7 Tips for How to Choose Your One Word of the Year
It’s time again to choose One Word of the Year.
Maybe you’ve never chosen One Word. Or maybe you choose one every year.
Choosing can be daunting, whether you’re a newbie or a veteran. Of all the words you know, narrowing them down to a single one may seem impossible at first. You might not can fathom how one word will keep your attention all year, nor imagine how you might use one word in different ways all year.
But it is possible to work through your concerns and land on just one word. Your word can give you clarity and a focus for the year ahead. One word is not as overwhelming as a bunch of New Year resolutions, nor as confining as a specific list of goals.
Having one word provides a general direction for planning, but also keeps you open for surprising twists throughout the year that you can’t predict.
So how do you choose that one special word?
Here are 7 tips to guide you in choosing your One Word for 2024.
1. ASK QUESTIONS
Do an overview of what you’d like for the coming year. Is there a trait you want to grow in? A strength you’d like to capitalize on? Think of something you’re missing or something you’d like more of. Do you want a serious word or a more playful one?
Find a few more questions here to discover your One Word for 2024.
2. PAY ATTENTION
Once you decide to look for a word, you might notice possible choices popping up everywhere. Pay attention to words that catch your attention. Maybe there’s an inviting word in a song lyric you like, or a book title, a TV show, a scripture, or a podcast.
And sometimes a word will come to you without you having to even search it down. Watch for it.
3. START BROAD
You might start with a broad category of interest. For instance, if you want a word that reflects your values, choose a word like Honesty, Courage, Kindness, etc.
Here’s a list of 50 core values if you need a jump start.
4. GET PICKY
Once you have a general idea, you can home in on a more specific word. Maybe Peace stands out to you. From there, look up synonyms of Peace. Does one of these words appeal to you even more . . . Unity, Friendship, Stillness, or Rest?
Use an online thesaurus such as this one to find similar words to choose from.
5. PLAY WITH IT
After narrowing down your choice, tweak its form. If you want a verb (that’s my preference, although it doesn’t always work out), instead of choosing Restoration, maybe choose Restore. Or choose Release instead of Releasing.
But while an action word may be easier to implement, it needn’t be the deciding factor. Go with your gut on what form of your word feels right to you.
6. DON’T OVERTHINK IT
Once you’re fairly confident with your choice, don’t overthink it. This isn’t a life or death decision. Maybe you want to give your word a trial run for a week or two. If it turns out to be a bad fit, ditch it and find a different word.
While it’s good to commit to your decision if possible, you don’t have to. You can always change your mind later. Or you might experiment with a different word every month, or 52 words for the year. It’s all your choice.
7. TELL SOMEBODY
When you finally do settle on your word, tell someone. It will help you remember it. Plus, by sharing your word, others can watch for it in their everyday lives, too, possibly giving you ideas for practicing it that you might not think of on your own. If they also have a word, partner together to build camaraderie as you stay on the lookout for each other’s words.
Our One Word community is a wonderful online space to get support for your One Word journey. .
Then join our private One Word Facebook group here, if you’d like.
Choosing One Word of the Year isn’t for everyone. But if it is for you, I hope your word for 2024 will bring you insight, purpose, and delight. And whatever else you want from it.
I’ve chosen One Word every year since 2010. I’ve never regretted it. Some words were easy; some were hard. Some I worked with weekly; some made little traction. But they all brought value to my life in multiple ways.
May your One Word of the Year do the same for you!
Have you chosen One Word in the past? Will you be choosing One Word for 2024? Share your tips or your One Word in the comments.
Read More:
Great insights, Lisa! Look in, look up, look out -https://strengthwithdignity.com/how-to-find-your-one-word/
Thanks for adding your link here, Lisa. Those are great tips! I look forward to what your new word will be for 2024!
Wonderful tips, Lisa! I like, too, how you’ve said that if a word isn’t working for you as you thought it might, it’s okay to ditch it for another.
Blessings!
If it didn’t feel like a chore, I might like trying a different word every week, just to switch things up. That way it wouldn’t matter so much if a word didn’t work out because you wouldn’t have it very long anyway. lol. But it seems like a lot of work, and there’s something special to me about sitting with one word for a long time to get the most out of it. 🙂
great tips and reminder. I keep a post it note by my computer in late fall, writing down potential words as they pop up and get my attention. My best word of advice to others is I have learned it isn’t always the first word I think will be the one. The last couple of years I have leaned strongly to one word, but as the end of the year approached, another appeared. Linger a bit with one before making the final decision and yes pay attention!! Thanks for always helping us with this wonderful practice.
I love how you catch your shimmering words, Jean. I’ve changed my word at the last minute a few times as well, with no regrets. I *think* I have my 2024 word–it’s been hanging around a few months already–so unless something happens in the next 2 weeks, I’ll be ready to go with it in January. I look forward to what you’ll choose next!
thank you, LIsa. As always I love your tips and insights, and am so glad I found you! I’m nearly 100% sure of my word, and it is a total surprise. And isn’t that often the case w/ the Lord! Looking forward to knowing your word and others’.
Have a wonderful Advent season.
xo
Lynn
You have me in such suspense, Lynn! I am looking forward to your reveal soon! I’m very thankful that we found each other too. 🙂 You’ve been such a blessing to me. Love you much.
Great tips! And I like what Jean advised—linger a bit with one before making the final decision. I can make choosing a word a “check box” item instead of an item of reflection that ebbs and flows.
Yes, lingering before making a final choice is good advice we could apply toward many decisions actually! 🙂 Choosing our word as an “item of reflection” is a beautiful way to phrase it, Lynn.
Hi, Lisa – These are all great tips. One of my friends (Deb of Deb’s World) is also awesome at chosing WOTYs. This year she wrote down general guidelines of what she was hoping for in 2024. She then shared this with CHAT GPT and asked it to suggest potential WOTY’s for her. It’s response was truly brilliant. So this is another fun option!
What a fun option that Deb used AI to come up with some words! I’ll have to chase down her blog and read more about it. (She may already be in my Feedly list…I’m behind on blog reading. We got covid last week and it’s slowed down everything.)
I must admit this is something that I have never done and will have to start thinking hard and deep if I want to do this for 2024.
Thank you for visiting and sharing your links with us at SSPS #291. See you again on Monday, January 8th, 2024.
Lisa,
I too have chosen a Word for the year since 2011…This current year’s Word is SHINE! And I think I have done exactly that… I am still deciding on a Word for 2024 but this year, I have also decided on doing a Theme Word for the Year….I have done this a few other times…There will be some big changes on the horizon in my life this coming new year…..becoming a grandparent to twins, getting more active in our church and volunteering to chair several events and taking on writing a newsletter for our HOA…So my Theme for 2024 is Balance….I will need to learn how to Balance all these new things that will be happening in my life…I will get back to you on my Word of the Year…
Hugs,
Deb