Word of the Year, Dealing with Stress & The Simple Things in Life

Hello my friend,

Happy new year!

Every year I choose a word for the year.

I’ve been doing it for a while now.

The idea is to choose a word that you wish to live through for the year ahead.

This may be a word that you wish to do more of or a word that requires you to be more of.

You take it with you everywhere you go and work with or towards it.

It’s a simple yet extremely effective framework to use.

Sometimes you find the word and sometimes it finds you.

My word of 2024 was ‘heart’.

I wanted to put my heart into everything I did.

Into big physical challenges I was planning to take on (literally).

Into my romantic and close personal relationships.

Into being more vulnerable with myself and with others.

I kept it in mind throughout the year.

I think it has served me well.

After seeing the impact having a word for the year has had on me over the last few years I always recommend it with my nearest and dearest.

Which now includes you.

My word for this year is ‘brave’.

I still have fear around tons of stuff.

For much of my life this feeling was my own reliable signal to avoid or hide from opportunities or challenges.

Anything that made me feel scared or fearful.

I would often walk away from.

The fear of change or failing, looking stupid or not being seen as worthy. The fear of getting confirmation of negative beliefs I already held about myself.

Many people who know me seldom see this.

I have worked up the skill of hiding it. Trying to display a demonor of confidence and an attitude to take on anything.

This has been a lack of vulnerability on my part.

The truth is I still feel scared all the time.

But my frame on it has completely changed.

Everyone feels fear.

The people we most admire and who we see as successful constantly feel it.

But we can choose to act despite it.

This is the definition of bravery.

To feel fear or to be uncomfortable and yet do it anyway.

Doing something is not brave if it doesn’t scare you.

Anything important or meaningful will always involve us feeling some level of fear, discomfort or resistence.

Call it our outdated protective system.

Taking risks, having hard conversations, saying no, starting new habits, making changes, taking on challenges, all of these should feel uncomfortable on some level.

So this is how I see it.

Instead of not taking action or doing the thing because we feel scared to do so, we will do so because that is what being brave means.

This is why I’m using it this year.

To be braver in every part of my life.

In my relationships, in my work, in my actions.

Taking on more risk and going even deeper.

Setting clearer boundaries, being willing to disappoint and saying ‘no’ more.

Let’s see where it leads.

What will your word of the year be?

Things I’m learning

You are better equipped to deal with stress when you are moving.

When you feel tense or frustrated or worried, it is difficult to think your way into feeling better. The more you think about the situation, the larger it becomes in your mind. Trying to think your way out of it often leads to a spiral of overthinking and rumination.

The first step is not to think something different, but to do something different. It doesn’t matter what. Stretch on the floor, go for a walk, work on a project. Get out of your mind and move your body.” - James Clear

Seeing true colours.

“If someone shows you who they are, believe them.” - Nick Pollard

What wise people know.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” - Paulo Coelho

Question

Do people like you more for what you do or for who you are? Do you like yourself more for what you do or for who you are?

That’s all for this week.

Here is to a wisdom-full and prosperous 2025.

With Love. Nick x

p.s. the worst case is rarely that bad