Having a word of the year is total BS

For the longest time, I’ve thought having a “word of the year” was a load of BS.

And I really resisted it this year as well.?

That was until I couldn’t escape one word, it seemed to follow me everywhere.

And when I thought about it more, the word that was following me around had nothing to do with anything tangible. No metrics, no measurement, no timeline.

As a coach, one of the things you get your clients to focus on when setting goals is how they’ll feel when they achieve them. Not just the sense of accomplishment but how the change they are making is fundamentally going to make them feel on a day to day basis. Will it bring them a feeling of happiness, peace, excitement, contentment, the list goes on. It’s completely different for each individual - and there’s no right or wrong answer.

For me, when I was planning my move back to Australia in 2022, I had a list. That list included:

• Spending time family and friends
• Living beachside
• Slowing down my pace of life
• Becoming part of the local community

In essence, what I was looking for when I moved home, was a Sea Change. And I’d partially achieve it. But there was something missing.

And that’s when the word started following me around.

When I started to focus on what pivoting my career from “corporate” to “portfolio” really meant. I dug into what I wanted my life to look like on a day-to-day basis and more importantly, how I wanted to feel.

And it was around that time that I bought a book, based completely on how incredible the cover was. The book is called The House That Joy Built - The pleasure & power of giving ourselves permission to create - by Holly Ringland. It’s now on my list of recommended books.

One word stuck out to me on the beautiful cover of the book, and it's the word that hasn’t left me since.

JOY

That single word brought both clarity and a mindset shift.

How?

When I was making decisions around what the next stage of my career would look like, I started asking myself “Will this bring me joy?” And if the answer was no, then it wasn’t for me.

It helped in job interviews when I explained why I wanted to take a step back from being in a senior role after so many years. People seemed to get it when I spoke about wanting a life with more balance that was more joyful. I’ve achieved a lot throughout my career so far, and what drives me now is completely different than what it was 20+ years ago.?

And that’s ok, we’re allowed to change things up whenever we want. You only need to follow Amazing If to see the benefits of a Squiggly Career (which is also another great book on my recommendation list).

Most importantly, it’s a reminder for me to prioritise things that bring more joy into my life.

• Do I have time for an impromptu brunch with one of my oldest friends on a random Tuesday morning? Yes I do
• Do I want to go to a boxing class with another friend one evening after work? Yes I do
• Do I want a free stall at a Mother’s Day Market on a Thursday afternoon? Yes I do
• Do I want to have breakfast with my Mum and Brother on Saturday morning? Yes I do
• Do I just want to stay home, do nothing and watch the sunset? Yes I do

So while having a “word of the year” may seem like total BS for some, it’s actually brought focus, clarity, direction and purpose for me. No metrics, no timeline and the only measurement is how much I’m enjoying my life. Which is what’s most important anyway.

Do you have a word of the year? I’d love to hear what it is and how it helps you.

And a massive shout out to Rosie Dalling , whose social media post the other day both prompted and inspired me to reflect and write this article. Go follow her if you’re not already.

The photo is a recent sunrise - both sunrises and sunsets bring me a huge amount of joy. Probably because no two are ever the same and it's a reminder to slow down and live in the moment

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