren’t possible – this is a time to engage your growth mindset, to brainstorm, to dream by answering questions like these:

What do you want this year to be like?
What would make this year great?
How does that feel?
When you look back at this time next year, how would you like to describe your year?

3. Choose

Find a quiet place. Read over the options on the handy guide I made you. Write down the 2-5 words that stand out to you on a scrap of paper.

Carry that paper around for a day or two. Get it out and look at it. Which word is sticking out to you? One will begin to shine and call to you. That’s your word!

4. Saturate

Now is the time to make that word your word of the year. Your goal here is to bring your word into your life in as many ways as you can. Here are some options:

Write your word on sticky notes, note cards, or pretty card stock to place and stick around your house.
Change your phone alarm to your word so when you wake each morning you see it.
Tell SUPPORTIVE people in your life your word: friends, family, internet buddies. Pay attention to those who try to talk you out of your word or are not encouraging. That’s a whole other podcast episode (linked here) and yet good information to have about the types of people that they are.
Share your word with me! In the comments of this post. On the word of the year post on Instagram, in the Warrior Woman Free Facebook Group, or email me. I truly love to learn people’s words.
Get a MantraBand Bracelet with your word on it.

You want visual reminders to snap you into the habit of thinking of the word when making decisions. I have a sign by the essential oils that I use every morning to remind me at the beginning of my day of my intent. It really can be this simple.

You’re Ready for an Amazing Year

You are set up for success. Believe in yourself and your word. Choosing a word allows you to start your year looking forward with anticipation, excitement and inspiration. Whatever time you would’ve spent making resolutions (and focusing on what you did wrong), you get to think instead of what you’re going to do right and how great the upcoming year can be.

We are on this earth for a purpose. Resolutions led me to feel badly about who I was. Choosing a word empowers me to accept how awesome I am right now while encouraging me to evolve to the next best version of myself. I encourage you to try it this year too.

Finally, this is a great podcast or post to share with other people you care about in your life. Choosing a word of the year helps all of us, no matter our age or stage, to live lives we love. Let’s band together to shine our light out! Text or email it to someone you care about today.