Have you found your Word of the Year yet?

You’ll notice I say ‘found’ not ‘chosen’.

I’ve had a word of the year* for a few years now and each year the word has been a surprise!

If you’ve been following me a while you know I talk about the power of the subconscious a lot so I won’t dive in deep today, suffice to say that it’s a huge and powerful thing, and when you decide on something that it’s not in alignment with… well, you might find it a tough slog. Don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉

So, I can’t just choose a word of the year?

Well, of course you can. But what if there were something surprising and even more right for you just hidden a layer beneath… wouldn’t you want that instead? I sure as hell would!

This year, after trying out a few methods for the last couple of years, I decided it was high time to write up my own workbook, for myself, and to share too. Because this is not one of those things I could keep to myself! (You can get your copy just here.)

I usually follow this process for 4 or 5 days around new year, journalling on questions like “what do I want more of this year?” and really digging deep into what words mean, for me, and how they make me feel. Each year, I think I’ve an idea what I want the word to be, and damned if every year, it’s something completely different!

“I have just worked through the word of the year workbook and I thought I knew what it was going to be but I was wrong. The subconscious has a mind of its own 😂 After working through it all, I have come up with my word… I’ve no idea where it came from but it definitely works for me!” Becci Blayney

In 2019, I was still project-managing our new build, I’d not got my business up and running yet (but it was growing in my mind, often distractingly) and, thanks to the nature of building work, I just couldn’t put any real plans in place. I guess this could have been frustrating (I’ll admit, I do like to be in control!) and so when my-word-of-the-year-journaling threw up two words with equal importance, I went with both.

Flow; for just going with it. And Evolve; for growing with it too. And let me tell you I really leaned in! I put no pressure on myself with our new home, nor with a start date for my coaching business, and it meant that as a family we could truly enjoy the journey of our home coming into being, without stress. (Yes, really.)

For 2020, Courage was what came out for me. I knew it would be essential (and of course a year ago I couldn’t know just how necessary it would turn out to be) and at the same time it felt scary! Again, I leaned in, I used it in moments of uncertainty; what would Courage do now?

And it’s become a huge part of my work too. My own journey through self-doubt has shown me just how courage can be a key part of building self-confidence, and I see this now in clients too. The name of this blog, dear reader, is not an accident!

I’ll leave you with my word for 2021; Playful.

I wanted it to be Ease, if I’m honest; my subconscious has surprised me again. But I do know how much I need playful in my life! Who knows where this one will take me! I’m excited to find out.

* What is a Word of the Year?

A Word of the Year is quite simply a focus point for you, for your coming year. It is there to support you, or challenge you, in the months ahead. You might also think of it as an Energy of the Year.

Your word can feel like a guide (especially in those moments when you’re feeling stuck!) and you can use it to help you set goals, make decisions, choose your next step…

And maybe it will last all year. Or maybe it will feel super-useful for a couple of months and you’ll change it for another – it’s all good! There are no hard and fast rules… after all, this is simply you, noticing what you need right now and choosing to focus on it, for as long as it feels good and in whatever way feels good. 

If you’d like more of my words direct to your inbox, you can sign up right here for my weekly-ish letters filled with motivation, tools for building self-confidence, as well as my thoughts on finding your quietly courageous voice in an otherwise noisy world….