As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, many people welcome a fresh start with a sense of hope and anticipation. You may feel like you have a clean slate, a chance to start over and create something new. Instead of making a list of resolutions, I have a ritual that helps me navigate the year ahead with purpose and intention: choosing a single word to guide me throughout the year.
The practice of selecting a single word as a guiding principle for the year may sound simple, but its impact can be profound. My word for this year is create, a term that effortlessly found its way to me as I celebrated the start of a new year. Create encapsulates my intention for the entire year. It serves as a beacon, reminding me of what matters to me, and inspiring me to take new actions.
To help my brain connect to my word for the year, I make a collage of images that evoke the essence of my word. These images — cut from magazines, printed from the internet or personal photographs — are a symbolic representation of my intention. My brain likes symbols; they’re like shortcuts. I keep this collage on my desk as a daily reminder of my intention.
Intentions have a certain mystical quality that’s hard to explain. Whether you opt for a single word or craft several sentences to guide you, the essence remains the same: It's about living life with purpose and direction, refusing to leave your life to chance. You have a say in how your year unfolds, and your intentions act as a roadmap to guide you along the way.
Living intentionally is a concept that resonates with me. I believe that each of us has the power to shape our lives.
Original blog: Forbes