Your One Word for 2016

It’s that time of year again, time to choose your “one word” for 2016.

Your “one word” becomes your intention (what you will do), it gives you a lens to look at life through, and make choices around.  Having “one word” to remember keeps it simple and easy.  You can then create your new years goals around your word.

My “one word” for 2016?

Create

Why “Create”?  It fits everything that I have been inspired by these last few weeks and how I want my 2016 to be in all areas of my life.

  • Health – I will CREATE awareness in how the foods I eat impact the way I feel emotionally and physically
  • Business – I will CREATE my new Career Change eCourse
  • Personal – I will CREATE art pieces, mandalas in my journaling
  • Family – my husband and I will CREATE new experiences in our play and travel

For You

  • Choose a word that evokes something positive in you, a feeling you are craving.
  • Your word will feel good (no “shoulds” please) and be one that is a good fit for where you are in your life right now and where you would like to be.

Need some examples?

Peace

Fun

Experimentation

Playful, Play

Nurturing

Giving

Steady

Bold

Live

Would love for you to share your “one word” with me!

Happy New Year!

Your 2015 Year in Review

Reflection and Renewal

It is the joy of the holiday season, a wonderful time for reflection as the year comes to a close and renewal as the new year dawns.

Why reflect in order to renew?

How often do you rush to your next to do list item, and also into the new year without ever acknowledging what you have completed, achieved and learned?  Stopping to recognize how far you have come is a powerful motivator to keep moving forward.  Reflecting on what you accomplished, however large or small, and how you accomplished it, gives you a sense of pride and can serve as a confidence boost. Reviewing what went well helps you decide what you may want to add more of, or reduce in the new year.

How do you conduct your year in review?

To get started, grab a journal, a notebook or your computer.  You can look at your life as a whole or conduct a separate review for different areas of your life including:

Career, relationships, family, recreation, finances, personal development, etc  –asking the same questions of each.

Here are some Questions for you to get started:

  • What did you accomplish this year?
  • What are you most proud of having achieved?
  • What were some of your peak experiences?
  • Why did these things matter so much to you?
  • What worked really well?
  • Which of your strengths, skills, mindset & insight helped you accomplish all of this?
  • What did you learn most this year – about yourself and in each area of your life?
  • How have you grown this year?
  • What would you like more of in the new year?
  • What would truly give you “life” in 2016?
  • What additional skills or support will you need to accomplish what you want in 2016?
As you capture your answers to these questions, additional questions will come up.  Continue this process until you have a snapshot of this year as well as a foundation for what you would like to achieve next year.

If you find that it’s hard to remember all that you accomplished this year, begin your new year by doing your own month in review, and by the end of next year, your year in review will be much easier.

Daily Celebrations

This time of year the focus is on giving thanks for who you are, who is in your life, what you have, and more.  When we do that it serves a reminder of the good in our life, which usually lifts us up.

So, why only do this once a year?  What if we did this every day?

Here are several ideas to choose from to celebrate your life daily!

Celebrate as if it is your birthday

On my sister in laws birthday this year, I called to sing her happy birthday and she shared that it such a nice feeling having so many friends and family tell her to have a great day.  That got her thinking – what would it be like if we treated every day like our birthday?  When we have one day a year that we celebrate ourselves that is a lot of pressure to have it be “great”!  I’ve experienced that many times as I often am on vacation during my summer birthday.   For the last two years I decided to celebrate/treat the whole week as my birthday.  That made a big difference in how much I enjoyed myself.

Create a gratitude journal

You’ve heard me talk about this before, for writing out what we are grateful for adds something more than just thinking it.  To celebrate daily, write at least 3 things each day (either at the beginning of the day, or at the end of it) that you are grateful for.  See if you can get creative and choose something different each day.  Even better, be specific so you really get into the experience of it.  Notice how it changes your mood and how this practice makes your days even brighter.  When you know you are going to write about what you are grateful for, you begin to look for things to be grateful for.

Find something different to celebrate every day

If you Google “daily celebrations” you will find a list of wacky, obscure and interesting things to celebrate every day of the year.  This month includes sandwich day, book lover’s day, take a hike day and many more.  You can get creative with this by choosing how you will celebrate each “holiday” day and even create your own!  This gives you something fun and joyful to look forward to each day.

Imagine the feeling you would have every morning if you knew you were going to be celebrating something?