How to avoid Goblin Mode ??

Let’s start with the obvious: Happy New Year! Belated by this point but I wish it to you all the same.

I hope you’ve had a wonderful festive break and are starting to look forward to the year ahead and all of the promise, opportunity and potential that it offers.

Too much? Still easing in gently with a mince pie? You take your time, 2023 isn’t going anywhere for another 300+ days and, really, what’s the rush?

When I was planning out this article (mulling it over at 1am whilst trying to sleep because that’s when my brain likes to do its business thinking at the moment) I considered doing the obvious:

• Poopooing new year’s resolutions (they’re so finite and judgemental and hard to stick to)
• Championing goal setting (so much more positive and 2023, don’t you think?)
• Educating you in the best goal setting methods for success in 2023 (I still love good old SMART with a bit of WOOP thrown in for good measure)

But it all just felt a bit obvious. A bit expected. A bit done-to-death.

So, instead, I’d like to encourage you to do something a bit different to kick off your 2023:

I’d like you to set a word of the year (WOTY).

(Apparently), this is something that happens retrospectively every year, with the Oxford English Dictionary people assigning a WOTY which sums up “the most important word or expression in the public sphere during a specific year”.

2022’s WOTY: Goblin Mode.

What the actual?

I don’t know about you, but this wasn’t a phrase being bandied around by my pals and I throughout 2022. Are you coming out for new year Janine? No mate I’m still in the same pyjamas I started the week in and am sat scoffing a jar of biscoff with carrot sticks and a bottle of white wine left over from the Christmas party that I stuck in my handbag while the waiter wasn’t looking, I’m in full goblin mode.

Other dictionary’s WOTY may have made more sense, but were no more cheerful:

Merriam-Webster WOTY: Gaslighting

Collins WOTY: Permacrisis

Wonderful.

So, before 2023 runs away with you and then gets assigned either a made-up load of nonsense or a totally negative, miserable word, I urge you to steal a march on the dictionary people and consider:

What will your word of the year be for 2023?

Questions to get you started and help you avoid goblin mode:

·???????How do I want to feel in 2023?

·???????What do I want to achieve and learn?

·???????What will I need to do to achieve my goals?

·???????How do I want to show up as my best self?

·???????What word or phrase makes me feel positive, motivated and fired up for success?

This is all about setting a positive intention for the year ahead, something you can write out and have in front of you as a one-word reminder whenever you need it.

My word for 2023?

Limitless

I'll level with you right now: I stole this from Katy Hill after hearing her speak at a fab event in November (with her permission, so maybe not quite stolen, more 'borrowed with pride).

Whilst I’ll definitely still be doing all of the classic goal setting activities mentioned above, this word just feels inspiring, positive and expansive for me whenever I think of it and helps to remind me why I’m here, what I want to achieve and who I am as a person.

I already have it on a post-it note on my desk in front of me and I am already delighted with myself and my singular word focus for the year ahead.

What is your word? Hit comment and let me know, I’d love to hear about what’s important to you for 2023.

And, above all else, watch out for goblin creep. It happens to the best of us.