Arriving at your word
Why I choose a word to guide me through the year.
I’m not big on resolutions; frankly, I’m not big on New Year’s according to the Gregorian Calendar. I’ve always resonated more with the Jewish calendar, which orients the new year beginning in the fall. I set light intentions then and allow for their slow germination through the winter months, birthing my fresh energy in the springtime.
Despite my orientation, for several years now, I have found that a word always seems to settle into my gut around the end of December. It’s hard to ignore the overwhelming energy that flows through the collective around this time of year—the feeling of resetting and freshening the sheets for a new year to lay. So, I use this deeply contemplative energy to sit with my heart and listen for her guidance.
Over the past few years, I have made this practice into a ritual. A few years ago, I invited a couple of girlfriends over on New Year’s Eve to make bracelets with our words spelled out in letters across our wrists. Another year, I led a visioning workshop where we journaled from the lens of our inner child and engaged in breath work to arrive at our words. It was beautiful to go around the circle at the end of our gathering and hear everyone’s chosen words. My intention with the word is that it acts as a seed—a root or guide that anchors us into our deepest well of desire. What is it that you wish to access? Who do you want to become?
If you are curious about journeying to your word, here are a few guiding questions to help you arrive there. First, take a deep breath in, filling your belly, and then exhale it all out slowly from the mouth. Close your eyes, and envision yourself being bathed in pure, shimmery light.
What were the challenges I faced last year, and in what ways have I grown?
What are some of my current deep desires?
What do I need?
Who am I right now?
Who am I becoming?
Where am I heading?
How do I want to feel?
I find it most helpful to free-write the answers to these questions, allowing my pen to flow freely across a physical piece of paper, allowing for it not to make complete sense, and just witnessing. Observing. Our inner world is wise, and sometimes the way words come out doesn’t initially make grammatical sense. But trust that it will all fall into place and keep writing.
It took me some time to arrive at my word this year, and I’m still swishing it around in my body. It came to me as a phrase after several words spilled out onto the page—Arrive. Here. Now. Ease. Nest. Ultimately, I am feeling a need for safety, for grounding in and arriving home to myself. I may journal more on these themes, continuing to break down the wormhole of subconscious thought. Perhaps you will too.
I hope that this is helpful if you desire to find a guiding word for 2025, and if you are interested, I am making our words into bracelets or necklaces for you to keep as a daily reminder. If that calls to you, reach out <3.
With love,
M
This is beautiful, Maya! I'll start thinking about my word... I think it'll be "uplevel."