How to Choose Your Word of the Year: An Easy Guide to Support Your Goals.

The end of the year brings a few things for women in small business: holiday hustle and bustle, year-end reports, reflection and lessons on the current year’s goals, and envisioning the upcoming year. One fun and tactical practice you can implement is to determine a word of the year to support your upcoming year’s vision and core values.

“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”
— Charles F. Kettering

What Is a Word of the Year?

Your Word of the Year is a word or phrase that sets an intention for the upcoming year. It typically aligns with your vision and goals for the New Year. A word of the year is a simple focus that you can come back to when you are making decisions.

When I reflect on my past words of the year, they all align with the theme I had for that year. “Change” reflected how I intended to move out of a hard season and into personal growth. “Intentional” set the tone for how I wanted to show up as a mother and a wife, but also on my own as I let go of labels that did not serve me. “Ambition” was a Word of the Year that kept me pushing myself in my business and growing more than ever.

Why Choose a Word of the Year?

1. Clarity
   A single word keeps you centered on what truly matters in your personal and business life.
2. Accountability
   It becomes a lens through which you view decisions, helping you stay aligned with your goals.
3. Empowerment
   Your word can serve as a reminder of your potential and your purpose, quieting those limiting beliefs when they come up.

How to Choose Your Word of the Year

1. Reflect on the Past Year
   Everything for me starts with reflection. What went well this year in your business? What lessons and challenges did you grow through? What goals did you achieve and what did you not achieve? Spend time digging deep and being honest with yourself about your year.
2. Visualize Your Ideal Year Ahead
   When you determine where you are, then you can use that as data to help guide where you want to grow in the next year. What do you want to achieve? How do you want to feel (mentally and physically) What areas of your life need attention or growth? What is the one business goal that you are going to target? What do you want to learn? Who do you want to connect with? Think in possibility here. Do not let any limiting beliefs room when you are visualizing your New Year.
3. Brainstorm Words
   Write down any words that resonate with your reflections and vision. Examples: Growth, Balance, Brave, Focus, Joy, Intentional, Simplify, Organize, Calm, Love, Energetic, Ambition, Community, Faith, Happy, Family, Inspire, Encourage,
4. Narrow It Down
   Pick the word that excites or challenges you the most. It should feel meaningful and slightly outside your comfort zone.

How to Use Your Word of the Year

1. Display It Everywhere
   Write it on a sticky note for your mirror, create a desktop background, or even incorporate it into your vision board.
2. Incorporate It into Your Goals
   Use your word as a filter for goal-setting. For example, if your word is Simplify, focus on streamlining your processes or saying no to unnecessary commitments.
3. Revisit It Regularly
   Reflect on how your word is shaping your choices. Journaling or monthly check-ins can help you stay intentional.
4. Celebrate Wins Along the Way
   When your word leads you to a breakthrough or helps you overcome a challenge, take a moment to acknowledge it.

Examples of Words Of the Year in Action

• If your word is Ambition, you might challenge yourself to take ambitious steps, like launching a new product or networking in your community to grow your business.
• If your word is Balance, you might prioritize boundaries between work and home life, scheduling time for rest and self-care.
• If your word is Simplify, you might commit to getting organized, reducing clutter in your home and work space, and setting small intentions.

Start the Year with Intention

Choosing a Word of the Year is an intentional way to guide your decisions and stay accountable to your goals. Whether you’re a visionary dreamer, an action-oriented planner, or a go-with-the-flow achiever, your word can be the anchor that keeps you grounded and inspired.

Word of the Year Examples:

Achieve

Ambition

Abundance

Align

Anchor

Balance

Belong

Begin

Brave

Build

Calm

Caring

Challenge

Commit

Celebrate

Courage

Create

Community

Declutter

Delight

Determined

Embrace

Encourage

Energy

Enough

Faith

Fair

Family

Fearless

Forgive

Focus

Forward

Free

Fun

Generous

Gentle

Give

Grave

Growth

Happy

Health

Home

Honest

Hope

Imagine

Improve

Inspire

Intentional

Integrity

Joy

Love

Kindness

Learn

Lead

Motivation

Move

Nuture

Organized

Prosper

Reflect

Respect

Self-Care

Simplify

Strong

Travel

Teach

Try

Trust

Truth

Unafraid

Vision

Wonder

Worthy

Write

Yes

Ready to Choose Your Word? Let’s Work Together!

Need help aligning your goals with your Word of the Year? Book a 60-minute Goal Clarity Session today, and let’s start the year with purpose and direction.

What’s your Word of the Year? Share it in the comments or tag me on social media—I’d love to hear about it!

Check out this post to determine your core values.