If you’ve followed me for a few years, you know I don’t set goals for the new year. Instead, I pick a Word of the Year.
One. Single. Word.
Full disclosure – I did have some specific goals going into 2024. I wanted my work to reach more people. The idea of publishing a book popped into my head. I enjoy writing and this isn’t the first time I’ve contemplated a book. So, I decided 2024 was going to be it – the year I published a book.
As I contemplated this goal, I returned to my practice of picking a Word of the Year. What one word could encompass what I wanted to achieve by writing a book?
The one that kept appearing in my awareness was Vast.
It wasn’t that I was expecting to write a best-seller and travel the world signing copies and reading excerpts to adoring fans. It was about sharing the concepts my clients find useful to help a wider audience.
Working with individual clients limits the scope of how many people I can help, so my word of 2024 was about my reach becoming Vast-er than it was in 2023.
I’m rooted in this practice of picking a Word of the Year because I allow it to shape how my year unfolds. It gives me the freedom to align with what I want without attaching too tightly to outcomes.
And 2024 turned out to be one of those years where I had to let go of outcomes.
It started great. I found an online writing class led by 2 industry experts. The 10-week course covered everything from how to build an effective outline for an engaging book to how to publish and market it.
There were challenges I embraced and everything was going great…until things started to subtly shift. The writing didn’t have as much clarity – it felt like my work just kept going in circles and I couldn’t find the way out. I tried starting over, even created a new outline – but that felt worse than the first one.
Writing a book suddenly felt like I was pushing water uphill.
Then other things started to arise. People I worked with in the past reached out to help them navigate some new challenges. This turned into a consulting opportunity that would require frequent travel and a significant portion of my time. Other clients were asking me to help in more ways.
I was faced with too many options and couldn’t say yes to all of them and still be effective. And when I have too many things vying for my time, my creativity as a writer plummets.
Sometimes my Word makes me choose a path. Often it’s one I never see at the beginning of the year. And this is what I love about my Word – I have the freedom to consider and follow new options.
Every year my Word makes me dig deep and know what I most want to bring into my experience. It teaches me about myself and what I want. It makes it easier to let go of expectations to live a life that holds meaning to me.
Here are some ways Vast showed up in 2024:
My skills became vast because I engaged in a consulting contract which allowed me to work with people from my past who I admire and respect. Because we all expanded our talents since the last time we were together, we were able to create something new and impactful.
Through the writing course, I’ve broadened my understanding of what it takes to write and publish a great book. If I undertake this project in the future, I will be much more aware of the resources required. Being an author is not for the faint of heart. This allowed me to accept this was not my year to publish a book.
Because of the demands of the consulting project, I knew I couldn’t say yes to all the requests for team-building workshops and leadership presentations. Fortunately, I have built a network of coaches who I can refer to step in. Other coaches were able to widen their reach because I was able to recognize my limits and say no.
I learned my limits. I love to travel but it is also physically draining. I’ve learned how to manage my time and not over-commit. In this way, I ensure I show up as my best self because I’ve taken care of my needs first.
A close friend experienced a great loss this year. There is a depth of love and compassion others experience when your only focus is being present to them. To the outside world, it might have looked like I was limiting my interactions, but to those affected, it felt like I was giving them the world.
Family and friends achieved some significant milestones this year and I was there to celebrate. Witnessing joy always expands your world.
Did 2024 turn out at all like I expected? No.
If I had attached the goal of writing a book – I’d either be feeling like a huge failure right now or I’d have said no to other experiences that have brought me a lot of joy this year.
2024 has been Vast for me. It’s asked me to pause and consider the impact I wanted to have in the world, and it gave me the courage to let go of the old so that I could grab onto something else.
Sometimes saying no to a good thing opens the doors to something even better.
What might be Your Word for 2025?
If you want some help in this journey, I use the free workbook, “Unravel Your Year” by Susannah Conway. It’s a thoughtful dive into how your last year unfolded and what you want more of in the coming year.
Download the workbook here:
And click below for more inspiration on choosing a word for the upcoming year:
