Can a collage of images really impact your year? Can a single word change your life for the better?
I always look forward to this time of year. I love fresh starts and the idea of a boundless landscape in which all my dreams can come true.
And of all the January practices, these are the two that have impacted me in the greatest way, year after year. Even more than goal-setting, choosing a word of the year and creating a vision board have been the best facilitators in bringing the most wonderful things into my life.
Here’s why I think it works:
Unlike goals, which are rigid and can sometimes feel like trying to solve a math problem, a word of the year, and a vision board are soft, flexible, and not completely defined. There’s such beauty in that!
We can’t possibly predict exactly what the year will bring. Goals give us the illusion that we’re in complete control.
A word of the year and a vision board offer nuance and the opportunity to work in conjunction with God, the Universe, and nature to fill in the details as we go.
This phrase comes to mind: “Be stubborn about your goals but flexible about your methods.” In other words, have a vision, but be open to how it’ll all unfold.You all know I love making lists, but they’re so disposable. We set our goals, we get them done, we check our boxes, and then what? Create a new list? That’s our prize?
For me, the words I’ve chosen and the vision boards I’ve created over the years have had a compounding effect. The intentions I set in 2014 were building blocks that have helped me grow into the person I am today. My word of the year from 2019 — abundance — is still one that continues to bless me. There are images on my vision boards from years past that remain important to me.
When you choose a word of the year, and when you create a vision board, you aren’t just aiming to make it a great year, but a beautiful life.
Here’s what I’m dreaming up!
My word of the year for 2024 is…
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