The start of a new year brings reflection, hope, and sometimes a little overwhelm. Instead of feeling pressured by traditional New Year’s resolutions, I now focus on choosing a Word of the Year 2024. This single word acts as a compass, guiding decisions, habits, and goals in all areas of life. Unlike resolutions, there’s no failure—just growth, openness, and alignment.
Why I Choose a Word of the Year Instead of Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions often left me feeling frustrated and disappointed. They felt harsh and rigid. Over time, I discovered that a Word of the Year 2024 provides structure without pressure. It helps me:
- Avoid guilt over “shoulds” or one-dimensional goals
- Make decisions aligned with my values
- Stay open to growth and change
A word of the year:
It gives you a framework for decision making instead of just tasks and to-dos. It’s like a compass guiding your decisions toward a life you love. There is no failing with a word of the year, it’s about openness and growth.
My Past Words of the Year
2018: Peace
2019: Joy
2020: Intentional
2021: Celebrate
2022: Love
2023: Simplify
How to Choose Your Word of the Year
The most effective way I’ve found to pick a word is to ask yourself:
How do I want to feel this year?
What do I want to create?
What do I want this new year to bring?
A Word of the Year isn’t:
What you think you “should” be doing
A one-dimensional goal (like weight loss)
What others think you should focus on
My word of the year for 2024 is: Alignment.
Alignment = This represents my life having harmony, balance, and connection in all areas.
This word, alignment will be my guide for decision making, what I say yes to, habit and goal setting.
Using Your Word of the Year for Intentional Goal Setting
Once you’ve chosen your word, let it guide:
- Decisions you say “yes” or “no” to
- Habit and goal setting
- Daily routines and mindfulness
For me, Alignment is my compass, helping me evaluate weekly if my actions align with my values and life goals.
My 2024 Goals Using Alignment as a Guide
Physical Health
- Minimum of 8,000 steps at least 5 days a week
- Plan weekly workouts- 1 yoga + 4 other workouts
- Focus on whole food plant-based meals
- Drink 60 ounces of water daily
- Bedtime by 10pm at least 5 nights a week
Emotional & Mental Health
- Morning meditation and journaling
- Monthly creative project
- Read 2 books per month something for fun and something for personal growth or learning
Social Health
- Evening check-ins and weekly date nights with husband
- Intentional connection with adult children
- Monthly friend gatherings and outings
- Regular family celebrations
Environmental Health
- 15 minutes daily decluttering
- Home cleaning schedule
- Daily shutdown process
Financial Health
- Debt payoff, retirement, vacation, and future project goals
- Intentional budgeting and weekly evaluation
- Daily financial tracking
Intellectual Health
- Complete Nutrition Coaching Institute Certification
- Read one book per month on a learning topic
- Daily puzzles (Wordle, Connections, Tiles)
Spiritual Health
- Volunteer in meaningful ways
- Morning journaling on leading with love
Occupational Health
- Expand 1:1 clients and membership
- Develop 5 e-courses
- Organize and sell wellness printables
- Offer monthly holistic wellness workshops
Tips for Making Your Word of the Year Work
- Keep it simple if you’re new to this practice
- Schedule regular weekly check-ins
- Use your word as a decision-making compass, not a rigid task list
- Consider creating a vision board for visual alignment
If you want a deeper, more personalized approach to this, I offer a word of the year session where I guide you through a process to choose a word that will serve as your compass for 2025. Together, we explore your values, priorities, and intentions so that your word isn’t just a concept—it becomes a framework for actionable change. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with your Word of the Year and a clear roadmap for intentional actions that bring your vision to life. This is more than just goal-setting—it’s about creating alignment, purpose, and momentum for a year you truly love. Schedule your session here
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🌱Monthly Theme: A monthly theme provides focus and intention.
📖 Book of the Month: A recommended personal development book that aligns with our theme
🌸 Daily Rhythms:
- Monday Move + Meditate: Live on Zoom at 6am – 10 minutes of gentle movement + 10 minutes of grounding meditation
- Tuesday Motivation – inspiring wellness tools for real life
- Wednesday Quote – wisdom from our book of the month
- Thursday Journal Prompts – to reflect and deepen the theme
- Friday Yoga Flow – Live on zoom at 7am- 20 minutes gentle movements to release stress
- Saturday Decluttering Challenge – options for 5 min, 15 min, or 2 hrs (rotating focus: digital, home, schedule, calendar)
- Sunday Soulful Check-in – reflect, plan, and prepare for the week ahead
🌱 Live Events- these live events are recorded so you can watch or rewatch anytime you would like:
- Monthly Planning Session – create the month that YOU want
- End-of-Month Workshop – dive deeper into our theme for the month
- Monday Move + Meditate: Live on Zoom at 6am every Monday morning- 10 minutes of gentle movement + 10 minutes of grounding meditation
- Yoga Flow Friday: Live on Zoom at 6am every Monday morning- 10 minutes of gentle movement + 10 minutes of grounding meditation
Let’s create a REAL life you love—one intentional step at a time.
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- This 7-day email challenge will help you stay accountable and motivated to build the foundational habits towards sustainable healthy living.
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Be well,
Faith
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D I S C L A I M E R Anything that I discuss about making any lifestyle changes is from my own experience and/or other clients personal experiences and may not be suited for you. It is strongly recommended that you consult with your health professional before making changes in your own life. By engaging in anything that I talk about, you agree that you do so at your own risk.