How often do you question what you already know? It’s easy to overlook our ordinary knowledge as if it’s settled. 

But what if there’s still more to see about something you’re already familiar with?

Try choosing some everyday thing—a word (maybe your One Word of the Year?), an idea, a place, a hobby, a relationship, even a belief—and see what happens if you get a bit more curious about it.

After deciding on a topic, try these ideas.

LOOK IT UP

There are hundreds of ways to learn more about anything.

• Talk to an expert.
• Experiment with it.
• Explore online.
• Use a paper dictionary.
• Open it up.
• Read a book.

NOTICE WHAT’S NEW

Pay attention to what truly sparks your interest. Let go of the boring stuff and go down a rabbit hole for fun. Find a few things you didn’t know before.

Sometimes a tiny bit of new information can open a much wider door.

ASK YOURSELF

• What surprised me?
• Did it change my thinking in some way?
• Will anything I learned change something in my everyday life?

MY WORD: SHIFT

I did this exercise with Shift, my One Word. And honestly, I didn’t expect to find much because I’ve already been looking at the word for 9 months.

But I was wrong. I uncovered some very interesting and new things.

Here are four rabbit holes I went down with Shift:

1. No Label Shift Key

When I got a new Mac laptop, I noticed that words were missing from some of the keys. My Shift key no longer says anything; it’s just an up arrow.

The word Delete is also gone. It’s now simply a back arrow. 

old keyboard vs new keyboard

Apparently the U.S. has been lagging behind. Only in March 2026 did Apple switch to using “glyphs” instead of text labels on their keyboards. A few words do remain…esc, fn, command, etc.

But don’t look for caps lock, tab, or return. 

And something else I found out: the earlier typewriters had no shift keys. Everything was typed in all capital letters. They eventually introduced a shift function when they added two carriages: one for lower-case and one for upper-case. It continued evolving from there. 

2. Shifting Gears

I asked my bicycle expert husband to help me better understand how gears work. I quickly saw how ignorant I’ve been. Jeff taught me a lot. I learned even more by watching a couple YouTube videos. 

3. Shift Sculpture

Photo by Simon Rabyniuk and Pooya Aledvood

In King City, Ontario, Canada, lies a large outdoor concrete sculpture (I’d call it a wall) built in 1972 in a farmer’s field. It is an example of contemporary ecological art named “Shift” by the acclaimed sculptor Richard Serra. Jeff and I also watched a documentary about it.

So interesting how six concrete walls have created such a stir over the years for various reasons.

4. Character “Shift” in The Chronicles of Narnia

Keith Robinson

It’s been awhile since I’ve read book 7, The Last Battle, in the Narnia series. I’d forgotten there is a character named Shift. He’s a talking ape, “the cleverest, ugliest, most wrinkled Ape you can imagine.”

In the book, Shift appoints himself to be a fake spokesman for Aslan. He’s quite shifty (deceptive) and his character shifts (changes) throughout the book. 

Share With Us

If there’s something you’re interested in, take another look. Ask a new question. There’s always more to learn.

Share your discoveries in a comment below or link a blog post (open until October 10).

Upcoming: Our October monthly linkup opens Monday, October 26.

Question for you:

What’s something new you’re discovering? Share in the comments. 

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

One reason I love choosing a word to guide my year is because I get to spend twelve months thinking about what it means to me.

But the same word doesn’t mean the same thing to every person.

So this month, get a fresh perspective on your word by having a few conversations about it.

You don’t need a One Word to try this. Pick a value, question, or idea you’ve been thinking about and ask three people what it means to them.

We often learn something new about things that matter to us when we hear what they mean to others.

Start Three Conversations

Over the next week or so, choose three people—from friends, family, coworkers, neighbors—and start a casual conversation with each one about your word or topic.

Here are some questions you might ask to get the conversation going about your word or something you’ve been thinking about—a value you’re living by, a question you’re considering, a quality you admire.

• When you hear about this, what comes to mind?
• What do you think is the opposite of it?
• How often do you encounter this in everyday life?
• What’s one way you think I could practice it?

Just go wherever the conversation takes you.

What Will You Discover?

You may be surprised to discover that someone else thinks differently about your word in a way you haven’t even considered.

That’s part of the joy of conversation. We don’t have to figure out everything on our own. We’re designed for community, so let’s take advantage of it.

