Recently I heard a startling statistic that caught my attention. It said most gym owners know that the resolution to get in shape fizzles out by January 15th. Whoah! That’s only 15 days into the new year! What does that mean for our Word of the Year?
If I’m honest, aren’t I the same way? When I look at my Word of the Year, Purposeful, and examine my excitement, I realize that date may not be so far off after all. How sad is that!?
Every year the battle is the same, once we choose our word, make a goal or resolution, how do we stay motivated? How do we keep it front and center and not forget?
Now that we are well into February, the struggle to stay motivated is much harder. So I’ve been looking for ways to help me stay motivated and have been looking for ideas, tools, and to help.
Let’s look at 4 Ways to Stay Motivated With Your Word of the Year.
Idea #1 – Journal Your Word
Recently my sister sent me a link to a video called “10 Ways To Become Besties With Your Word of the Year”. The title certainly caught my eye!
In the video, Cori The Reset Girl recommends (and demonstrates) starting a “Word of the Year” journal. So yep! I took her advice and started my own.
So what should you write about and do with this journal? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- What does your word mean?
- Write out quotes that contain your word.
- Are there Bible verses related to your word?
- What does the word mean to you?
- Why did you pick this particular word?
- How did you apply it in your life in the past week?
How about doing some art journaling too, be creative, make the journal fun for you to use. You can use pens, colored pencils, washi tape, photographs, stamps, or stickers. Make it personal and meaningful to you.
Idea #2: Create Pictures Of Your Word
We live in a visual content world. Just look at what you respond to and share on Facebook, I would bet that many times it’s a picture. Look at the rise in popularity of Instagram and Pinterest, both visual based forms of social media.
Images have the power to convey meaning, tell a story, and evoke emotion so why not use that with your word?
Once you have created an image, look at all the ways you can use them.
- A lock screen or wallpaper on your devices.
- Put them on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror.
- Frame it and put it on your office wall or desk.
- Create a bookmark.
- Create notecards and use them to write a friend.
Since I spend a majority of time in my office, I want something that is easily seen and reminds me of my Word of the Year daily. So I will be creating images with my word that I can frame and hang on the wall.
Here is a short list of resources of where you can create your own:
Idea #3: Set a Time For Regular Review
I talked about this idea earlier as one of the lessons I’ve learned about choosing a new years word, and I cannot emphasize it enough. The fastest way to forget anything important is to let is “sit on the shelf” and gather dust.
To help me avoid this, I’m using a planning tool called PowerSheets from CultivateWhatMatters.com. Each day I review my list of daily, weekly, and monthly projects. Everything on these lists comes from my word, so is another daily reminder of what is important and why these projects are worth pursuing.
Dr. Leaf is a neuroscientist (also a referral from my sister!) who studies the brain. Her research has shown that what we think about both positively and negatively creates neuro-pathways in our brain. These pathways can create healthy (or not so healthy) habits and ways of living.
The words we use have a powerful impact, and that impact can be positive or negative. The word we choose each year can have the same impact, so why not make it a positive one?
Idea #4: Create Fun Printable Products with Your Word
How about creating something you would regularly use that keeps your word with you? Here are a few things I’ve been considering:
- Coffee or Tea Mug
- Book bag or tote
- Poster
- Stickers to use in journals or letters
- Notepads
- Jewelry
The options available are endless.
By using just one or two of these ideas, we can create tools and resources that will help keep us motivated throughout the year.
More on Picking A New Year’s Word:
- 6 Tools to Help Cultivate Your Word of the Year
- Pick a New Year’s Word Not A Goal
- 4 Lessons Learned From Picking A New Year’s Word
- Your Word of the Year Is About a Journey Not a Destination
Marta Goertzen is an entrepreneur, writer, WordPress Website developer, and nature photographer. She daily explores the trails and beaches of the South Central Oregon Coast with her dogs Oliver & Mochi. You can follow along on their adventures on Instagram. Marta also fully believes that change starts with gratitude and that gratitude can change everything. Find out how with the “Grateful Friday 7-Days of Gratitude Starter Kit”