Choosing my word of the year

This little ritual sets the tone for the next 365 days

I’ve never been a routine-oriented person, much to my dismay. Creativity comes to me in bursts, and I often swing from days packed with activities to lulls of rest. I don’t have a daily writing or yoga practice. I yearn for spontaneity and freedom over ritual.

But over time, some small habits have quietly woven themselves into my life, and one of my favorites is choosing a word for the year.

I love this ritual because it sets the tone for the next 365 days. I believe deeply in the power of manifestation, and the saying “where attention goes, energy flows” feels especially true in this practice. So I strive to pick a word for the year that’s aspirational but flexible; something loose enough to hold multiple interpretations, while encouraging me to aim higher as I strive for growth in my own self-development.

Postcards from Thailand (2022)

Expansion

In 2022, I chose Expansion, a word that still resonates with me deeply. That year marked a turning point in my life. It was the first year I took an extended trip by myself and moved to Thailand for two months. It was the beginning of my fulfillment of a lifelong dream I’ve harbored since I was a child: to explore Asia, a continent that fils me with fascination with its rich, ancient cultures, its myriad of religions, its stark landscapes, and ultimately its distance from everything that is familiar. Choosing “Expansion” spurred me to take the leap, embrace the unknown and commit to an adventure that feels like destiny.

As the world was beginning to open up post-pandemic, I spent the spring in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and smaller islands. I ate my fill of Pad See Ew, marveled at temples, indulged in massages and hopped between tropical islands.

I kept myself company 6,000 miles from home and along the way, life surprised me. I realized I really liked this lifestyle: leaving home, traveling slowly through foreign lands and working remotely on a different time zone. It showed me what was possible in my dreams was possible in real life, too.

Halong Bay, Vietnam (2023)

Vibrant

In 2023, I chose Vibrant as my word, although looking back, the year feels like kind of a blur. The highlight was falling deeply in love with Luang Prabang in Laos — a swelling that still feels so visceral, I can only describe it as a soulful homecoming, or a deep romantic infatuation but for a place rather than a person. I had hopped over from Vietnam with low expectations and this little town won me over immediately with its charm and authenticity. Luang Prabang was filled with artisan and wooden french colonial homes set on pretty little streets with overgrown palm trees. Views of the Mekong River were everywhere along with monks walking around in orange robes. The atmosphere was so deeply peaceful, I was transfixed.

But overall 2023 felt like a transitional year where I was outgrowing so many things and places that used to bring me joy. I got to stay in bucket list hotels, travel on luxurious trips and finally visit Bali, and yet everything felt a little underwhelming. (I’ve since been back to Bali with more realistic expectations and really like it now, so there’s also something to be said for giving places a second chance). But at the time I felt disoriented, like my expectations were too high, or I was looking for contentment in the wrong places, or I had used all of it up. Things didn’t quite click this year — personally, romantically and spiritually — but that’s life sometimes, and 2023 did clear the way for a really thrilling new chapter.

Luang Prabang, Laos (2023)

Courage

In 2024, I picked Courage and I really love this word. It encapsulates a belief I hold deeply: that our life’s purpose lies on the other side of our fears.

For a lot of my life I’ve felt reserved and understated — it’s not for lack of internal confidence, because I have deep self-love, but I’m a perfectionist and an introvert who is reticent of the spotlight, of expressing my entire self and maybe of being seen. That’s why I started this Substack, with the intention of putting words to my feelings. To peel back layers so I can connect with myself (and others) more deeply and authentically.

2024 is the year I pushed myself further out of my comfort zone than before: I spent 96 days on the road in one go in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia and Indonesia. Traveling for so long was daunting and exhilarating — and I ended up loving it. Conquering this fear feels like I won a prize. I set out to do a hard thing and not only did I accomplish it, I thrived in the process. I have felt so liberated ever since.

I also fell deeply in love with Sri Lanka, a country for which I had high expectations, and it exceeded every one. Discovering a new “soul place” is such a rewarding feeling, it’s like unlocking a new room inside yourself that you didn’t know was there because you hadn’t experience it yet. I felt so alive, aligned, stirred and at peace all at once. It’s the feeling I’m always chasing it and finding it out in the world is such a gift.

Sri Lanka (2024)

This year, I also went to therapy for the first time and it was so affirming. I’ve gained so much more clarity around who I actually am, my value system, what I’m looking for (concretely) and how to have healthy boundaries. I trust myself and my feelings more.

They say your real life begins at 40 and everything before is just practice, and I can now see how your 30s are really just an extension of your 20s. You’re still so young, you’re still getting to know yourself and the world, and you’re still learning all the time. This has been such a year of deep, foundational growth where I really more grounded, confident and committed to my visions. I feel like I’m finally becoming myself.

Bali (2024)

Purpose

My word for 2025 came to me while watching Joy on Netflix, a film about the discovery of IVF. It tells the story of three pioneering scientists in the 1970s who battled against the odds to make childbirth possible for families who couldn’t conceive.

In one scene, Patrick Steptoe, the lead gynecologist, is exhausted and overworked. But he turned to his wife and assures her, "This… what we’re doing… it matters." Their groundbreaking efforts ultimately paved the way for over 12 million IVF babies to be born into the world.

This sense of conviction was so moving, it inspired my word for 2025: Purpose.

Maybe we won’t all be inventors or create life-changing breakthroughs (or maybe we will?), but that sense of giving back — of doing something meaningful with the time we have on earth — feels more important than ever. In a world with so many profound challenges and endless opportunities to do good, I find myself yearning for deeper meaning. I want to live a life filled with purpose, where my interests and passions aren’t just things to indulge in, but are helpful to others.

In 2025, I want to feel more aligned, inspired and engaged in ways that truly matter.

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Have you picked a word for the new year?

If you need a little inspirational, check out this fun post by

Morgan Harper Nichols

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