How to make your "word of the year" stick for the whole of 2023

Over the last couple of weeks hundreds of people have announced their “word of the year”.? These words have included abundance, expansion, freedom, curious, choice.? I love words, I think they’re powerful.? But a "word of the year" without any intention, without action is just a word.? If you’ve chosen a word for this year and you really want to live that word every single month throughout 2023 here’s how to make it happen.?

The power of your WORD

Visualisation?

Visualisation is important and powerful.? Try Googling celebrities who believe in visualisation and it’ll give you the names of some of the most powerful and successful people in the world who have used visualisation to manifest their goals.? I used visualisation all through my teens.? I pictured myself walking into exams, reading the questions, feeling calm and answering the questions in fullness.? I visualised opening my GCSE and A Level results and celebrating achieving A’s and B’s.? I visualised receiving an acceptance letter to my University of choice and being a student who lived and studied on Campus.?

As an adult I’ve visualised my way to some of my proudest achievements including crossing the finishing line of the London Marathon and clients saying “Yes” to some really ambitious proposals.

Visualising is mentally rehearsing the good things happening and a really effective way of? convincing the brain that your goals are possible.? When you visualise what you want you can trick your brain into thinking that it’s already happened which makes it easier for you to do the things that actually make it happen.??

Intention?

The power of deciding is underrated.? When I was a smoker I tried so many times to quit.? One day somebody invited me to start thinking of myself as a non-smoker.? The next day I decided I was a non- smoker.? I went to the Pharmacy, got some patches and that was that.? Every day I decided I was a non-smoker.? If you’ve chosen your word, make it who you are and what you do.? Reflect the word in your actions and behaviours.? If your word is abundant, ask yourself everyday “is this what an abundant person would do?”.

My word for 2023 is adventure - the questions I ask myself are “how will I make time for adventures this week"” and “Where are the opportunities for adventure in my life and my business?” and this last one, which makes me nervous but also makes me excited “How could I turn this scary thing into an adventure?”.? I know this small change in my thinking has the power to change my whole life.? Instead of setbacks, there will be opportunities.? Instead of things that could go wrong there are adventures.??

Inspired action?

Choosing a word for the year is exciting.? Twelve months lay rolled out ahead of you and the possibilities are infinite.? But if you don’t support your word with action you’ll get to December and you won’t even be able to remember what your word was let alone have lived a year of it.??

What does your word look like on a daily basis? What will you have more of because of the word and less of? What will have to change about your routine to live and breathe your word? What will you have to do to make it happen?

In December 2023 when you look back over the year how will you be able to tell that it was your word of the year? What will be different? Write your word somewhere you can see it everyday.? Make it a habit by journaling on it for ten minutes each day using the prompt 'What will I do today to embody my word?’??

If you've chosen a word make it your masthead for the year. Your guiding light, your North Star. Put your word somewhere you’ll see it every day. Ask yourself how you’re going to bring that word to life every day. How does it show up in your actions? Otherwise it’s just a word. A word that felt exciting for a week and was then forgotten.?

I’m Clair Stevenson and I’m a writing and social media marketing coach for coaches, consultants and freelancers.? If you’re struggling to write content for your business or the content you’re sharing isn’t turning into clients let's talk about how I can help you change that.? DM me here or email me at [email protected]?