My word for 2019
There I was merrily asking people on my Instagram feed (@life.work.balanced) to come up with a word for 2019 and little did I realise that committing to just one word, to last a whole year, would send me into a spin. Luckily I found one that I love.
Well this has been really hard.
Well done to those who just knew.
I loved getting a tiny insight into other people’s dreams. We had ‘kindness’, ‘faith’, ‘brave’, 'share', 'try' and 'equanimity'. I admit I had to ask what the last one meant and have been enlightened. Someone also submitted believe and that is where my own story begins.
My first instinct was 'believe'. But when I really gave it some thought I realised I was already a believer. I believe in myself and my abilities and in the coaching process. I believe that I can achieve whatever I set my mind to, I just need the tools to make it happen. So if not believe, then what?
When I did https://yearcompass.com/ my words for 2018 were 'fulfilled', 'loved', 'organised'. So, whatever I landed on needed to evolve from there.
Maybe 'brave'. Or was I just copying because, let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be that little bit braver? But I think I’m quite a brave person. I’ll say yes when others say no. This year I found myself standing in a room full of strangers talking passionately about growth mindset and all because I was brave and put myself out there. 'Brave' is a good word but I don’t think it’s mine this year.
I was then listening to Richard Reed, formally of Innocent and now of Jam Jar Investments, talking on a podcast about what all small businesses need and he mentioned 'ambition' along with 'altruism'. Do I need to be ambitious this year? Of course I do. I want my coaching business to grow. I want to be in demand. I want to fill what time I have with fulfilling work. Ambition. Ambitious. But to have it as a word to sum up my whole year didn’t sit well. It didn’t feel very ‘me’. It went on the reject pile.
As did 'emerge', 'create' and 'cultivate'. All great words. Just not me for 2019.
I needed something more ambitious (!) that was a more active word that would inspire me and spur me on and would become part of my language and mindset. A word that would excite me as much in January as it would in October.
It was my husband who suggested 'achieve'. But it made me feel like I was filling in an appraisal. That led to a very simple 'do'. And then 'proactive'. And 'exceed'. Now we were getting somewhere.
I really liked 'exceed'. As in exceed expectations. My own and those of my clients.
And 'excel'. But didn’t want the year to be connected to a spreadsheet. I really hate spreadsheets.
So from here I landed on 'shine'. And it’s stuck.
How it's going to work for me is below the big shiny image...
There are a few definitions…
To give out a bright light – I want to radiate everything that I now stand for. To live a successful, balanced and fulfilled life that I am in control of. To be 100% myself 100% of the time.
To be very talented and perform well – I will learn more about coaching and myself to be a better version of myself. I want to be the best coach I can be.
So my word for 2019 is 'shine'.
I’ll leave you with some pop lyrics.
Take That said it well.
So, come on, oh, come on, get it on
Don't know what you're waiting for
Your time is coming don't be late, hey hey
So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.
And as did Rhianna sang.
So shine bright tonight you and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
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