Like most of us, I want to be happier. Whether it’s waking
up with more spark or going to bed more satisfi ed with
my day, I want to open my life to the opportunity for greater
joy.
As such, I love to read books about happiness. My writer
pal Gretchen Rubin has written a few of those, and in one of
them she recommends a small, powerful idea that has taken
hold to become a big, strong force in my own life.
Th at idea is to choose a word each and every year
that represents the year you have in front of you. Rather,
to choose a word for your year. (Oh, and take a cue from
Gretchen: years don’t need to start in January.)
Choose one
single word that imbues the type of year you wish to have,
one word that can serve as a guidepost for what you want in
the season to come. A singular word you can always harken back to in moments of darkness and doubt. One word that
informs your decisions, crystalizes your passions and priorities,
and embodies you—the new you!—in the months
ahead.
Depending on the type of year you seek, there are many
words that can do the trick. Words like Move, Pause, Breathe,
Dance, Less, Family, Health,
