Word of the Year with a Twist
Loriana Sekarski
Loriana Sekarski is the founder and president of BONSAI, a consulting company that transforms leaders (and businesses) into the best version of themselves. Outside of BONSAI, Loriana serves as an adjunct professor at Washington University's graduate student program. Additionally, she's fine-tuning her passion project, TakeFlight, a program that addresses domestic abuse within the Christian community.
I’m a big fan of the “word of the year” idea. It seems to be more impactful than New Year’s resolutions. It is simple and sticky. Examples can be words like wait, abide, and rest (I realize that is three words but one concept). This year I was considering the word “shed,” which can be applied to many things like distractions, stuff, unhealthy relationships, fruitless efforts, and weight.
And then it hit me…almost always, the words are focused on ourselves.
What would it look like if our word was focused on something other than us, leading us to engage with others outside our home? Words like
- Slow (Do I take time to notice people who need help?)
- Antennae (Do I keep them up for outreach opportunities?)
- Hands (Are they ready and willing to help others?)
- Salt (Am I salt in each situation?)
- Just do it (Do I push past insecurities when I feel the nudge to ask someone if I can pray for them?)
A good word selection is
- Meaningful to the person (like “radar” might resonate with a veteran and remind them of the need to be scanning their area for people who need a touch from God)
- Challenging. For me, going “slow” is difficult (my husband would say that’s an understatement) so it’s a good choice. For others, they may need to “get moving.”
Selected by the user. The person has to want to make an effort to change, or it will be as worthless as a resolution.
"You can get your small group, congregation, family, or friends to take on this challenge. Take January to think about the word, and then get moving by February!"
Take Steps to Focus on Your Word
Once you have a word, you want to keep it front and center. While a wrist tattoo is one option, these can also work:
- Create a canvas painting with your word and hang it in your bathroom (all you need is a small canvas, some acrylic paints, and a brush, and you’ve got your artwork)!
- Reflect on it each morning. Consider how your day will unfold and how you might best live out your word in each situation.
- Putting your word in a bracelet. I have a client who used the Little Words Project to be reminded throughout the day.
- Setting an alarm to remind you each day of your word and take a minute to reflect on it.
- Telling friends about your word and sending them a weekly text sharing a story of how the word was impactful.
- Putting a sticker on your laptop with that word or something to remind you of it.
You can get your small group, congregation, family, or friends to take on this challenge. Take January to think about the word, and then get moving by February! Send me your word at Loriana.Sekarski@GrowWithBONSAI.com, and I’ll check in with you on how it’s going. And I will tell you my word.