You may discover something new about the person you’re talking with as well.

Shifting Thoughts

Here are a few things I learned when I had three conversations about my One Word Shift. Not surprisingly, none of these people noticed Shift as often as in their daily lives as I do since I’m listening for it. 

hubby gave me some “Shift” stickers

Define Shift

I love the range of meanings I heard. All three people had different definitions. Each person approached it from a different perspective, which is exactly the kind of input I wanted. 

• Gear shift on a car
• A change in direction
• Off-kilter

Opposite of Shift

Again, I got three different answers, giving me even more to think about. 

• Automatic
• Stagnation
• Stable

Practicing Shift

Suggesting ways to practice Shift is harder, but I did get these suggestions.

• Buy a vehicle that’s not automatic (this one is from my husband, lol)
• Change the way you believe or react to something
• Do something out of the ordinary

Fittingly, after hearing someone else’s perspectives, I’m shifting the way I think about Shift.

Sometimes a shift can be dramatic, like a complete change in direction. Or a shift may be more subtle, like changing from “automatic” to “manual” mode in my thinking. Or a shift can be action-filled, breaking me free from a stagnant season to try something out of the ordinary.

Share With Us

If you have conversations too about your word or topic, I’d love to hear about them. Share your experiences in a comment below, in a blog post for our linkup (open now until September 9), or in our One Word Facebook group.

Sometimes our words grow more meaningful when we stop considering them alone and start talking about them with others.

Our September monthly linkup opens Saturday, September 26.

Question for you:

Who is someone you would like to have a conversation with about your word or a topic that’s on your mind? Share in the comments. 

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Every summer we do a One Word Sensory Challenge. It’s a way to experience our words instead of just thinking about them.

This month, I invite you to explore your One Word through three of your senses. Choose one challenge or try all three!

1. Touch It

If your word had a texture, what would it feel like?
Would it be smooth like satin or rough like tree bark?
Soft, prickly, heavy, warm, cool, or airy?

Try this:

• Find an object that captures the feeling of your word.
• Create something with clay, Play-Doh, fabric, or natural materials.
• Notice how different textures help you connect with your word.

For my own One Word this year, Shift, I feel it as slippery. Also warm because it’s in motion. And light and airy because it’s always on the move.  

2. Taste It

If your word had a flavor, what would it be?
Sweet like honey? Bitter like dark chocolate? Salty, spicy, tart, or refreshing?

Try this:

• As you eat today, notice which flavors remind you of your word.
• Choose one food or drink that represents your word and savor it slowly.
• Draw a picture of that food or write a few sentences about why it fits your word.

For Shift, I imagine sour balls (they start out as one thing, then explode into something else the longer you suck on them) and Charms blow pops (the outside is hard, then cracks open and inside is chewy bubble gum).

3. Hear It

What does your word sound like?
Maybe you hear it in birdsong, running water, a favorite song, or even in silence.

Try this:

• Listen for sounds that remind you of your word.
• Add songs to a playlist inspired by your word.
• Say your word aloud several times, noticing how it sounds and how it makes you feel.

For Shift, I hear it as an appliance, like my A/C turning off and on, or the refrigerator cycling throughout the day. Also, animal sounds, like bird songs on my daily walk or dogs barking in the neighborhood.

You might even give yourself bonus points by imagining what your word smells like!

Sometimes our One Word becomes clearer when we stop trying to figure it out and simply experience it.

Share Your One Word Update

Share your reflections in the comments below or link up your own One Word post. The linkup will remain open until midnight, Sunday, August 9, 2026.

You’re also welcome to share your photos and discoveries in our One Word Facebook Group throughout the month.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you discover.

Looking ahead: Our August One Word linkup opens Wednesday, August 26.

Question for you:

Which of these three challenges—touching, tasting, or hearing your One Word—works the best for you, and why? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

We’ve almost reached the halfway point of the year, which makes this a good time to check in with your One Word.

How is it going?

Maybe your word is still inspiring you. You notice it often, and it keeps you focused.

But what if it isn’t? What if you’ve forgotten it altogether? Or it will no longer fit in with the second half of your year?

First, it’s okay either way.

There’s no right or wrong with a One Word practice. It’s simply a tool for growth and reflection. And like any tool, sometimes it needs to be picked up again, sharpened, or even replaced.

