Theme words are not resolutions or goals. They are much more simple and realistic. They are simply the theme you want to see in your year. Then from there, you make small choices each month to see the word manifested.
We have shared this exercise on the blog and social media for 4 years now. And each year I am so inspired and blessed to see others join in and pick their theme words for a more intentional year ahead.
REFLECT ON YOUR 2022 THEME WORD
Before you look ahead, I want to encourage you to look back. If you had a theme word in 2022, look back over each month and see how your theme word manifested itself because of your actions or based on blessings and circumstances outside of your control.
If you did not have a theme word, this exercise is helpful in choosing your 2023 theme word.
When I look back at each month, I look at it from an individual perspective and a team/business perspective.
As an individual, I write personal and professional accomplishments, lessons learned, experiences, opportunities, successes, failures/loss, and relationships formed or developed. The items listed don't all have to be happy, positive blessings. There are things that I am thankful for that happened that were hard or challenging that opened doors or taught me something.
From a business perspective, we listed every project, opportunity, partnership and client. We reflected on how it went, what we learned, and how we can do more of what worked well and improve on what was less than ideal. We aren't looking for a perfect list on each month. We are looking for themes, lessons, and perspective.
If you haven’t already, download this reflection calendar and look back at each month of 2022.
3 SECRETS TO A THEME WORD
No matter what word you pick for 2023, there are 3 things you have to do...
You have to want it.
You have to write it down somewhere where you will see it daily.
You have to tell someone your word.
I encourage you to be realistic and pick something that fits with your life this year. Don't pick TRAVEL if you are paying off debt, or having a baby, or finishing grad school. Pick the word SAVE or FAMILY or FOCUS instead. Look at what your year holds already and pick a theme that will help you live and work intentionally.
30 THEME WORDS
Here are some ideas to get your creative, reflective juices flowing! Each of these 30 words will mean something different to each of you. If it speaks to you, ask yourself why? If it doesn’t, it isn’t your word.
5 STEPS TO YOUR THEME WORD
Reflect on your 2022 theme word or year. How was it manifested? What did you learn from 2022?
Allow yourself quiet time and space over a few days to decide on a word. Write down any options that come to mind and google their definition. Once you pick a word, write it down and the definition that speaks to you.
Write how it will affect your year. How do you want it to change or impact your year?
List 3 small, realistic, actionable things you will do this year because of this theme word.
Tell or text someone your word. These things don’t work without accountability.
BONUS: Let me (Eloise) know your word by messaging me on Instagram, Facebook, or posting it (tag me so I see it). If I know your word, I can encourage you.
SHARE YOUR THEME WORD
For my Instagram Lovers: @eloisedesignco (there is an IG Story in our "2023 Theme" Highlight category you can customize for your stories!).
For my Facebook Lovers: @eloisedesignco (comment in our post or tag us in your post). For my private Followers: Email eloise@eloisedesignco.com.
ELOISE’S THEME WORDS
2022 was a year of change and my theme word was UNCOMFORTABLE. I knew that I would be making decisions that would create change and transition. And transition is always (small or large) uncomfortable. And I can report that it was! Personally, we bought a historic home to renovate on New Years Eve. Talk about change! Professionally, we refined the business, grew the team, shifted roles, and changed our services. This aligned with my uncomfortable word but also our team theme word, which was FOCUS.
BUT it is truly incredible to see how a theme word manifests itself. How you can see it playing out in your year if you pick a word that is aligned with the season of life you are in and the goals you have for yourself.
Each year I pick one theme word for my personal/professional life and one for the business. I also encourage our team to pick a theme word so we can encourage each other to be intentional about the year ahead.
Personal/Professional Theme Word: Voice
This year I have been praying a lot about what phase we are moving into now that we have had a year of focus. If you give yourself some time to noodle on your theme word, it's interesting how you will have conversations, hear podcast episodes, listen to a talk, or read something on social media, and you realize there is a theme. For me, it kept coming back to the word “voice”. I believe in 2023, I will be using my voice more than ever. I will be launching a podcast for our program, beingwell. I will be teaching and training small businesses more than ever. And I will continue to teach and speak as I have always done in my career. But this year, it won’t be the thing I do when I have time. Or when someone asks me to. I will be intentional about planning and inviting others to listen. I will create the opportunities to teach, train, consult, and speak. And as with every year, I will be surprised by the way that my theme word will be manifested. In ways I didn’t expect or plan. I am excited!
Business Theme Word: Go
Now that we have leaned into the word FOCUS for one full year. It is time to now GO. Not that we are leaving the area or not serving our small business and non-profit clients. But we are ready to GO FORWARD. We are ready to get to work on the things we have been dreaming about. We are ready to get going! So this year is about speeding up in the areas of our focus.
Here we go!
Cheers to the new year and our theme words!
If you need more inspirational content for this year, follow our sister company, beingwell, on Facebook and Instagram.
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