If you want to do something unique that helps you improve your speaking skills, then why don’t you pick a word that you can use for a year?

One powerful way is by choosing one word for the year. Your word of the year helps you stay focused, inspired, and motivated all year.

It’s just one word that summarizes what you hope to achieve and how you want to feel in the coming months. Whether you want to make changes, find balance, or be happier, your word of the year can help.

But how do you pick that one perfect word? We’ll show you how. We’ll take you through simple steps to find your one word for the year.

Plus, we’ll give you a free printable worksheet to make it easy and enjoyable. Let’s get started and check that special word that will define your 2023.

It’s time to set your goals, channel your energy, and make this year your best!

How to Decide on Your Word of the Year

1. Take Time for Reflection

Selecting one word for the year is a meaningful way to set your intentions and guide your actions for the upcoming year.

It’s a decision that requires some careful thought. To get started, find a quiet and peaceful place to be alone with your thoughts.

This could be your favorite spot, a park bench, or a bedroom. The key is to remove distractions and create an environment good for deep thinking.

Once you’re in your chosen spot, take a few deep breaths to relax your mind. Clear your thoughts and focus on the present moment.

You can meditate for a few minutes or sit quietly. The goal is to have a clear mind.

Now, start thinking about the past year. Consider the experiences, challenges, and achievements you’ve had.

Think about your goals and whether you reached them. Reflect on the emotions you felt and the lessons you learned.

This self-reflection will help you understand what you want in the year ahead.

2. Words You Wrote Resonate with You

After thinking, you’ll probably have a list of words in the notebook that mean a lot to you.

Now, let’s look at this list to see if any words feel especially important.

Take each word on your list and consider why it caught your attention during your reflection.

Does it represent something you want to focus on in the next year? Does it bring up strong feelings or motivations?

Sometimes, one word will stand out, and you’ll know it’s the right one. This is a good sign that you’re on the right path.

You don’t have to pick that one word for the year immediately. Take your time, find your options, and let the right word come to you naturally.

3. Come Up with Your Word

Selecting your word of the year is personal and meaningful for you, and it’s okay if you haven’t picked your word right away.

Thinking about it can help you make a more genuine choice. As you go about your daily life and think about potential words, notice how each word connects with your experiences and goals.

Sometimes, the perfect word will come to you unexpectedly, maybe when everything becomes clear or you feel motivated.

Just remember that the word you choose should inspire and motivate you throughout the year, so it’s important to choose a word that truly resonates with you. Don’t rush the process; let it happen naturally.

What to Do Once You’ve Selected Your One Word for The Year

See Your Word Every Day

To ensure you always remember that one word for the year, make provisions to see it every day.

This simple daily reminder can help you stay on track with your goals and what you want to achieve. Here’s a simple way to make it happen

1. Create Reminders

Place your chosen word prominently in your daily life. Stick it on your bathroom mirror or fridge, or use it as your phone or computer screensaver.

The more you see your word, the more it shapes your thoughts and behaviors.

2. Use Displays

Get creative with how you display your words. Think about turning it into an artwork, crafting a poster, or fashioning it into jewelry.

Having a physical symbol of your word can make it feel more meaningful in your daily existence.

3. Include It Into Your Space

Decorate your special place by picking things that show what your chosen word means to you.

This could mean selecting decorations, colors, or objects that connect with your word.

For instance, if your word is growth, you could go for a workspace with plants or inspiring quotes about personal development.

Put Your Word Into Affirmations

Affirmations are tools that make your positive thoughts and actions stronger.

When you use your words in affirmations, they become even more powerful. Here’s how to make it happen.

1. Repeat Daily

Assign a certain time every day to say your positive lines. You can do this when you wake up to kickstart your day with purpose or before bed to think about how you’re doing. The important thing is to do it regularly.

2. Believe and Feel

As you affirm, have strong faith in your words and the good they can do. Let the feelings connected to your affirmations, like happiness or resolve, fill you up.

3. See the Success

As you say your positive words, think of yourself living according to that word for the entire year.

See how reaching your goals and intentions will make your life happier and more fulfilling.

The Benefits of Having a Word of The Year

Selecting one word for the year has become a trendy way to replace traditional New Year’s resolutions.

This method has several advantages that make it a meaningful way to set goals for the upcoming year.

1. Simplicity and Focus

A word of the year differs from making long lists of resolutions because it makes your goals easier to understand.

It’s just one word representing what you want to achieve and what you hope for.

This simplicity makes it easier to focus on the things that are most important to you.

2. Flexibility

Resolutions can sometimes make you feel stuck, and it isn’t very pleasant when you can’t stick to them.

But when you choose one word for the year, it’s like having a flexible tool you can use in different parts of your life, even when things change.

3. Emotional Connection

Your chosen word often carries emotional resonance, making it a more personal and motivating choice. It can remind you of your core values and inspire positive actions.

4. Continuous Growth

Choosing one word for the year is like picking a guiding theme for your growth journey.

Unlike setting a fixed deadline, it lets you improve and develop throughout the year.

5. Mindful Decision-Making

Having a guiding word helps you make thoughtful choices that match your goals, leading to a greater sense of meaning and happiness.

History of Word of The Year

1. Ancient Origins

The concept of picking a special word or phrase to represent your goals for the year has been around for a long time.

Ancient civilizations like the Romans and Greeks used to do this, too. They would choose words or themes that symbolized what they wanted to achieve in the coming year.

2. Modern Resurgence

In the 21st century, the practice became popular again. Groups like Merriam-Webster and the American Dialect Society began choosing a word of the year from the dictionary each year to show what words were important and trendy in our culture and language.

3. Online Communities

Social media platforms have played an important role in popularizing the idea, with people sharing their chosen words and supporting one another in their journeys.

Free Printable Worksheet for You

A

• Abundant
• Acceptance
• Alone
• Agree
• Always
• Area
• Argument
• Arrange
• Ask
• Attend
• Awake
• Avoid
• Aid
• Accident
• Achieve
• Apologize
• Address
• Admit
• Art
• Author

B

• Breakfast
• Bathroom
• Book
• Bus
• Bag
• Banana
• Brush
• Bottle
• Bank
• Button
• Bread
• Bicycle
• Ball
• Blanket
• Baby
• Bird
• Bridge
• Belt
• Beach
• Broom

C

• Calm
• Curious
• Confident
• Compassionate
• Creative
• Cautious
• Challenge
• Clever
• Caring
• Cheerful
• Cooperative
• Considerate
• Courageous
• Curious
• Charismatic
• Challenging
• Cultured
• Conversational
• Consistent
• Cooperative

D

• Delightful
• Diverse
• Dynamic
• Dreamy
• Decipher
• Discourse
• Diligent
• Decisive
• Devotion
• Dabble
• Dazzle
• Diplomacy
• Distinct
• Deliberate
• Discreet
• Dilemma
• Dominate
• Devour
• Desirable
• Disrupt

E

• Enthusiastic
• Empathetic
• Eloquent
• Eager
• Endearing
• Eclectic
• Efficient
• Exquisite
• Evocative
• Enlightening
• Empowering
• Exceptional
• Exhilarating
• Elusive
• Entertaining
• Exemplary
• Enigmatic
• Euphoric
• Effervescent
• Esteemed

F

• Fantastic
• Friendly
• Fascinating
• Flawless
• Frightening
• Fulfilling
• Fragrant
• Fanciful
• Frugal
• Frenetic
• Flexible
• Fateful
• Flourishing
• Festive
• Formidable
• Forgiving
• Flamboyant
• Foreseeable
• Fragile
• Futuristic

G

• Gratitude
• Generosity
• Graceful
• Gourmet
• Guidance
• Genuine
• Gorgeous
• Glorious
• Growth
• Gravitate
• Group
• Gastronomy
• Gesture
• Glisten
• Grounded
• Global
• Gallant
• Gleeful
• Gravitate
• Gallery

H

• Hello
• How
• Happy
• Hope
• Heart
• Help
• Harmony
• Honest
• Humor
• Health
• High
• History
• Habit
• Hunger
• Handle
• Hug
• Honor
• Hazard
• Hero
• Home

I

• Intriguing
• Inquisitive
• Inspiring
• Intelligent
• Imagination
• Innovative
• Informative
• Insightful
• Impressive
• Iconic
• Intuitive
• Incandescent
• Irresistible
• Irreplaceable
• Impartial
• Idyllic
• Ineffable
• Incontrovertible
• Illuminating
• Iridescent

J

• Jubilant
• Juxtapose
• Jargon
• Jovial
• Juggle
• Jurisdiction
• Jaunt
• Joy
• Jeopardy
• Jive
• Juxtaposition
• Jest
• Jaded
• Justify
• Jamboree
• Jittery
• Jeer
• Jeopardize
• Jolly
• Jigsaw

K

• Knowledge
• Kindness
• Keyboard
• Kangaroo
• Kingdom
• Kitchen
• Kaleidoscope
• Keen
• Kiss
• Kettle
• Keynote
• Kernel
• Kiosk
• Karma
• Karate
• Kidney
• Knapsack
• Knock
• Kudos
• Kilometer

L

• Lively
• Laughter
• Leisure
• Luminescent
• Luminous
• Landscape
• Logical
• Luxurious
• Longevity
• Linguistic
• Legacy
• Listener
• Lighthearted
• Liberty
• Loyalty
• Lavish
• Leadership
• Limitless
• Loveable
• Lustrous

M

• Marvelous
• Motivation
• Magnificent
• Mysterious
• Melancholy
• Momentous
• Mundane
• Manifest
• Multifaceted
• Mastery
• Meditative
• Majestic
• Memorable
• Mischievous
• Mystical
• Magnetic
• Mesmerizing
• Meaningful
• Modest
• Mythical

