What's the difference between a New Year's Resolution and a word of the year?
Your word of the year can be life-changing. Of course, there is nothing special about the word itself. Just like a New Years resolution, the power is not in the word but in the actions that accompany it.
You might be asking:
What’s the difference between a New Year’s Resolution and a word of the year?
A New Years Resolution
A New Year resolution is a promise that you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the year:
For example, “Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?” “Yes, I’m going to eat more healthily and give up smoking.” (Cambridge Dictionary). And of course, a New years resolution can be excellent! But usually, what starts off as a great idea can often end up feeling rigid and restrictive and therefore, ditched after a few months.
A Word or Phrase of the Year
I’d describe a word of the year as a scripture or faith-based theme that flows through and influences your life throughout the year. It’s like a chord that links areas of your life together and brings about faith-based intentionality, and focuses your decision-making and underlying behaviours. It’s a word or value that speaks to the physical, the heart, mind and soul. It should inspire personal growth.
I first discovered the idea of having a personal word of the year before I knew it was even a real thing. Around New Year’s Eve, we’d go to church and pastors, prophets and preachers would announce what God has been speaking to them about on behalf of the church. They would then say what the ‘word of the year’ or the theme or scripture would be for the church the following year and then we’d pray the New Year in.
I remember being at home one NYE and staying home with the family. I read a scripture that spoke to me and knew that would be a personal word of the year. The family and I prayed the New Year in. That scripture guided me so much in my life the following year.
I later discovered that this was a thing and thousands chose a personal word of the year. That was over 10 years ago and I’ve had a word of the year ever since.
How do You Choose Your Word of the Year?
This might change year on year. This is really uncomplicated and tends to come through quite a natural process after doing to for several years. If this is your first year, I’ll share some steps you can follow to discover your word of the year:
1. Goal or Purpose-Orientated Word of the Year
You may have a mission on your heart for 2020 – maybe God’s calling you to step out in faith and do something new or expand a project. Depending on what it is, you might want to choose your word of the year to help you focus on that. For example:
Conquer
Inspired
Action
Lead-her-ship
Faith
Purpose
Embrace
Goal-digger
Bold
Unlimited
Thrive
Accomplish
Able
2. When prayerfully reflecting on the last year, is there a topic that has repeatedly cropped up?
For example, you may feel like you are at burnout point now due to being super busy, you may look at words like:
Rest
Grace
Self-care
Whole
Balanced
Flow
Simplified
Intentional
Refresh
Renewal
3.i) Choose a scripture of the year –
What does God’s word say? Look at scriptures about the topic you have selected in step number 2 and have that as your scripture of the year:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake” – Psalm 23:2-3
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Matthew 11:29
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
“I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me” Psalms 3:5
3.ii) You can combine step 2 or your chosen scripture from step 3i into a word of the year or a phrase of the year
Whole Restoration
Rhythms of Grace
Self-care & gentleness
Less is More
He Restores
God Leads Me
In His Presence
Self-compassion
Soulful-Rest
Intentionally Still
Be Still & Know
You can follow steps 2, 3i & 3.ii for any topic that stands out to you.
4. Has God been speaking to you about an area of your life that needs to change for the better?
If you’ve identified an area of improvement or change you don’t want to choose the negative word as your word for the year, you want to choose the positive opposite to motivate you and help you dig deeper and draw closer to God, For example:
5. Read the Holy Bible
When reading your Bible, is there a recurring theme or a thought that keeps popping up in your mind and touching your heart?
Maybe you haven’t paid attention, but look back now and think about any recurring themes that came to your mind during your Bible reading time. What Bible story or verse resonated with you the most? That might help you find a theme for the year ahead and your word of the year.
If you do Bible journaling, look through the notes on your pages and your theme might become more apparent.
Maybe you’ve lost the zeal to read your Bible and reading the Bible more is something you plan to start in the New Year, but why wait. Grab your Bible now, dig in and hear what God has to say through His Holy word. There’s no reason why we can’t dive in today!
6. Prayer
During prayer, God often speaks to us. Pray and ask God if there is something specific for your life in the next season that He’d like you to focus or lean into. Align your word of the year with what the Holy Spirit says.
