Let Your Word Lead the Way
There’s a quiet moment that arrives for me every January, a pause between what was and what’s about to be. That’s when I sit and listen, not for a list of things I should do, but for a feeling, a nudge, a word.
For many years now, I’ve let go of New Year’s resolutions in exchange for something gentler and far more meaningful: a word of the year. I don’t chase it. I don’t force it. I let it find me. And every year, it does.
Resolutions always felt heavy to me like rigid promises tied to perfection and willpower. They carried an unspoken message of “fix yourself” or “do more,” and by February, they often left me feeling behind or disappointed. A word, on the other hand, feels like an invitation. It doesn’t demand, yet it guides and it anchors my year ahead.
Recently, I heard some people choose a new word for each month. Some, like me, choose one for the entire year. Occasionally more than one word shows up for me, but most often there’s a single word that rises above the rest; steady, persistent, and true. That word becomes a compass. I use it to guide my actions, anchor my days, and gently bring me back to myself when life feels noisy or rushed.
What I love most about choosing a word is how flexible and forgiving it is. A word meets you where you are. Here are just a few of the gifts I’ve discovered along the way:
A word evolves with you. It may mean one thing in January and something entirely different by August.
It removes pressure. There’s no “failing” a word, only returning to it.
It keeps you present. You can ask, “What would this word invite me to do today?”
It supports intention, not perfection.
It aligns your choices. Big decisions and small moments alike can pass through the lens of your word.
It’s deeply personal. No one else’s word needs to look like yours.
Instead of chasing outcomes, you begin to live into a feeling.
This year, the word that chose me is Dazzle. And I smiled the moment it arrived. Dazzle feels playful, expansive and alive. It invites wonder and delight, not just in the big moments, but in the ordinary ones too. I’m open to being dazzled by life and what it has to offer me… and just as importantly, I’m open to dazzling myself by saying yes to joy, creativity, and possibility.
Dazzle reminds me to notice beauty, choose curiosity, say yes to fun, let myself be surprised and live life with sparkle and not urgency. When I feel stuck or uncertain, I can ask: “What would Dazzle do here? Or What choice would feel most alive?” Then suddenly, the path feels lighter.
One of my favorite parts of this practice is how it naturally creates connection. I love when friends reach out to tell me their word; there’s something sacred about witnessing someone else’s intention for the year. It opens conversations that feel hopeful and supportive, not competitive. There’s no comparison. No right or wrong word. Just shared curiosity about how the year might unfold.
If you’re standing at the edge of a new year feeling unsure about resolutions or tired of starting over, consider this: maybe you don’t need a plan… maybe you need a word. Sit quietly, listen gently, and let it come. Then allow that word to guide you, not as a rulebook, but as a companion.
Because when you let your word lead the way, the year doesn’t feel like something you have to conquer. It feels like something you get to experience.
This year, I’m choosing to live with openness, curiosity, and sparkle, letting life surprise and dazzle me while meeting each day with intention. After all, there’s something magical about stepping into a new year when you allow yourself to be led by a single, meaningful truth.
Here’s to a new year where we trust the process, follow the nudge, and let our lives in big ways and small, dazzle us. Then let your word lead the way.
xo, Sheryl
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