N

• Never
• Noodle
• November
• Nature
• Nectar
• Nominate
• Notion
• Navigate
• Novel
• Nudge
• Nurturing
• Noble
• Nutrient
• Nexus
• Nursery
• Nifty
• Nascent
• Narrative
• Nuance
• Network

O

• Obligation
• Opportunity
• Octopus
• Oasis
• Ovation
• Outrage
• Overjoyed
• Observe
• Orchestrate
• Occurrence
• Odyssey
• Offspring
• Onyx
• Overwhelm
• Oxygen
• Optimism
• Outlandish
• Obliterate
• Ornament
• Outpouring

P

• Pleasant
• Paradigm
• Persevere
• Pristine
• Ponder
• Proactive
• Pinnacle
• Profound
• Piquant
• Perceptive
• Plentiful
• Palpable
• Paramount
• Plausible
• Pragmatic
• Prestigious
• Persuasive
• Portent
• Poignant
• Peculiar

Q

• Quirky
• Quintessential
• Quench
• Quota
• Quibble
• Quirk
• Quest
• Quiet
• Quizzical
• Quasar
• Quenching
• Quotation
• Quandary
• Quarry
• Quicken
• Quake
• Quiescent
• Quotidian
• Quiver
• Quick-witted

R

• Radiant
• Remarkable
• Resilient
• Resilience
• Refined
• Rejuvenate
• Relentless
• Reclusive
• Reverie
• Robust
• Radiate
• Resourceful
• Riveting
• Replenish
• Reckless
• Regal
• Rustic
• Rational
• Rhapsody
• Renowned

S

• Serendipity
• Synchronize
• Synergy
• Serene
• Spectrum
• Simultaneous
• Spirited
• Sublime
• Sustainability
• Savvy
• Symbiotic
• Sanguine
• Supple
• Scrutiny
• Stalwart
• Serenade
• Sensitive
• Solidarity
• Sublime
• Sonorous

T

• Tremendous
• Terrific
• Talented
• Transformation
• Thrilling
• Transparent
• Tantalizing
• Thoughtful
• Tenacious
• Tolerance
• Triumph
• Trustworthy
• Treasure
• Temptation
• Transcendence
• Tenacity
• Tenderness
• Thrive
• Truthful
• Tactful

U

• Ubiquitous
• Unprecedented
• Unilateral
• Utilitarian
• Utopian
• Underestimate
• Unanimous
• Unconventional
• Unilateral
• Unique
• Unveil
• Ultimate
• Upbeat
• Unleash
• Ubiquity
• Upcoming
• Unwind
• Unison
• Uplift
• Unparalleled

V

• Vogue
• Voice
• Vivacious
• Vigorous
• Voracious
• Valiant
• Visionary
• Vexing
• Voluminous
• Vulnerable
• Vintage
• Vigilant
• Viable
• Virtuous
• Vivid
• Vocal
• Velocity
• Venture
• Victory
• Vital

W

• Wonderful
• Witty
• Wholesome
• Wild
• Warm
• Wondrous
• Witty
• Winsome
• Wise
• Wavelength
• Whimsical
• Whisper
• Wander
• Wealth
• Well-being
• Witness
• Worthy
• Wave
• Water
• Welcome

X

• Xenophobia
• Xylophone
• X-ray
• Xenon
• Xanthan
• Xenophile
• Xerophilous
• Xylitol
• Xylography
• Xenogenesis
• Xerography
• Xylotomous
• Xerophilic
• Xiphoid
• Xylophagous
• Xerophilous
• Xenolithic
• Xylograph
• Xerophilous
• Xylocarp

Y

• yearn
• Yield
• Yonder
• Yacht
• Yawn
• Yummy
• yearbook
• Yoke
• Yes
• Youthful
• Yell
• Yoga
• Yesteryear
• Yarn
• Yellow
• Yuletide
• Yesterday
• Yielding
• Yawn
• Yankee

Z

• Zeppelin
• Zebra
• Zenith
• Zest
• Zigzag
• Zinc
• Zodiac
• Zombie
• Zucchini
• Zoom
• Zephyr
• Zen
• Zero
• Zing
• Zipper
• Zircon
• Zoologist
• Zygote
• Zealot
• Zestful

Conclusion

Selecting a single word to represent your intentions for 2023 can be a powerful and easy way to guide your actions and goals throughout the year.

Think about what matters most and what you want to achieve in the upcoming year.

Then, choose one word for the year that has your hopes and keeps you focused. Once you have your word, write it down and place it where you can see it daily.

This word will constantly remind you of your goals, whether it’s growth, joy, resilience, or any other word that resonates with you.

Your chosen word provides clarity and motivation. It’s perfectly fine if your word develops during the year.

By adopting a single word for the year, you simplify your focus and increase your chances of success.

It’s a small but impactful step towards creating a more purposeful and fulfilling 2023.

Don’t forget to check out our free printable worksheet to assist you in this meaningful practice.