7. Developing a Spiritual Practice
You may have realised there’s a spiritual habit in your spiritual life that is lacking. Perhaps it’s prayer or thanksgiving or fasting, reading your Bible, or attending fellowship. Whatever it is, you may wish to choose a word of the year that’ll help you encompass the change you want to make and the habit you wish to develop to spend more time in God’s presence. Look at words like:
Submit
Devotion
Well-Watered
Dig Deeper
Jesus First
Deeper Dive
Grace-Laced
Gratitude
Living Water
Priorities
Surrender
Daily Bread
Intimacy
And if none of the 7 ideas above work for you, pop over to DaySpring.com for a 2020 word quiz
Helpful Things to Remember
Here are some key things to remember:
- A word of the year or phrase of the year is personal to you.
- It’s between you and God. You don’t have to share it with anyone.
- You don’t have to choose one on Jan 1st! Sometimes it will come to you before Jan 1st, and sometimes months after. That’s completely ok, don’t rush the process. Last year I didn’t know my word of the year until after the New Year. However, I already know my word for 2020!
- Have fun and have faith. This idea of a word of the year is to motivate and encourage you to focus on what is important in this season of your life. To help you get inline with what you hear God saying to you.
- My hubby and I had a word of the year for our marriage last year, it was ‘submit’. And we had a great time exploring it. You can apply it to other areas of your life.
- You can change it at any time! My word of the year for 2019 took on new meaning as we approached the end of the year. As God spoke to me, things evolved, and that too is ok. It’s a journey and a journey will take you to different places. You can read about it here
I put alot of thought into my word this year… I chose mindfullness… it can be taken so many different ways but mainly will be self-care. Such a nice post!
I love this post. So inspiring. I didn’t realize it until I read your article but when I made my “resolutions” this year, but I somehow picked both a word and a verse…..and they both correlate. My resolutions are ” mindfulness” and I want to do as Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
These are some great words! I love how you suggest taking time to discover your word for the new year. Really makes it a more natural process.
I’ve never heard of picking a WOTY and I just love the concept. ‘Self-care’ and ‘balanced’ immediately jumped out at me. Thanks for sharing!
I love the way that you streamline this process to help all different people to find something that speaks to them. I’ve never tried a word of the year before, but feel emboldened by this post to do so. Honestly I think I’ll need quite a few.
This year I have more than one word, I like to think of it as a long-tailed keyword haha or perhaps a motto. In the end, each of the words I have chosen will help me to be a better person. Thank you for this great post and so man ideas, I love your inspirational list ideas!
I don’t have another process and have not chosen my word(s) for the year yet but I like your suggestions!
Accomplished and self care seems to jump out at me. Thank you for the post and list of words…what a great way of guiding others.
This post walked me through the process and right into my word for 2020. ACCOMPLISH. Isaiah 46:9-10. Bless you!
Love this. I find my word just comes to be based on my actions but I love how you’ve asked questions to inspire thought around it!
My word for this forthcoming year is “Dream”, last year was “Connected” and the year before “Adventure” ……..all of those are still carried forward. Exciting times.
I have high respect to people like you and I don’t get to speak nor meet many in this entire universe. I can tell that you appreciate “God” (Yahweh) and His Savior Son “Jesus” (Yahshua) and I’m truly happy for you. Don’t stop now searching for the truth cause you’re getting closer to the Kingdom. Keep it up!
I love this post! I’ve chosen the word cultivate for the year, to focus on making the most of what I already have- my family and my homestead. I would like to figure out a verse that would go with that. reply if you have any ideas for me!
This will be my 2nd year with a WOTY, 2019 was “intentional”. I’m happy with how I showed up on this! This year is “focused”, and I’m allllll about it!
Lead – Her – Ship is ingenious! I love it. Thanks so much for sharing. May you have a happy and prosperous New Year!
Love how you mention the importance of reading God’s Word and prayer! Thank you for sharing =)
I absolutely love this concept. I think it is much more beneficial than a resolution because it easily adapts to all areas of your life. I’m even more excited because you mention using a word for your marriage. Great list of suggested words as well.
Joy. I feel like God’s done loads in my life the past few years and brought me to a place that I never thought I’d get to… but it wasn’t without a lot of tutting, sighing and rolling my eyes! I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life, and in 2020, I want to make in obvious in everything I do without even having to say a word.
I love how you have all of the suggestions on how to basically pick a theme for the year. I don’t think some people realize how important that is, I have had a little bit of tough year and just last week I came across a phrase that would represent what I want 2020 to be.
Such a great post. I love the idea of a word of the year and a scripture of the year.