So, if your One Word has stopped working, here are three things to try. And if it is still working? Keep moving forward with it. These ideas are for you, too. 

1. Take a Word Walk

Before you abandon your word, spend one more day with it.

Take a short walk as you think about your word. Notice anything that reminds you of your word. Ask yourself:

• How have I seen my word on this walk? 
• Why did I choose this word in the first place?
• Where have I seen it show up this year?

Write down a few observations when you get back home. You may discover your word actually has been working, even when you weren’t paying attention. Or not. 

For me, I’ve chosen the word SHIFT for 2026 to help me accept that everything changes.

 

The morning of this practice, I was walking through my neighborhood when I saw a younger neighbor taking her morning run. It reminded me of SHIFT because years ago, that would have been me running. And it would have been my parents walking. Now it’s someone younger than me doing the running, and I am doing the walking.

 

Everything SHIFTS over time, including our bodies and the activities we do. 

2. Use Your Word as a Lens

Sometimes the problem isn’t the word. It’s that we’ve stopped using it.

For the next week, set a daily reminder—or a weekly reminder for the next month—and ask yourself:

• Where do I need this word right now?
• Could this word provide a useful perspective in navigating a current challenge?
• What would change if I viewed things through the lens of my word?

A word that seemed irrelevant a month ago may be what you need today. But if not, look for alternative words. 

I’ve been through a few monumental changes in relationships the past 3-4 years. They’ve been quite jarring and created a lot of pain.

 

But viewing the world through the lens of SHIFT, I’m reassured that while life always has been and always will be full of changes, it still keeps moving forward. With the help of others and the skills I continue to learn and practice, I see that I also continue to change. And keep moving forward too.  

3. Refresh Your Reminders 

Sometimes a word has simply done its job.

Perhaps you outgrew it. Or your circumstances changed. Maybe another word better captures where you are now.

Don’t let the word you chose become an obligation. If your current word no longer serves you, choose a new one. You’re not breaking any rules (there are none). 

But whether you keep the same word or replace it, create a few fresh reminders for yourself of your word. Maybe move your word to a new location, write it on a sticky note, use it as a bookmark, or turn it into a simple phrase:

• I choose peace over urgency.
• Practice courage today.
• Let curiosity lead.

Sometimes a small reminder is enough to bring your focus back to what matters.

After putting together this Puzzle Planter last week, I set it on my nightstand. Before I go to sleep each night, I’ve been turning it upside down as a symbol to SHIFT my mindset from being an open container to a closed one. The day is complete, and there’s nothing more for me to do except rest.

 

When I wake up in the morning, I set the planter upright again, indicating my intention to be open to the new things that will appear in this new day. 

Remember the Goal

The goal of One Word isn’t to stick with the same word for 365 days no matter what.

The purpose is to create awareness and meaning.

Let your word be an invitation to pay closer attention, reflect on your life, and grow with intention.

So if your One Word has stopped working, you don’t have to give up on the practice altogether (although you can do that, too).

Try reconnecting with it. Reimagining it. Or replacing it.

Then keep going.

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Friday, July 10.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the July linkup opens Sunday, July 26.

Question for you:
Is your word still working or not? Would you like to change it? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

What if your One Word has been trying to get your attention?

This month, you’re invited into a simple kind of noticing: become a One Word detective in your everyday life.

Instead of forcing anything, just pay attention to what’s already here—how your word might be showing up in ordinary moments, places, and interactions. Then, capture those glimpses as a photo, when possible.

You might start to see your word appear through:

• people who cross your path
• ordinary, everyday objects
• small but meaningful moments
• places you find yourself
• unexpected little details

As you take photos, try to include yourself in at least one image—as a reminder that you are part of your word’s unfolding story, too.

My One Word Photos

Here are some beachy places I saw my word SHIFT last week.

It started Thursday night at a pretend beach for my grandson’s Pre-K graduation. He’s shifting from Pre-K to Kindergarten in the fall. (Too soon—I’m not ready for this shift.)

The next day, I shifted to the real beach with my husband.

On our daily walks on the beach, we had to shift our path several times to protect sea turtle nests and flightless chicks. (The “Bird Crossing” sign was a new one for me!)

I shifted from one book to the next all week. This quote below stood out to me. It’s a useful one now that I’m back home and might get jealous when I see others at the beach.

