Word of the Year

Do you pick a word of the year? I can’t recall where I first picked up the practice. I don’t choose one every year. It’s one of those things that comes to me, or it doesn’t, and I’d never want to force something like that. 

For 2021, it jumped right out at me:

I had some goals for 2020 that no longer made sense in the context of a pandemic. I could consider them a fail, or I could reset. I’m an achievement-oriented person, so this was a hard, necessary truth to accept.

This year looks similarly uncertain. How do you plan without all of the information? The best you can do is have a Plan A, a Plan B, and then some guiding principles for pivoting if/when needed. For 2021, I have some goals in mind, but a lot of flexibility for all of the unknowns. 

2) Get in a state of flow. 
I love those moments when I get lost in my work. Focused, absorbed, losing track of time. And the feeling if fulfillment that comes after uninterrupted, productive stretches.

I am vowing to set myself up to get in a flow state. That means less checking emails in the middle of work blocks and setting aside time for side projects that I really enjoy. 

If you have a word of the year, I’d love to hear about it!