Every year I try to come up with one little word for the year.

A word that will guide my passage through a new set of experiences.

A word that will make an impact in my life.

A word that will inspire my creative side.

A word that will make a significant addition to my legacy.

Every year I start out strong. I blog about my #OLW. I talk about it with others on social media or in friend groups. I plan activities around it. I celebrate it. And, then, somewhere around February, I forget about it.

So, I tried having a monthly word instead. And, that worked…for a while. But the truth is that it’s hard for me to maintain a focus on my #OLW all year long, even a monthly word, when so many other things are vying for my attention.

So, why bother?

So, this year I’m going to try something new. Or, maybe just a tweak on what I’ve done before.

For me, simply thinking about how I want to live the coming year and what I want to emphasize in my life, has helped me be more intentional, even if on a subconscious level. It has helped me to set up the year for success. When I’ve forgotten about my word (often!), something has triggered my memory and sparked a moment of reflection to get me back on track or even to discard that word altogether.

Here’s my plan.

First, I will pick my #OLW, at my own pace, by examining previous words or as many as I can remember and/or find in my writing. In other words: I will not rush the process. I will take my time.

Next, I will think about what I said I will leave behind in 2021: fear and negativity.

Then, I will make a list of words that may help me get past my fear and negativity. I will write about these words, so that through my writing I can discover my #OLW2022. This process may take me a couple of weeks, but I am confident it will be worth it in the long run.

Finally, I will publish my chosen #OLW2022 in a blog post and include a list of actions that I can take to achieve the spirit of my #OLW22. This list can also serve as a weekly checklist of sorts to gauge my progress, which is something that has been missing in previous years.

Phew! That feels just right.

More to come!

Cross posted to The Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge.