As traditional New Years resolutions fall out of fashion, new ideas pop up designed to help us regroup and decide how to progress for the next 365 days. Coming up with a word for the year is a popular approach, but figuring out a word that will carry you through the entire year can seem daunting. Complete the following exercies to generate ideas for your 2018 word!

1. Begin by doing an inventory of your life. Before you decide what direction to go in 2018, you may want to get clear on where you are starting. Here are a few areas to consider and describe for your inventory:

• Friends
• Family
• Finances
• Health
• Spirituality
• Work
• Recreation
• Self-care

2. What has been your focus? List the people, places, and things that have commanded your attention for the past 3 months. Then ask yourself how each has made you feel? Be sure you are using feeling words. If you  need help use this feeling wheel:

3. What lessons have you already learned? Think through the good and bad things that happened to you over the past 3-6 months. Make a list. Using as few words as possible, describe the lessons you learned.

4. What drives you? Consider the things that fuel you to make what matters happen. This list taps into your natural motivators.

5. Say yes and say no. Again, use the past 3 months as your reference point. List the specific people, places, and things to which you have said yes and no. Describe how those boundaries made you feel?

Have you completed all five exercises? If so, you probably have a sizable list of words. Narrow the list down by highlighting words that repeat then put it away for 24 hours. When you review your list on the following day pay attention to the few words that leap out before you have a chance to think. Now pick the one word that most resonates as you think about the year ahead.

Congratulations! You have come up with your word for 2018!

**For one-on-one guidance with this exercise or any other 2018 goal-setting, contact me for a life coaching appointment!**