Look Ahead: Five Questions to Help You Discover Your One Word for 2027
{One Word 2026 October Linkup}
Will you be choosing One Word of the Year for 2027?
If you’re considering choosing a word to focus on in the coming year, now is a good time to be listening for the right word for you. Consider playing with one or more of these 6 AI prompts to choose your word.
Over the next few weeks, pay attention to words that catch your attention, to themes that keep resurfacing, or to questions you’ve been wanting to explore more deeply.
Sometimes a word arrives as a quick surprise. Other times, it takes some noticing before you see it.
Get curious about what might be emerging right around the corner.
Five Questions to Help You Discover Your Next Word
Here are five questions to get you thinking about your One Word for 2027.
1. How did my 2026 word help me most?
What did it bring to my attention? What did I learn about myself? Is there something from this year’s word that I want to carry forward?
My word Shift brought my attention to how everything changes, such as, how much sunlight we get in a day, how quickly I still lose patience with my own mistakes, and how I may have grown a tad more tolerant of the discomfort of uncertainty.
Going forward, I want to keep noticing what change asks of me, and be as open as I can to changes yet to come.
2. Am I looking for something different next year?
Was my 2026 word too heavy, too light, or just right for the season I was in? What might I need from a new word?
Shift was a great word for me for 2026. But it sometimes felt a little heavy. I don’t always want to notice how everything changes. Sometimes, it’s just sad.
Next year, I’d like to broaden my focus to include ways of living with change, without the word feeling too demanding.
3. What recurring words or issues keep catching my attention?
Is there a word that keeps showing up in conversations, books, or my own thoughts? Is a particular question or challenge asking for more of my attention?
I have noticed a recurring theme. I’ve been circling it, trying to dig down to its roots. I think it might help me be more accepting of shifts I noticed this year.
4. What would I like less of in 2027?
Is there something I’m ready to release, change, or stop giving so much energy to? What might I be ready to leave behind?
I would like less rumination. I tend to overthink. My mind can get trapped in some of the same ruts again and again. I’d like to bring less pressure on myself to figure everything out, and learn to sit more comfortably with the unknown (Hello, 2021 word, Uncertainty!).
5. What do I want more of in my life in 2027?
More courage? More connection? More quiet? More adventure? Think beyond specific words and consider the qualities or experiences you’d like to welcome into your life.
I’d like to focus more on presence. It’s a consistent quest I have, year after year. I’m not claiming I’ve made much progress, but maybe some.
With more presence comes more connection, more curiosity, more calmness, etc. The word I’m thinking about for 2027 (which is not Presence, but that would be a good one!) might help me move in that direction.
You don’t need to answer every question or settle on the perfect word today. Just think of these as starting points to help you notice what’s stirring.
An Extra Reflection: Look Back to Look Ahead
Take a few minutes to list your past One Words in order. Do you see a connection or theme running through them? Did one word lead to the next? Is there a lesson still unfinished that you want to keep exploring?
For me, looking back at my last few words, I can see how each year’s word has led somewhat to the next, even though none were consciously chosen that way.
Watching how my life continues to unfold in unexpected ways is teaching me less about the specific changes themselves and more about my capacity to live with them.
Sometimes our next word bubbles up from a previous one. Other times, it takes us in a completely new direction.
Either way, let the possibilities simmer as you go about your everyday life. You may discover that your 2027 word has already begun making itself known.
This linkup is open through November 9.
Upcoming: Our November monthly linkup will open a day early on Wednesday, November 25, instead of November 26 (U.S. Thanksgiving).
Question for you:
Do you already have hints for a One Word for 2027? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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