I am kicking off my New Year with you by sharing my three words for 2023.
Before I dive in, I want to give credit where it’s due. Several years ago, I stumbled across Chris Brogan‘s blog, which is where I got this idea.
I’d love to tell you I’ve been an ardent follower since then. But I can’t. To varying degrees, I have chosen a word, or three, and promptly forgotten about them by Feb. 5th.
This year I re-committed to the process.
I love words. I love learning about different meanings. I love thinking about how they roll off the tongue (or not), the feelings they evoke, and the images they conjure up. As such, I had fun reflecting on my goals for ‘23, looking up words and their various definitions, and deciding which ones will best guide me throughout the next 12 months.
For instance, initially, I selected the word “persevere” to reflect the idea of committing myself to certain projects or activities. But after sitting with it for a bit, it felt too harsh or punishing. In coaching, I always invite clients to be more gentle with themselves and look for joy or fun. It was time to take my own advice. I replaced persevere a couple of times (persist – not enough “oomph”, execute – too rigid, also harsh) before landing on “Do.” More on that below.
Without further adieu, here are my three words for 2023.
Believe – Sometime within the last six months, I had the realization that I’ve been selling myself short for most of my career. This was not a happy realization. Believe is a call to action to believe in me, trust the process, and know that all my goals and desires are completely within reach. (I believe this is true for you too!)
Weave – What I love about “weave” is the number of definitions it has. Because it encompasses so much, I can integrate it in a multitude of ways. Weave is the act of creating from interconnected elements. This provides a springboard for content creation, connection, and community. (Have I mentioned how much I love alliteration?) It also gives me the latitude to incorporate fun and joy. I love work and sometimes I lose sight of the fun in non-work activities. Another aspect of weave is the opportunity to move from side to side. One of the things I love about being an entrepreneur is the ability to pivot if things don’t go to plan or I realize I am on the wrong path. I foresee the concept of “weave” playing a big role in 2023.
Do – I have a lot of ideas. I have too many ideas. More than are realistic for me to achieve in a given year and still provide the level of service to clients that is acceptable to me. Do is the reminder to stop coming up with new ideas and act on the ones I already have. Do is not quite as hard-hitting as I’d like it to be, but I was willing to forego a stronger word in exchange for two simple letters that leave me with little room for interpretation.
To help me stay focused this year, I will:
- Look at and write down my words daily as both a mental and kinesthetic reminder of my anchors.
- Use my words as touchstones, similar to how I use my values when I need to decide where to focus my time and energy.
- Write my words on sticky notes where I can see them daily.
What about you? Did you pick words to guide your year? If so, hit reply, I’d love to know what they are.
And in case you missed it at the end of December, here again, is the Year of Living Intentionally document. You’ll note at the end of the 2023 section is an opportunity to consider your three words. See how that works? 🙂