“The next time you find yourself envying those vacationers on social media, pause. Instead of following your gut reaction, take a moment to mentally wish them well. Observe how this small shift replaces the tightness of envy in your heart with warmth.”

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Tuesday, June 9.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the June linkup opens Friday, June 26.

The more we pay attention, the more our words seem to surface in ordinary and surprising places alike.

I’m looking forward to seeing where your word shows up this month—and where mine continues to show up, too.

Question for you:
Where have you seen your word lately (literally or metaphorically)? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Maybe you chose a specific One Word for the year. Or maybe you didn’t.

Either way, here’s a way to reconnect with something that feels meaningful to you right now. It need not be permanent.

For the new few weeks, try this :
Play with your One Word (or any word that is capturing your attention) by creating more words around it.

Write a Poem

You don’t have to be a poet (I’m not) to write a poem. It can be small and simple. Or not.

You might:

• Write a 3-line haiku
• Create an acrostic using your word
• Jot down a few lines of free verse
• Try blackout poetry with a page from a book or magazine

Or, if writing feels like too much, find a poem that already exists and notice how your word shows up in it. Is there any word or phrase you’d like to change?

Here are a few of my playful creations with my One Word Shift: 

FREE VERSE

SHIFT

While we weren’t looking
After the lean winter
The tree swells fat again

Our gaze turns round to see
The brown skinny limb
Now muscled up green and full

Without our endorsement
With none of our guidance
The leaves create the perfect shift

BLACKOUT POEM

I revisited my first blog post on Shift from New Year’s Day and printed it out. Then crossed out words to make a blackout poem from it.

You can read it easier here:

I open cold.
Practice noticing deeper breaths.
Looking for differences
stirred on the lungs, heart, brain.
Traveling on ordinary changes
affects my world,
speeding or slowing.
Important shifts
align underneath
the direction freely designed
Plans accommodate growth.
Certainty changes.
Stay grateful for
shifts.

Write a Prayer or Blessing

If poetry feels intimidating, try a prayer or blessing instead.

Think of it as a gentle offering to yourself or someone else.

It could be:

• A hope for your day
• An offering of support
• A line of gratitude
• A phrase to carry with you

It can be one sentence. Or maybe a paragraph. Maybe you’ll write it down or maybe you just keep it in your head.

You might even take a favorite quote, scripture, or passage and weave your word into it. 

Here’s the blessing I wrote for you:

A BLESSING FOR LIFE

May your turns swing smooth,
May your winds sway slight,
May your path spin forward,
And may your love shift deep.

Share What You Discover

However you choose to engage with a word this month, I’d love to hear about it. You can leave a comment below or add your own blog link here through Sunday, May 10.

Looking ahead: our One Word linkup for May opens Tuesday, May 26.

Question for you:
What word have you been hearing lately?

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

This month try getting more curious about your One Word of the Year.

Revisit your one word by taking a few minutes with a dictionary and a thesaurus (paper or digital) to get a closer look at your word—and gain some fresh insights about it.

Step 1: Define Your Word

Start by looking up your word in a dictionary.

You might already think you know what it means—but pause and read through all the definitions anyway.

• Are there multiple meanings?
• Does one stand out more than the others for this season?
• Is there a definition you hadn’t considered before?

Sometimes a fresh definition can shift how you see it for the rest of the year.

For my word Shift, I found many meanings:

• • Move from one place to another
  • Change gear in a vehicle
  • A slight change in position or direction
  • Scheduled work period
  • A type of loose-fitting dress
  • A key on a keyboard
  • Irish slang, to kiss or make out

The definition I’m using the most this year is the third: shift = a slight change in position or direction.

I was most surprised to learn of the last one: shift = to kiss or make out. 

Step 2: Find What Your Word Is the “Same As”

Next, look up synonyms—words that are similar in meaning.

As you read through them, ask yourself:

• Which of these feels closest to what I need right now?
• If I had to choose a “backup word,” what would it be?

This isn’t about replacing your word—it’s about expanding it.

A few synonyms for Shift are:

• • Change
  • Move
  • Fluctuate
  • Turn
  • Strategy
  • Impermanence

If I had to choose a backup word, it would be Impermanence because I know that everything is always changing. 

Step 3: Explore Your Word’s Opposite

Now, look up antonyms—words that mean the opposite.

