Word of the Year

Do You Have One?

The fresh start of January brings a flood of messages about resolutions, goals, and transformations. But before you dive into another list of ambitious targets, I'd like to invite you to try something different.

Instead of a long list of goals, what if you chose a single word to guide your year?

My Word for 2025: Jubilee

As I approach my 50th birthday this year, I've chosen "Jubilee" as my word. This word carries deep meaning for me – it's about celebration, joy, and marking moments both big and small. After spending years as a high achiever focused on the next goal, the next milestone, the next achievement, I'm choosing to pause and celebrate where I am while also going after the next thing that lights me up.

Jubilee reminds me that every day holds something worth celebrating, even the quiet victories that others might never see or hear about.

When Perfect Gets in the Way of Peace

I've noticed in my own journey how perfectionism can transform even the most well-intended resolutions into another source of pressure. The drive for excellence that served me so well in my career became a barrier to finding peace with food, my body, and ultimately, myself.

Your word of the year can serve as a gentle reminder that transformation doesn't always follow a perfect path. It becomes a compass pointing you back to what matters most when you feel lost in the details or overwhelmed by expectations – especially your own.

Choosing Your Word

Your word might be:

• Trust – inviting you to trust your body's signals rather than rigid rules

• Ease – challenging the belief that everything worthwhile must be hard-won

• Present – calling you back to this moment when you're caught in cycles of planning and worry

• Joy – reminding you to find delight in small moments

• Peace – guiding you toward what feels genuinely peaceful rather than perfect

The power lies not in finding the "perfect" word, but in having a north star to return to when you feel lost. Your word becomes a gentle question: What would trust look like in this moment? How can I bring more ease to this situation? What's asking for my presence right now?

Let Your Word Lead

When you find yourself:

• Standing in front of the pantry, overwhelmed with stress

• Battling the urge to skip a social gathering because of body image anxiety

• Turning your personal growth into another checklist to conquer

Your word can bring you back to your deeper intentions, beyond the noise of "should" and "must."

Your Invitation

What word is calling to you for 2025? Take a moment to sit with this question. Let your word find you rather than hunting for the perfect choice. Share your word in the comments below – your insight might be exactly what another reader needs to hear today.

Ready to explore what's possible when you have regular support and connection? Join our monthly Courage, Compassion and Connection calls, beginning January 15th. Available to Paid Subscribers.