It’s that time of year when you start thinking about the new year and what you want to change in your life. Some people make resolutions. Some set goals and write them down, checking them off one by one. There is another alternative to traditional resolutions, though. A powerful alternative that can infuse your days with meaning and intention.
With traditional resolutions, self-improvement seems most common. Many people set goals around getting healthier, learning more, or creating a better life.
The new year begins with gusto, which is easy considering the low priority health takes during the holiday season. However, somewhere along the way most individuals lose their commitment. They slack off. And soon, the goal is forgotten and set aside.
There is a book called My One Word: Change Your Life with Just One Word by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen that dives deeply into choosing a word for the year. The authors state that choosing your One Word is a year-changing process. This process “provides clarity by taking all your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single focus. Just one word that centers on your character and creates a vision for your future.”
In 2017, I came across the concept of choosing a word for the year. I’ve found that choosing a single word for the year is less about setting goals and more about having intention. I am able to give up attaching specific outcomes to a resolution. It requires patience and awareness, and it allows for flexibility.
My initial choice in 2017 was the word “release.” I focused the year on releasing negativity and welcoming better things. After my journey with “release,” I decided to permanently replace setting New Year’s Resolutions with choosing a Word for the Year.
Some of my other words have included gratitude (2018), intention (2019), contentment (2020), discipline (2021), cultivate (2022), and present (2023).
As I look to 2026, I have carefully chosen my Word for the Year:
Align.
“Align” means to bring things into harmony. To be in alignment means my actions and life match my core values and beliefs.
In an increasingly harsh world, I feel as if rediscovering such alignment is necessary. I wish to live authentically, intentionally, and focused on cohesion between my personal, professional, and spiritual well-being.
I also want to teach my sons to live with such balance.
Though focusing on alignment requires fluidity throughout the upcoming year, I do have a few areas I intend to prioritize. These include:
- Be more present by lessening my interaction with social media
- Schedule intentional time with God to grow my faith
- Dedicate time to writing a first draft of my book concept
- Concentrate on high-impact-minimal-cost opportunities to better budget and pay off debts
- Live with purpose in my daily habits to meet my health goals
2025 was a blessing in more ways than I can express. As 2026 begins, I look forward to witnessing the directions my life is pulled.
Happy New Years, my friends. Cheers to 2026!!
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