Have you chosen your Word of the Year?

Even though we are about a year into the pandemic, we are still trying to navigate through uncharted waters. We downplayed our holidays, and making New Year’s resolutions seemed almost cruel after already having to give up so much. Therefore, a word of the year seems like a healthy compromise. But what exactly is a word of the year and can we start it in March?

A word of the year is a word or phrase to keep us on track, and there is no time like the present to get started. We all get our strength, direction, reminders, and discipline from different places. Choose a word that means something to you based on what you want to achieve and write or paint it on an object to keep in front of you as a constant reminder. You can keep it on your desk, on your nightstand, or in the kitchen. This year we left ours on our coffee table.

My husband chose the word “adapt” this year—a great choice since we’ve all had to adapt to our new normal in many ways. But it’s not always easy when we can’t do something the way we used to or want to. Sometimes we just need to adapt and regroup, then continue. I chose the phrase “let it go.” The two expressions are similar but slightly different. I can’t possibly fix everything. Therefore, I need to do what I can, and let the rest go. Let go of the worry, helplessness, and uncertainty. Take the weight off my shoulders and move on.

We make this an activity with friends—social distancing, of course—but it is also something you can get the whole family involved in. We pour a glass of wine, take our time coming up with our words, and discuss why we chose them. Then comes the arts and crafts portion where we use a Sharpie to write our word on the object we chose. You can use a rock, shell, candle, or \ glass—get creative with it. What word or phrase speaks to you? Patience? Be kind? Inspire? Hope? Stop shopping online? Red wine is not a fruit serving? Take it seriously or have fun with it and make it your own.