One Word, Big Impact
Why I’m Skipping Resolutions
I know, I know, I’m back at it about New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with New Year’s resolutions this year. A couple of theories come to mind:
I really liked my resolutions from last year—they genuinely helped me shift my mentality, and I’d love to keep that momentum going.
It’s possible my ADD is hyperfixating on the topic until either (a) I get bored and hyperfixate on something else, or (b) I solve the problem. Let’s all hope for b.
The other week, I got a Substack email from Alyson Haley (if you’re not following her, you totally should). I’ve been a fan since 2018 and love keeping up with her content and life journey.
In this email, she talked about choosing a word to guide your year. It got me thinking: I had a word last year without even realizing it. Not a typical resolution like “eat healthy” or “lose weight” or “read more”, blah, blah, blah.” (No shade if those are your goals, but I needed something more meaningful.)
My word last year was Thrive.
The goal? To shift out of survival mode and into a space where I felt like I was actually thriving. It wasn’t about strict rules or SMART goals; it was about tiny, consistent actions—like exploring new playgrounds with my kids, trying restaurants we hadn’t been to before, or wandering through a museum on a random Saturday. All these little things added up, and by the end of the year, I genuinely felt like I was thriving.
This year, I’ve chosen the word Nurture.
Nurture: to encourage the growth or development of someone or something.
Here’s what that means for me:
Nurturing myself: Reading more, exploring new fitness paths like Pilates or Orange Theory, and giving myself grace when life gets messy.
Nurturing my relationships: Investing more time in meaningful connections with family and friends.
Nurturing my home: Creating a space that feels like it’s taking care of us rather than the other way around. (Isn’t that the dream?)
I love this approach. It feels less like setting up a pressure-filled to-do list and more like guiding myself with intention. I’m officially team “word of the year” over traditional resolutions.
Have you ever done this before? Or are you giving it a try this year? I’d love to hear your word—and what it means for you!
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