The word that helped change my life

One thing that’s been a growing trend in the wellness and mindfulness industries is creating a theme or Word of the Year.

I used to think it was woo woo, mystical, and eye-roll worthy.

But then, I realized I was already setting a theme or word of the year without actually intending to.

In 2015, I decided that by fall, I’d have a new job that would give me my life back. Guess what happened? I launched my business that summer and by the end of October, I had quit my full-time job.

That year’s theme was freedom. I wanted out so badly and had interviewed with jobs all over the country but in the end, I realized that summer, what I wanted, wasn’t to work for someone else...but WITH people.

So I launched this online business and got back to my roots in training, coaching, and working with people who like me live with autoimmune and other chronic illnesses.

In 2017, my word of the year was Growth. I grew so much, re-started my quest to be fully Pilates certified on all the equipment, took advantage of other wellness coaching opportunities, and within a few months, I’d hit many of my business goals.

Last year’s word of the year was self-care. My plan definitely was thrown for a loop but I also got a chance to be more creative about what that word means. In my mind, self-care stood for things like massages, vacations, and setting hard start and stop times for my schedule.

When everything shut down in the spring last year, it provided me a greater opportunity to really define when I work, how I work, what I do with clients and truly expanded my definition of self-care. ​

So now it’s your turn, what is your word of the year? Or if a theme fits you better, what’s your theme?

Your word will set the tone for the entire year. It’s your 2021 mantra. Your intention.

Your word will help you to:

• Stay focused

• Set priorities

• Make decisions

• Reach your goals

Choose a word that resonates with you and what you aim to achieve this year, and keep it front-and-center in your mind as the year progresses.

Some questions to ask yourself as you choose your word …

→ If you could skip ahead to a year from now, what would you like to be proud of? What is the ONE characteristic you’ll need to embody to get there?

→ Who inspires you? What word would you use to describe them?

→ What is the underlying theme of the goals you have for this year?

→ How does the word make you FEEL?

It can help to make a list of words and think about them for a day or two before choosing.

After you choose your word …

Find ways to keep it in mind.

I have mine front and center taped to my standing desk. Make it your phone screensaver, put a Post-It note on your refrigerator door and/or in your car, create a graphic featuring the word and frame it, and place it on your desk or on your bathroom wall.

What word are YOU choosing for this year?

I’d love to know!! Comment on this post or in my Facebook group: Healthy Living by Margreta!