What’s My New Word of the Year?

Setting goals this year took a bit longer than usual. Admittedly it is now half way through January already, so I am late. But anyone who knows me personally knows time is something I strive to bend at will. LOL.

Typically every year I do an exercise where I challenge myself to pick a word of the year or a phrase that guides my personal and business philosophy for the year ahead. This year, I honestly couldn’t think of one until about a week ago and then I was simply way too busy working on numerous jobs to actually write it down.

Until now.

Setting Goals

For a few days I thought to myself does it even matter anymore? Do I really need a word of the year post again this year? Who cares? Then I thought actually: I do. I care. It keeps me focused and motivated and moving towards something so yes it matters and yes I care and also it’s tradition here now. In fact this is my eighth year doing this word of the year post. EIGHT YEARS.

So enough with the preamble. What is the word of the year and why?

Today, I decided, Paula, this is taking too long and you have worked hard all week writing all the things for everyone else. So, now it’s time to do something for you. My word of the year post.

This year I have chosen the word REACH. Reach higher, strive for more. To me, reaching is about stretching your abilities and your world and striving towards new goals, or building old goals. Reaching up, reaching out…for me this is an active state of being, and a positive word.

Last year my Word of the Year was Move and I kept to it and moved more all year. As a result, I am more fit than ever before. My upper body strength has improved so much and that alone was worth the extra workouts and days spent skiing hard. Endurance has improved. Side planking is no issue for me at all and I can push all the workouts harder than I could even just a year ago. I am proud of that and I will celebrate it because I have been building that muscle and endurance and strength for YEARS now.

Reach is about pushing yourself to the limits and then pushing harder. It’s knowing what is possible and not shying away from that. Visualizing what you want and making it real. That’s what reach says to me. It’s taking all the opportunities, even when they scare you. Do it scared, right? It’s about taking risks sometimes too.

So for me this year I am reaching further, striving for something more.

This will be the year I master handstands, and bring my A game to all of my work related projects. And this will also be the year I hunt down more third party bylines and stretch my words. I will reach for what I want and work for it.

My Word of the Year Posts Over the Past 8 Years!

This activity, for me, started way back in 2012 actually and I was surprised to note that here today when hunting through my files. That year I chose abundance, a word I still love and think everyone needs to recognize what they have in abundance.

In 2013, my word of the year was HEALTH. That was the year I began striving in earnest to get healthier and more fit. Also the year I fully embraced my role as a Health Blogger and Health Writer. Until then I was a lifestyle blogger without a distinct niche or area. Health content is still a huge part of my blog, but it has evolved to include a great deal more travel as well.

Then in 2014 my word of the year was Growth. The business was growing at a dramatic pace and it best expressed what was happening here.

In 2015 my word was celebrate. After losing my Mom, I was reminded that you have to celebrate every single moment of every day with the people you love. And if you are lucky enough to have a job you love doing then you need to celebrate that too. Celebrate was linked to gratitude and giving back.

How do I Define Reach?

In social media reach is how far your audience or message extends. If the message is the nucleus or hub then the social media and blog posts and links and shares are each spokes that reach out from that and build a wider message. Here this year Reach as my philosophy or driving action verb. REACH!, the verb, not reach the noun.

This is my way of challenging myself this year to simply make goals and create a plan and make the goals reality by reaching for them and never turning away or losing focus. I will REACH different media immediately and grow again.

Travel

Travel was the word I opted for in 2016 and I did have some amazing adventures that year, including my first ever safari and a brilliant trip to Zambia. For me travel is also part of my word this year. Reaching new destinations, countries I have not yet seen or explored, different markets and audiences with work published in unique outlets is my goal. Building again, because standing still is not an option, and 2018 was a great lesson in that for many people writing online.

Mindfulness was my word in 2017, and it was really the only year that my word did not end up matching my reality. Mindfulness was so much harder than I ever imagined. Another year I will tackle that one differently I think.

Reach. Strive. Work for it.

Whats your word?