New Year: Using a Single Word to Guide Your Goals
As we step into a new year, the focus on resolutions and goal setting is in full swing. But often, the traditional approach to setting resolutions can feel overwhelming and unsustainable. Many of us start the year with lofty goals to get fit or healthier, only to fall off track before the month is even over, especially when we are still in the summer/party season and routines are still not back to normal.
So, what if there was a simpler, more aligned way to set meaningful goals?
We believe in the power of mind-body connection, and how aligning your intentions with your health and well-being is the most effective way to create lasting change. One approach that’s gaining traction is the practice of choosing a single word to serve as the theme for your year.
This word acts as a guiding principle—a touchstone to come back to when life gets busy or overwhelming. Instead of setting a laundry list of goals, you align your actions, mindset, and energy around one powerful word that resonates with your personal journey and aspirations.
Why Choose a Word?
Simplicity: Instead of feeling overwhelmed by an endless list of resolutions, a word (or phrase) can be a focus that brings clarity to your year.
Flexibility: This word can apply to every area of your life as it is a theme to point back to—from health, to relationships, to career—allowing for a holistic approach. i.e, your word could be health, or vitality, or patience or rest.
Empowerment: A word can serve as a reminder of your core values and intentions, bringing you back to your true north whenever you need it.
How to Choose Your Word for the Year
Choosing a word is a deeply personal process. It’s about tuning into your inner self, asking for guidance, and considering where you want to grow. Here are some steps to help you choose the right word:
Reflect on the Past Year: Take some time to journal about the previous year. What did you learn? What would you like to do differently? What felt in alignment with your true self, and what didn’t?
Connect with Your Core Values: Your word should reflect what matters most to you—whether it’s health, connection, joy, or abundance. Consider the values that anchor you and bring you peace.
Envision the Future: Close your eyes and imagine the kind of person you want to become by the end of this year. How do you want to feel? What do you want to embody? This will guide you toward the word that resonates most.
Keep It Simple and Positive: Choose a word that feels energising and expansive, not restrictive. Words like “flow,” “balance,” “strength,” or “gratitude” can create positive momentum.
Test It Out: Once you have a word in mind, sit with it for a day or two. See how it feels—does it evoke excitement? Does it resonate with your soul? If so, you’ve found your word!
How to Bring Your Word to Life
Once you’ve chosen your word, the next step is to embody it in your daily life. But how can you make this word more than just a buzzword that fades away by February? The key is consistency and a bit of support.
Integrate Your Word into Daily Practice: Write your word down where you can see it every day—on your desk, in your planner, or even on your bathroom mirror. Allow it to be a constant reminder of your intention.
Set Monthly Intentions: Each month, ask yourself how you can embody your word in different areas of your life. For example, if your word is “health,” your monthly goals might include moving your body daily, improving your nutrition, and prioritising rest.
Use Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) for Clarity and Support: Sometimes, despite our best intentions, our emotional blockages can hold us back from achieving our goals. NET is a powerful tool that helps identify and release unresolved emotional stress stored in the body. By addressing these emotional barriers, you can align your nervous system and energy with your goals.
How NET Can Help with Goal Setting:
Clearing Limiting Beliefs: NET helps release subconscious patterns or beliefs that may sabotage your progress (e.g., "I’m not worthy of success" or "I’m not strong enough to follow through").
Enhancing Emotional Resilience: NET can support your ability to manage stress and emotional turbulence as you work towards your goals, helping you stay calm, clear, and focused.
Releasing Trauma: Any past emotional trauma related to setting or achieving goals can be addressed through NET, allowing you to approach your intentions from a place of empowerment and clarity.
Creating Alignment: NET can help bring your body’s energy into alignment with your word, ensuring that your physical, mental, and emotional states are in harmony.
Track Progress and Celebrate Small Wins: Use your word as a benchmark for progress. Celebrate when you notice that you’re living more in alignment with it, whether that’s in small daily actions or in larger life changes.
Create a Vision Board or Affirmations: Visual reminders and positive affirmations are powerful tools to help you stay connected to your word. Create a vision board that represents your word and the goals you want to manifest, or write affirmations that incorporate your word to repeat daily.
Example of How to Use Your Word
Let’s say your word for the year is “balance.” Here are some actionable steps you could take:
Physical Balance: Incorporate yoga, Pilates or chiropractic adjustments into your weekly routine.
Work-Life Balance: Set clear boundaries with work and personal time. Prioritise relaxation and downtime.
Mental Balance: Engage in mindfulness practices or journaling to stay grounded and clear-headed.
Emotional Balance: Use NET or other holistic techniques to clear emotional blockages that disrupt your sense of balance.
Summary
By choosing a single word for the year, you create a focal point that brings simplicity, clarity, and alignment to your goal-setting process. It acts as a touchstone you can return to throughout the year, reminding you of the bigger picture when life feels chaotic.
And if you find yourself struggling with emotional blocks or limiting beliefs that get in the way of your growth, Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) can be a powerful tool to support you on your journey. By clearing emotional stress, you open the door to greater success and alignment with your goals.
Here’s to a year of growth, vitality, and connection to your true self—guided by the power of one simple, transformative word.
