Personal Goals – My Word of the Year for 2016
It’s that time of year again. When December 31st approaches and another year has gone by, the lists start populating your twitter and Facebook feeds and that tends to cause some degree of reflection on the year gone by. You know the ones? Top Ten Posts of 2015. Top Five Celebrities of 2015 and so on.
Every year for the past few years here I have chosen a word to symbolize my year and my professional and personal goals for that year. It helps to motivate me to stay focused throughout the year. This time of year I like to look forward and also look back to determine whether my word held weight all year and if I did what I set out to do. I ask myself if there’s anything I might have done differently and then I also start thinking about the year ahead.
In 2015, I chose Celebrate as my word of the year. I recall that it took me a good deal of time coming up with that one. I was almost at the end of January when I decided on celebrate as a personal philosophy of how I would approach the year as it unfolded. I waffled quite a bit and thought originally that my word would be travel, but decided that travel was too dependent on other things. Schedules and money…travel depends on many other factors. I was worried that if I identified the word Travel as one of my biggest personal goals for the year that I’d in some way jinx myself. In previous years I have chosen Growth and Health as words of the year. So how did Celebrate measure up? Did I choose the right word?
Growth and Health were actually better words and more accurately defined the theme of the years gone by. In 2014 Growth defined my business and personal goals as well. We grew into a bigger home and my business grew exponentially and growth was a very positive word for the phenomenon that defined our year. When I look back on the past year of 2015 part of me thinks I chose the wrong word and clearly should have embraced the word Travel. I did Travel a lot. I added more travel content here on the blog. I took several media fam trips, a cruise with family and we learned to ski in Quebec at Mont Tremblant. I began to think of myself as a travel blogger and travel writer more than I had before. Alongside of the health, technology and lifestyle content here on Thrifty Momma’s Tips, I also cultivated more travel content. But did I celebrate? Occasionally, but not as much as I should have. In fact I suspect I completely lost sight of that concept by September, if not sooner. I am not certain that I celebrated as I intended to when I grasped the word and wrote the post that I hoped would help motivate and describe my professional and personal goals for 2015. It was a great year, but I don’t think I fully understand or realized the word Celebrate yet. To the word celebrate I apologize a little because I feel like I let you down a bit. And I vow to be sure to return to that word and embrace it fully in the next decade, if not sooner.
[tweetthis]Do you have a word of the year for 2016 yet? Here’s a hint – #Travel[/tweetthis]
2016 is rapidly approaching and I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the coming year with more excitement than usual. There’s something about the collection of numbers in 2016 that makes me happy. Maybe it’s just the fact that it’s an even numbered year. I feel positive about it, even before it has started, and that’s a good thing. I think outlook is often half of the battle. As 2016 planning begins I think this year’s word arrives right on time and I confidently embrace the word Travel. In the last few weeks I have seen numerous travel opportunities filling my in box so the hard work attending conferences and networking this year is paying off and we will be travelling a good deal in 2016. It won’t always be possible for all of us to travel, but as I sit here in my office in Ontario trying to wrap up some posts before the holidays, I have two pending travel writing opportunities scheduled and ready to run with in 2016 and I have a family trip happening very soon as well. I’ve had to turn a couple of others down already because January is very full and I can’t really swing more than one trip a month.
Travel is my word of the year for 2016 and I can’t wait to share the world with my family and yours. Travel opens up new worlds and I love sharing those with my family and brining my readers along for the ride.
Happy New Year to each of you. Do you have a word of the year or a resolution?
19 Comments
Miranda (Myrabev)
I do not set words for the year but if I was to look back at 2015 I would think Travel would just about cover it but a little bit of Celebrate too as I did celebrate a lot of things and traveled more than ever but I intend to travel more in 2016 so I guess 2016 word for me is Travel.
Paula
Excellent Miranda. Maybe our paths will cross this year as we both travel.
Bonnie @wemake7
Thank you for sharing the word of year 2016 for you. I guess mine would be healthy.
Paula
Healthy is always a great goal.
Eileen
I think travel is such a great work for 2016! It’s such a great idea to choose a word every year, I think I might start doing the same!
Mandy
That’s an awesome word with great intention! Traveling is the best education you can give yourself. I’m still working on my word.
Heather lawrence
ROFLMAO! #travel should be my word! We are leaving tomorrow for a 10 day trip to Florida 🙂
Goodbye snow…hello sun!
April Grant
My word of the year is growth, but I love the idea of travel. We are ending this year traveling and we have plenty of plans in the next year traveling too.
Jaime Nicole
I love that you create a word of the year – and travel is a great one. I’ll have to think what my word of the year will be.
Colette S
Like you, I might take awhile to come up with my word.
I’ve never really thought of having a word before. It’s usually a verse or daily verses.
I will have to think on this.
Thank you.
Crystal
My word is Home. We gave up our home this year to take care of a sick relative. She has treated us horribly so we are in the process of buying a home. Of course, it’s taking forever!
Paula
Crystal: So sorry to hear this. That’s a crappy thing to have happened. I hope you find a home and make it yours this year.
Terri Beavers
I’m not sure what my word of the year would be. I’ll have to think on it and come up with one.
Marielle Altenor
I never thought of choosing a word for the year. if I had to choose one it would have to be “productivity” I have a lot of goals mainly blog related for 2016. I hope I can achieve them!
Monica Y
That sounds like an awesome word. Mostly because you can travel locally and you can share all the new places with us. Best luck in 2016 with your goals
Jessica T.
This is a perfect word (and goal) for you Paula! Enjoy 2016 and all that it has to offer you!
Paula
And right back at you beautiful lady! I am hopeful for you this year and for so many who are striving to add a little person to their family.
Ickle Pickle
What a great word too! Mine would be Travel too – or Happiness. Kaz 🙂
Margarita Ibbott (@DownshiftingPRO)
My word is FOCUS so that I might be able to travel more this year… to Sweden I hope. I love traveling with you to conferences and I hope that is still in the cards for your year of travel. You’ve done well this year so its time to keep enjoying the fun!