Years ago, I wrote an article on the power of choosing an annual theme, something I’ve done for 15 years now. (It’s still one of my most popular posts and you can read it here.) Lately, I’ve seen numerous references to this practice – also called word of the year, intention, and other labels – while scrolling through Instagram and Facebook. It’s such a simple yet profound strategy for focusing your energy toward who and how you want to be throughout the year.
When I shared the tip during a speaking engagement recently, a woman raised her hand and said, “I love this idea and a word came to mind right away. But once you choose your theme, what do you actually do with it?”
The main purpose is for your theme to remind you of your high-level focus for the year and to serve as a through-line for your actions and decisions. In addition, you can use your theme in a variety of practical ways to keep it present and infuse it into your life. Some of my favorites:
* Raise your hand if you seem to enter passwords into your computer and phone at least 853 times per day! Weave your theme into your passwords for continuous reinforcement.
* Find or create a visual anchor that represents your word. A vision board, photo, sculpture, pendant, painting, or any number of items could serve as a line-of-sight reminder.
* Make your word your laptop screensaver or phone wallpaper. You’ll enjoy a reminder every time you turn on your screen.
* Create a breakthrough map around what your word means, looks like, and feels like to you. For example, one of my all-time favorite themes was ‘expansion.’ I journaled about how I wanted to expand my mind and sense of possibility, ways I could do that (attend conferences, hire a coach, put myself out there more), and what it meant to me. That year, I used to say, “I want to expand in all ways except my waistline!” I was only half-joking. 🙂
* Consider creating a few goals in the area of your theme. When your goals and theme are aligned, you’ll find forward movement much easier.
* Write your theme on sticky notes and place them wherever you could benefit from the reminder: your bathroom mirror, the front of your planner, the top desk drawer you open repeatedly, and so on. If your theme is ‘calm’ and you have it posted on the dashboard of your car, the next time someone cuts you off while driving or you find yourself waiting endlessly in a traffic jam, you’ll have an instant visual reminder of how you want to be in that experience.
* Each evening, pull out a journal or notebook (decorated with your theme word, of course!) and jot down an example of how you lived out your theme that day.
How else will you use your annual theme? Feel free to share your ideas below, or on Instagram or Facebook!