This step may surprise you.

• What feels like the clearest opposite of your word?
• Where do you notice that showing up in your life?

Understanding what your word isn’t can often bring clarity to what it is.

Some antonyms for Shift are:

• • Sameness
  • Stagnation
  • Directness
  • Permanent
  • Remain

The surprising opposite for me is: Directness. I haven’t thought of Shift as being indirect. I’m looking in my life to see if I’m being too direct or inflexible about something instead of being willing to bend and shift where needed. 

Share What You Discover

We’d love to hear what you notice about your word.

Our March One Word linkup opens today, March 26, and will stay open for two weeks.

You can share in whatever way feels easiest:

• a quick comment
• a short reflection
• a full blog post

There’s no right or wrong way to do this.

We’ll link up again next month on Sunday, April 26 (linkups are always on the 26th for 2026).

What is your word showing you right now?

Question for you:
Is there a definition, synonym, or antonym of your word that surprised you?

Share your thoughts about your One Word or monthly theme in the comments. 

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Is Your One Word Still With You?

By the end of February, statistics say that most people who made New Year’s resolutions have let them go.

But a One Word feels different to me. Maybe because it’s not a checklist but more of a relationship. 

If you still remember your word, you’ve not fallen behind. Even small reconnections matter. 

For some ideas to work on the relationship with your One Word (or just any theme that’s been popping up in your life lately), try these three suggestions.

1. Something to Hear

Find a song with your word in the title or lyrics. Add it to a playlist you already use (or create a new one just for your word). Play it in the car or at home while you’re making dinner or folding laundry.

Extra credit: Compose your own verse to go with the song.

I created a new playlist with 20 songs for my word SHIFT. While I couldn’t find many songs with Shift in the title that I liked (other than The Commodores’ “Nightshift”) I did find a LOT of great songs about change, many from the Civil Rights era of the 1960s and 1970s, which feels particularly relevant again in the U.S. 

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change”
– chorus from “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson

2. Something to Say

Find a short quote, poem, scripture, or paragraph connected to your word. Print it. Tape it near your bathroom mirror.

Read it out loud once a day for a week or so. There’s something powerful about hearing your own voice say your word.

Not intentionally, but I’ve noticed that I use the word Shift a lot more in my everyday conversation this year, often instead of “change.” Shift just feels a little softer to me.

“A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love.”
– from A Course in Miracles

3. Something to See

Maybe you placed your word somewhere visible in January. Now move it to some place new.

Put it on a sticky note on your laptop. Change your phone wallpaper. Write it on a card and tuck it into your wallet.

Or try this: take one photo a day of something that represents your word. It trains your eyes to look for it. And what we look for, we begin to find.

Here are 3 photos from my camera roll last week about Shifts.

An evening out to meet the wonderful Tyler Merritt, who is shifting the world to be more kind and hopeful

Writing postcards to shift legislators’ agendas so they’ll make our schools safer

Shifting our book club by adding in another friend

From Idea to Reality

The more you involve your senses with your One Word—hearing it, saying it, seeing it—the more your word moves from idea to reality.

It doesn’t have to be anything dramatic. Just simple connections.

The February One Word Linkup Is Open

The linkup is now open from February 26 – March 12 for your One Word blog updates.

Or share in the comments. What’s going well with your word? Where are you struggling with it?

I’ll be highlighting each blog post from the February linkup in our Facebook group over the next few weeks. Our next linkup opens March 26.

If your word feels like it’s fading a little, this is your invitation to brighten it back up.

Question for you:
What is one small way you can reconnect with your word (or monthly theme) this week—through something you hear, say, or see?

Share your thoughts about your One Word or monthly theme in the comments. 

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Some people arrive at January with a clear word in mind. By the end of the month, others may wonder if it’s too late—or have already decided the idea is not for them at all.

All choices are welcome.

On the 26th of each month this year, I’ll be sharing no-pressure ways to notice what’s shaping your days—maybe it is through your One Word. Or maybe it’s just what you’re happening to notice in your life. Take what works. Leave the rest.

If you do have a word, these ideas can help you begin.
If you don’t, consider these ideas simply as possibilities to just pay attention to your life. 

3 Ideas to Try

1. What does your word (or theme or month) look like?

If you have a word, play with seeing it visually.
If you don’t, notice what keeps catching your eye lately.

