A few years ago I decided to select one word to guide my year. It helps keep me focused on my choices and decisions. I selected CHOOSE as my 2021 word of the year. I wanted to share 3 tips to help CHOOSE your word of the year.

We make choices every minute of every day. We choose to exercise, help others, apply for a job, say “I love you,” learn a new skill, be in a relationship, book a trip. Even not choosing something or someone is a choice. Our choices can lead us down various paths in life.

We also choose where to put our time, energy, emotions. All of these choices can positively or negatively affect our lives. For instance, if we choose to constantly focus on failures, self-doubt, all the bad in the world, our thoughts and actions will start to hold us back from seeing and embracing the good.

We can’t always control what happens but we can choose how we react and respond. That makes our choices pretty powerful.

CHOOSE – My word for 2021

I’m choosing this word to remind me that my choices will impact my life. Where I put my time, energy and emotions greatly matter to me. The quality of my life matters to me. As a three-time cancer survivor, every day is a gift. I want to always choose to not just embrace each day, but throw my arms open to the positive opportunities provided when I choose to acknowledge them.

We choose our reactions to life

It was devastating to be diagnosed with my third cancer in 2019. Shock, anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety filled me off and on for a few weeks. But what suddenly gave me strong feelings of power, optimism and happiness was remembering I could choose to let cancer make me feel defeated or I could choose to acknowledge those heavy emotions, cry if I needed to release them (maybe scream into a pillow!), and then take control of my life.

For example, I choose to be proactive with my health. Follow up appointments and tests, exercise almost daily, semi-healthy eating habits (hey, I like my Swedish Fish candy!), wear sunscreen, no smoking, etc. My mental and emotional health are important too. I check in with a counselor when I feel the need. I work daily focusing on positive choices in my life – relationships, career, etc.

Another example is relationships. I don’t share much about my divorce, to respect my ex and because it doesn’t benefit me to dwell on that past. Although it was a mutual, amicable separation, it was a difficult time. I might be hesitant or negative towards relationships after my divorce. But I choose not to be. In fact, I an choosing to embrace romance and love in a mutually respectful, supportive relationship (I chose to work on what I bring to a relationship, acknowledge my wants/outcomes from a relationship and desired qualities in a partner).

And, yes, I am a constant work in progress. I fall down and fail plenty. But then I choose to stand up and focus on possibilities. It’s what works for me and my faith in those choices has brought many surprising and amazing opportunities out of darkness.

Let’s CHOOSE today

We can probably agree that 2020 was an interesting year, am I right?! So much didn’t happen while so much did. It was a year of clarity for me, as well as a time to pause and focus on letting go of what prevents me from moving forward (read this blog post for tips on learning to let go).

Past years’ words include Joy and Be Worthy. It’s fun to look back to recognize how much those choices helped keep me focused on what I want and what’s important to me. I’m excited to follow the path of my 2021 word, CHOOSE. Are you ready to choose your word of the year?

3 tips to help CHOOSE your word of the year

Think about what you want to achieve in the new year and think of words that relate to those goals. Think of an active and positive word that will help you stay focused. Words with multiple meanings and uses can be helpful too so they easily flow into many aspects of your life.

Pay attention to life around you. Sometimes a word pops into your head as you’re going or keeps appearing as you’re going about daily life. I considered two different words for 2021 for a few weeks. Then I realized that CHOOSE (and choices) kept popping up in my conversations, signs around town, books, etc. I decided it was a sign to choose my word!

Commit to your word. There are hundreds of words that can provide positivity and direction in our lives. Choose one word that resonates most with you and then decide this word will help you stay focused on your theme and attitude for the year!

Here are a few sample words:

Joy

Create

Clarity

Brave

Fun

Love

Adventure

Contentment

Abundance

Faith

Experience

Growth

CHOOSE your word for 2021

Do you choose a word to represent your year? What is your 2021 word of the year?

I hope these 3 tips to help you CHOOSE your word of the year lead to a positive, powerful outcome for 2021.