Word of the Year 2021

Like so many people I spend this last week of the year reflecting and journaling on my experiences from this past year. I also use this week to come up with a quality for the coming year. It’s a practice of powerful intention setting where you choose a quality that you want to focus on cultivating in the coming year.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is the part of your brain that decides what information, from the millions of stimuli you receive, gets filtered into your conscious mind. By setting an intention, you’re priming your RAS to look out for this quality.

I’ve settled on my word for 2021 – it is Authenticity. For me, this means showing up as I am, inviting all aspects of myself to the table – sharing vulnerably and honestly. I am committed to figuring out what authentic leadership looks like for me.

I know many people also do this practice. Some questions to reflect on to help you choose: What do you want more of in your life in the new year? What areas do you struggle in and want to focus on? The quality you come up with shouldn’t feel like a “have to” but something that you really are excited to focus on.