how to discover your word for 2017. part 2.

happy new year’s eve eve!

but, enough of the greetings, let’s get right to it, alright? yesterday i invited you to join me in beginning the journey of choosing a word for the upcoming year. if you haven’t seen yesterday’s post, or haven’t had a chance to begin think about your word for 2017, then click {here} to get started. it’s good to begin with yesterday’s post and then move on to today’s.

the beauty of choosing a word for the year is how it helps to bring a sense of focus + purpose to everything, if we let it. it definitely gives a creative, empowered feeling to taking charge + taking control of one’s own life. because, ultimately, life is all about what we make it, isn’t it?. and it’s up to each of us to create the life that we envision + dream of. by the way, i absolutely, 100% believe that it is possible for us to really do just that.

so let’s complete that first step in living the life that we want to live right now!

finding your word: part two

if you read yesterday’s post, you may have had a word bubble up and just come to you. it’s totally possible that you already discovered your word just by thinking about it a bit. however, you may also not know exactly what word to settle on or need a bit more time to figure it out. no worries. we’ll deal with that today.

// envision the perfect day. ponder this for just a second: what would the perfect day in 2017 look like to you? what would you do? who and what would you see? where would you be? how would you feel? what are your intentions + dreams for the upcoming year?

// take out your possible words. if you followed yesterday’s activities, then you should have about 3-5 possible words written somewhere. hopefully you were able to write them down + set them aside until now. go ahead and pull out those words and look over the list again. think about them and notice if they are passive or active words. have you chosen which type of word you feel that you need for 2017? do you need to focus more inwardly, on your self and your spirit/soul? or do you need to get things done and focus on things that are outside of you? just let your soul guide you.

// define the words. using the 3-5 words that you wrote down… think about the meaning of each one. how would you define each word? how does the dictionary define each word? what are other words (synonyms or related words) that come to mind for each word?

// feel the words. now that you’ve gathered your list of words + thought about their meanings, see how they feel. which one seems to make you feel warm? which one inspires you or energizes you? which one brings you a sense of calm and peace? which one feels like a gift that you have received that you’d been longing for?

// the one you love. you’re looking for that word that you have fallen in love with. perhaps one just seems to fit. trust that, and go with it. let that be your word. however, perhaps you are stuck between 2 words. well, flip a coin, assigning one word to “heads” and one word to “tails”. flip the coin and see what your immediate reaction is when you see which word the coin lands on. were you disappointed? or excited?

// commit. there is no absolute perfect word. but, it should make you giggle and feel excited, at least more than your other words. so, which word is it? which word feels just right to you? no explanation, it just feels… well, right.

// but be flexible. remember this: your word may even change in the middle of the year. let it grow and move and be fluid. give yourself permission to change your mind, if you need or want to. this is for you. there is no right or wrong.

// trust. write your word down. look at it. feel it. run your fingers over the letters. trust that your soul has given you exactly what you need. take a deep breath and soak it in. let the word become part of you.

// create + incorporate. over the next few days, explore ways to use your word + to make it part of your life. (tips on how to live your word coming soon!)

congratulations, my friend! you have listened to your life + to your soul.

now, if you’d like, share your word with me. send me an email (use the contact button at the top of the page) or leave me a comment below. share your word with the world, too, if you’d like. create a blog post or a tweet or a Facebook status. take a photo that represents your word + your vision. use the hashtag #findyourword2016 and discover more people sharing in this journey.

i am so excited to have shared this process with you. i am so thrilled to have set an intention + vision for 2017. it makes every day so much more meaningful + purposeful, i believe. and i’d love to stay up to date with you on how your year + your word unfolds. i’ll most definitely keep you updated on how my 2017 goes. you’ll find out what my word is at the beginning of the year!

for now, it’s time to embark on the last day of 2016. i wish you peace + calm + a centered being as you bid farewell to this year and welcome a new year filled with new opportunities + adventures, just waiting for you. enjoy your new year’s eve!