2022 Phrase of the Year
TL;DR;
In the last few years, a trend has emerged to select a “word of the year” (or an intention or a phrase) that you then keep at the forefront of your mind as you make your way through a new year. When I first encountered this trend, I liked the idea but I didn’t put any discipline behind it (to no one’s surprise). I may have selected a word, but it had drifted out of my mind by January 10th never to be thought of again.
Last year, I did my normal thing where I tried to do too much. I was struggling to find a single word that I wanted to use. Similar to my issues with selecting too many goals at once, I was trying to decide on too many words at once. I knew I really wanted some big changes in my life, a reinvention if you will, so I had the word “Rebuild”. I also wanted to focus on what brought me joy after so much time “staying at home” in 2020 and trying to establish what was really important to me. I also wanted to kick my butt into gear and get things done, so I picked “Action” as well.
What do I do when I have three words but really want one simple idea? Well, instead of pairing them down, I built a phrase, of course! I turned those words into the phrase “Rebuild into joy through action” and used that as my phrase of the year. Wow, what a mouthful. Needless to say, it didn’t stick too well.
I did finally find a way to keep the phrase at the top of my mind. In my Toodledo task management system, I created a daily task with that phrase. It repeated daily, so I would read it at least once, cross it off, and then it would appear on my list the next day. This worked well, but it still didn’t give me much of an intention to follow.
This year, when my Toodledo year task came up to start planning my “word of the year”, I knew I needed to make it even more simple. I liked the idea of a phrase, but the “rebuild into joy through action” didn’t really resonate with me and didn’t click in my head. This caused me to forget about it most of the time unless I was crossing it off of my task list.
When I was brainstorming my word/phrase of the year for 2022, I knew I needed something that matched the following criteria:
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Catchy, something that could be a daily mantra and stick in my brain
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Motivating, an idea that would cause me to get up and get moving, which would apply whether I’m trying to get things done or do something joyful
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General, that I could apply in every area of my life
Finally, I settled on a phrase that I found through the work of Mel Robbins. Mel developed the idea of counting down “5-4-3-2-1” whenever you have an idea to take action and then just doing it. Instead of giving your brain time stop you or to make you hesitate, you count down and go. If you have a great idea and you need to take action on it but you hesitate, this gives your brain time to talk you out of it and stop you from doing it. Instead, distract your brain by counting down and then move. If you haven’t heard of Mel or her book The 5 Second Rule, please go find it and read it (and follower her online).
This phrase really resonated with me when I read her book. I hesitate all the time. When I need to speak up in front of a group, I hesitate. When I am in a meeting at work and I have an idea but I’m not sure about it, I hesitate. When I know I need to dust my living room but I’m sitting on the couch and comfy, I hesitate. In so many situations I hesitate when I know I need to take action, and then I don’t take that action.
I selected the “5-4-3-2-1” countdown as my phrase, and then I decided to tack on an extra phrase of “Get it done” at the end. So when I’m hesitating during this year, whether it’s at work or to do something I find joyful, I will use this phrase to count down and get to it.
For example, I have been using this phrase for over a month now. I have found myself in so many situations where it has helped me. At work, I have a habit of not volunteering my voice unless I absolutely have to. Multiple times in a meeting, someone has asked “Who wants to go first?” Previously, I would have NEVER gone first. NEVER. However, since adopting this mantra, I immediately volunteer. I always feel so amazing afterwards when I’ve stepped up like that.
I even use this countdown at home. In one of my previous posts I described how I am following the Declutter 365 program that has daily decluttering tasks for a whole year. I have found myself at the end of the day or week with tasks left to finish and (seemingly) no energy to do it. Instead of thinking about how tired I am or about all the reasons why I should put them off until tomorrow, I count down 5-4-3-2-1 and I get started on the tasks immediately. If I don’t think too much about it and just start moving, I overcome the procrastination and get what I need done.
When I found myself purging spices on a Friday night after I had used 5-4-3-2-1 to get myself up off my chair, I knew it was finally starting to get into my brain.
Do you have a Word of the Year or maybe a phrase that you are using this year? How are you doing with remembering to use it? Do you keep it front and center?