You might:

• Snap a quick photo of something that feels meaningful right now
• Write or type a word (or phrase) in a few different fonts
• Doodle shapes, symbols, or images in a notebook

No art skills required. Curiosity is enough.

Here is the logo I created to represent my word SHIFT.

2. Where can you see reminders of what matters?

If you chose a word, place it somewhere obvious.
If you didn’t, notice what’s coming up frequently for you—a question, an image, or a feeling.

Ideas of where to put your reminders:

• Phone lock screen
• Planner or calendar
• Sticky note on a mirror or desk

I printed my logo and put a copy on my mirror in my bedroom so I can see it daily. (A few of my other words are still there as well. I like remembering them, too.)

3. Why this word . . . or why not?

If you have a word, answer just one question:

Why this word, this year?

If you don’t have a word, ask this instead:

What feels unfinished from last year or what seems important to me right now?

You don’t need a full essay. A sentence or two is enough.

And if you’re willing, share that sentence with someone else.
Community has a way of multiplying insight—and easing the load.

I’ll share with you two sentences I wrote about “Why Shift?”

I want to be more aware of the subtle daily changes that occur in each day. As I pay closer attention to how everything changes, I hope to be more appreciative of who I am in this moment, in this body, doing these things.

Worksheet to Download

If you like a little  structure, here is a simple 2-page worksheet to help clarify a One Word or theme.

I use it every year—and I love looking back at old ones to see how they rang true or else surprised me in ways I hadn’t imagined.

Download the “My One Word” worksheet here

January One Word Linkup (Now Open)

You’re invited now to:

• Link blog posts you’ve written about your word 
• Leave a comment if you’re not a blogger—your words matter
• Visit a few posts if you can; everyone appreciates encouragement

Throughout the month, I’ll also be sharing links from the linkup in our One Word Facebook group—another easy way to stay connected to each other.

Have you chosen One Word for 2026? Have you seen it pop up anywhere? Share in the comments. 

Looking ahead: February’s linkup opens Thursday, February 26.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• Get more One Word ideas here
• Let These AI Prompts Help Find Your Word

Link Up About Your One Word

As 2025 comes to a close, pause to take one more look back at your One Word.

Reflection Questions to Help You Look Back

Find a few quiet moments to answer one or several of these questions. Even one insightful response can bring clarity.

• Did my word stay relevant throughout the year? Why or why not?
• How often did I notice my word showing up—in conversations, decisions, or circumstances?
• Did my word surprise me in any way, good or bad?
• How did I change because of this word?
• Am I pleased I chose this word?
• Would I recommend this word to someone else?

Rate Your One Word: 1–5 Stars

On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, how would you rate your One Word for 2025?

• 5 Stars — Deeply meaningful and transformative
• 4 Stars — Helpful and grounding
• 3 Stars — Mixed, but still worthwhile
• 2 Stars — Some connection, but limited impact
• 1 Star — Not the right fit this year

There’s no “right” rating. The value is in paying attention to what actually happened between you and your word. 

A Personal Note

One of the reasons I chose RIPPLE for 2025 was to explore the beauty of love moving from one person to another to another.

I hold this hope: that a ripple I set in motion now might one day brush up against a special someone beyond my reach. And that they will receive that love, even if they don’t realize it’s from me.

This is the ripple effect.
I know it’s real.

Will it reach the exact people I long for it to reach?
I may never know.

And if it doesn’t?

At least I have been changed by the sending.

And that is something.

I give 5 stars to Ripple.

Share Your Reflection (or Keep It Private)

You can reflect privately in a journal, talk it through with a friend, share your thoughts in the comments, or link a blog post below. This linkup will remain open through Thursday, January 8.

Every shared post is also highlighted in our One Word Facebook group throughout the month, creating a space to read each other’s words and give encouragement.

Also on Facebook we’re already saying goodbye to our old words through a series of lighthearted polls. We’ll begin revealing our 2026 words on Monday, December 29.

Our first official One Word 2026 linkup will begin on Monday, January 26, and we’ll continue gathering on the 26th of every month throughout 2026.

Question for You

How many stars would you give your One Word 2025? Are you choosing a word for 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• Get more One Word ideas here
• Let These AI Prompts Help Find Your Word

Link Up About Your One Word