MY WORD FOR THE YEAR
Whenever I choose my word for the year, I ponder on it for a while, and I spend time thinking about it, writing it down in many formats and checking its fit. For me, it works better than a resolution. It sits with me all year and inspires and encourages me to make the changes I need to.
One of the first things that I do is to look up its definition.
My word often appears in lots of different places as I am more aware of what it may be. Some years it is very clear, other years not as obvious.
This year;
My word of the year has not left me alone, and I feel it is perfect for me.
There is no coincidence that I am reading Michelle Obama’s book entitled ‘becoming’ and that has influenced me as I learned about her determination, grit, enthusiasm, grace and growth from being a little girl to becoming the First Lady.
My word for the year is “becoming.”
Here are some of the dictionary definitions that I have found around that word.
- Begin to be
- Grow to be: develop into
- (of a person ) qualify or be as accepted as
- (of clothing) look good or suit someone.
How will I use my word of the year?
How do I know that it fits my lifestyle?
So let me show you the three main areas that will be of focus for 2019 for me, although I know this word will help me with things I haven’t even thought of yet.
- Fitness.
My brain works against me with fitness. I get lost in the thoughts of, ‘I’m too fat’, ‘too slow’, ‘too old’, ‘what’s the point?’
However, I know exactly who I want to become in my fitness journey.
I want to be able to run a park run without having the wonderful Vicky Cook and Alison Harding at Zig Zag training with me on the last lap, helping to convince me that I am not about to die. I want to fit into jeans and jumpers and feel comfortable, I want to feel alive and awake and fit and healthy and know that I am doing my best for my body and my brain and my mental health.
I have all the right resources in place, and I have the best group of women to train with at Zig Zag fitness who encourage and support and inspire me.
It’s my brain that stops me. The expectation that I should be super fit straight away. The word becoming inspires me at this point; it changes my performance -inhibiting thoughts into performance-enhancing thoughts.
I am becoming fitter.
I am becoming stronger.
I am becoming healthier.
Becoming makes me want to run, workout, have a go.
It has few expectations from me apart from to start the journey.
It also gives me no excuses.
In my coaching business.
I have the privilege of watching my clients becoming the people they want to be daily. Yesterday I received a fantastic and inspiring newsletter from one of my lecturers who is also a coach that I admire and inspire to be like, Yannick Jacob.
The newsletter listed the projects he was involved and a list of publications he had achieved in December. I could have felt overwhelmed or started to compare my business; instead, I recognised where I am on this journey. I am only halfway through the Master’s degree in positive psychology that this man teaches, yet I am expecting to have the same following, the same opportunities, the same level of expertise.
Choose a mentor, a business person, a colleague is further along the road from you and learn from them.
Enjoy the process, and I am going to enjoy the ‘becoming ’part of my life as a coach, continually learning, improving, reading and researching to become the coach I want to be.
In relationships
All of my clients find relationships challenging. This year, I have not spent as much time as I would like to with friends and family.
It has been a year where I have been studying, working in my own business, consulting for another company and volunteering for a charity. Alongside this, I have been visiting universities and sixth forms with my sons, being a committed rugby and football fan to my youngest at the weekends and spending time with my oldest as well as being a taxi driver to all of their needs. With a husband who is away a lot, this can be tricky.
This year I would like to become the wife, mum, friend and family member, that I would like to be. Notice, I am becoming, this means that it will be messy and imperfect, but each step I make to reach out to someone will say I am becoming. This does not mean that I will suddenly have time that magically appears out of the sky, but I will endeavour to become a better friend to those around me who are important, and I have a strategy for that.
So these are just some of the ways I will use my word.
What about you?
It is vital that you choose a word that is right for you this year.
I would love to hear it; please comment below.
It is more empowering than a resolution, and you may find that you don’t use it for a while and it comes back to encourage you in the middle of the year.
Take some time over your choice.
I continue to work with my word all year.
If you are taking part in my new year course with a month of online community and coaching in January, it is one of the first things that we do, and I enjoy helping you spend time on your word and implementing it into your life.
You can still join us here. https://mailchi.mp/a76a8f5d1a34/nyny
I cannot wait for 2019 and to embrace the year ahead.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year, and I hope your word empowers you to thrive and flourish.
