What is your word for the year?

My word for 2020 is volume.?

Every year I choose a word to guide my year. I’ve done this every year since 2014. Except for last year because I had an 11-month-old baby who didn’t sleep very much. The process of choosing the word is powerful too. I use Year Compass to help me. ?

I’ve chosen the word volume. I’ve chosen volume for a few reasons. Firstly, I am very aware that I shrink parts of myself for fear of what others might think. I hold back things I want to say and do because I worry about being “too much” and “too loud”. Given I spent a lot of my time learning how to *not* do this and I’m very good at teaching others how to not do this - I take the responsibility to role model and be open about that tension seriously. I want to be in full control of my volume. ?

Secondly, my preferred place to be and way to be is loud and fast, that’s when and where I’m happiest. But the last few years have taught me about quiet, slowness and pace. A combination of having a baby and falling in love with someone who is naturally very quiet and paced. I’ve discovered I can change the volume depending on what I’m trying to achieve. I think being in full control of volume at both ends of the scale is some kind of mastery I’d love to have! ?

Lastly, the reason I do all the work I do is I want to help women see and use their power. Part of what that looks like is NOISE; speaking up, telling stories, resisting, writing, complaining, rejoicing and amplifying. I know this word will inspire me to keep doing work that inspires YOU to turn up your volume. ?

In short, create and live without fear of being too loud or too quiet, be sensitive to levels and turn up YOUR volume. ?

I’ve loved learning the stories behind the words some of my friends have chosen. Check out Holly June Smith's and Ilana Wisby's

What is your word for the year?

Image credit