Activity 74: One Word

If you could condense your 2024 New Year’s Resolution into just one word, what would that word be? What would you like to explore more or reflect on in the new year? How could one word offer a lens for this journey?

The idea is not mine: it comes from OneWord365 community where people would come and share their resolutions and word choices at the beginning of a year, and then reflections at the end of the year. You could see people with the same word, and exchange your progress and insights as the year unfolded. The website is on pause now, but as the introduction says, it does not mean that we can’t continue choosing a word and seeing where it leads us.

I learned this idea from a colleague about 10 years ago. Between then and now, I tried this approach with the following words: 

• 2014: Attention
• 2016: Kindness
• 2018: Curiosity
• 2020: Focus 
• 2021: Playfulness
• 2022: Energy
• 2023: Freedom

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

To me, the experience has been rewarding and exciting. I can’t say I was ever disciplined to do regular reflections or take notes on the word, however, it did bring focus when I needed it. I must say it was especially useful when life seemed to ‘go wrong’ in so many ways: with the pandemic in 2020 or the war in 2022-2023. At the beginning of 2022, for example, by ‘energy’ I meant a productive state of body and mind, an ability to be efficient and effective in how I spend time and communicate with others. Instead, my word helped me notice how to find and manage energy (physical, emotional, intellectual), and how to choose activities that give energy but do not drain you out. This way, I discovered the role of doodling, sketching, drawing, and painting, and noticed the additional value of running long distances. I am aware that some of these insights look obvious or trivial, but as they are a result of ‘lived experience’, they are important to me. I am grateful to the word ‘Energy’ for leading me towards the Art Therapy Course. 

My 2023 word was Freedom. I chose it for many reasons and wanted to learn more about the concept at various levels: philosophy, law (as in Human Rights), culture (Ukraine and abroad, ‘Eastern and Western’ understanding), art, etc. It may be a whole new post, or… it is too personal to share. I can say that I started with ‘freedom from’ idea, and gradually came to ‘freedom to’: freedom to choose, make a decision, take responsibility, act, think, speak. I am grateful to the word Freedom for guiding me towards the Logotherapy and Existential Analysis Course I started two months ago. 

Not surprisingly, my word for 2024 is Meaning. According to Victor Frankl, the founder of this school of psychotherapy, the search for meaning in life is the primary motivation in human beings.  

As promised in the title, this idea can be turned into a classroom activity (‘It’s in (Y)Our Hands’ series): students outline their hand and write the word they choose in the middle of the mind map. Then, for each finger, they think of an area or a question they could focus on in connection with this word. Some more space can be left for future insights about the experience. Also, not all five fingers can be filled with ideas: actually, it is even better if there are 2-3 empty areas so that the word could ‘teach’ us something very new and unexpected. Having done this for several years now, I learned to trust my word and how it can bring intention into my reflection. 

This can be done twice: at the beginning of the year, as a resolution/planning, and at the end, as a reflection on the past year.

Oh, and you can change the word (mid-way, if needed)! It is your life, your goals, your journey, and sometimes, the change is so big that it dictates a new word. In any case, there will be more to reflect on at the end of the year. After all, this is not a Promise to Self, but rather, a chosen destination. 

What would your word for 2024 be? Let me know in the comments if you would like to try the idea with your students, or for yourself. 

Thank you for reading! 🙂