With just three weeks left in 2019, I am beginning the process of reviewing my year. Reflecting on my word of the year, assessing what worked for me, revisiting challenges, evaluating lessons learned. And, of course, selecting my word of the year for 2020.

This year, my word of the year (or WOTY) was plenitude. Why? Great question! What I truly wanted was abundance but, of course, I couldn’t bring myself to be greedy about it. So, I settled. Thinking it was the noble thing to do. And, honestly, I am feeling a bit like it may have backfired on me.

Plenitude, very simply, is abundance but without the excess. It is completeness. I like to think of it as enough.

Plenitude, for me, was a very safe choice for my 2019 WOTY because, if I really think about it, I have always had enough. I have always been enough. This word choice allowed a sameness, a maintenance of sorts. It did not invite in what I really wanted or needed. It certainly did not embrace upleveling in any way, shape, or form.

And yet, almost a year ago, I declared that my 2019 intentions were:

• Creating more fun with my family – we are always running in so many different directions, the four of us spend very little time together.
• Walking the dog more – our almost one-year-old pup went through a major pulling stage but with the help of a trainer we are making huge progress.
• Learning (really learning) how to do yoga – I received my first yoga mat for Christmas and I have purchased the six-class SHE RECOVERS YOGA with Taryn Strong video series.
• Eating foods that heal vs. hurt my body – I still tend to over carb, over caffeinate, over dairy, and over sugar in times of crisis and I want to remember to fuel my body, even during the tough times.
• Helping coaching clients achieve their goals – my passion is working with women who want to remove alcohol from their lives and discover the best versions of themselves.
• Writing more – I no longer want to let ideas for blog posts and book chapters sit lifeless on sticky notes or as incomplete thoughts I email to myself or leave in the notes app on my phone.
• And, finally, deciding what to do with my hair. I’m way overdue for color right now and, again, wondering if it’s time to embrace the grey.

Almost all of these intentions required me to uplevel in some way. But, I had settled on being enough and I held back from shifting into the right energy to continue infusing these intentions with enough inspiration to turn them from visions into reality.

In 2019, I helped several women break up with alcohol. Today, I have clients celebrating sobriety day counts like 302, 271, 202, 189, 67, 44, 12, and so many more. I am immensely honored they have invited me to walk beside them on their alcohol free journeys and I am beyond proud of the incredible work they have each done.

And, I made a decision about my hair color. Thanks to the support of a beautiful sober sister who is also an extremely talented hair artist, I stopped coloring and have embraced the silver that is emerging. This incredible woman not only welcomed my desire to “go grey,” she encouraged me and is my constant cheerleader.

The rest of the stuff on my list still isn’t where I imagine it can be. I have more to do. And, that’s where my WOTY for 2020 comes in.

No, it’s not abundance.

For 2020, my word of the year is EMPOWER.

Beginning with myself, I will focus on only that which empowers me; not just what serves me but what truly empowers me. I will empower others. I spent too much time this year giving my power away. Not harnessing it. Questioning it. Turning my back on it. Refusing to trust it. I realize I cannot possibly experience abundance without empowering myself to receive it.

So, why have a word of the year?

Selecting and committing to honoring a word of the year is an alternative to making a New Year’s Resolution (or several resolutions). Picking a word allows you to create a focus that serves as your guide as you set intentions around the goals you want to achieve.

I much prefer to set intentions than make resolutions. To me, resolutions are too close to goals. Goals are things you want to achieve in the future. They are outside of you. Specific. Intentions are right where you are. They live in the present. Within you. And, while intentions can certainly help you achieve goals by helping you remain focused, they exist independently from goals. Intentions are what allow you to create the energy of success and enjoy the journey to your goal or goals.

For example: my word for 2020, empower, is what I have decided will guide my intentions and my energy and be my constant reminder to focus on my power – what kind I want and how I will use it to achieve my goals around health (physical and mental) and nutrition, growing my business, honoring our family spending plan, and serving others.

This year, my word was a noun. Something to obtain. Something to possess. Next year, my word is a verb. Something to do. An action to take. An energy to create. It feels like such a good fit; I am starting right now.

What word will you choose?

Not sure how to find one that works for you?

Click HERE to get your FREE copy of my WOTY Workbook.