One Word creates clarity, power, passion and life-change. The simple power of One Word is that it impacts all six dimensions of your life – mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial. Simply put, One Word sticks. There is a word meant for you and when you find it, live it, and share it, your life will become more rewarding and exciting than ever. –https://getoneword.com/

For several years, as a New Year’s Eve activity, I’ve asked everyone in my family to share their One Word for the coming year. The words everyone chooses provide guidance, inspiration, and direction for the coming year. I didn’t think up the idea of One Word. In fact several websites (and a book) that are listed in the resources below are dedicated to the activity.

I remind everyone a week or two before New Year’s to start thinking of their words. This year, I sent a message in our family’s group text (“Anyone want to pick ONE WORD for 2025?”) with this link to subscribe to a series of five emails that help you select your one word.

Around the dinner table on New Year’s Eve, we each share our One Word. We say the word, why we picked it, what it means to us, and how we plan to apply our word. I absolutely love hearing each family member’s thoughtful explanation of the word they picked. Their explanations have become more and more insightful and self-aware as they have matured into adulthood.

The great thing about choosing One Word, rather than a long list of resolutions or goals, is that the word can be easily remembered and referred back to throughout the year. You can post your one word as a reminder on your bathroom mirror, in your car, on your computer desktop, etc. It can serve as a reminder of your intention for the year.

I’ve been picking one word for my year since 2017, when I chose my inaugural word to be BREATHE.  Other words I’ve picked include Pray, Light, Abide, Presence, Focus, and Peace. You can likely see the trend of areas I’m working on to be my best self. I’ve continued to pick words that are aspirational and that describe who I want to be as a wife, mom, friend, and leader. 

You can also do a craft or activity around your one word on New Year’s Eve! Jon Gordon (Get One Word)  talks about each of his family members painting their one word. I’m thinking about cross stitching mine onto a bookmark this year, since that’s one of my current favorite crafts. Over the years, I’ve had family members and friends give me necklace pendants and mugs with my word on it. It’s fun to know your family and friends’ words so you can create or give them items with their word on them. My daughter Meredith used her lettering skills to make each of our words for us the first year we did the activity. 

How to pick your One Word

You don’t need to subscribe to the email series to figure out your one word. These are some simple steps:

Step 1: Determine the kind of person you want to become.

Step 2: Identify the characteristics of that person.

Step 3: Pick a word.

Another helpful resource I found was the One Word Action Plan that encourages answering these three questions:

What do I need?

What’s in my way?

What needs to go?

According to oneword365, “[Your One Word] stands to inspire how you want to live. Think about who you want to be, and choose a word that will help you become that.

The same website encourages us not to overthink our word and to pick a word that’s meaningful for us, not one that we want to sound good to other people.

Are you going to pick One Word for 2025? I’d LOVE to hear what your word is and why you picked it. I’d also love to hear your stories if you do the One Word activity at work or with your family! I’ll share my word on Instagram after New Year’s.

Resources & Related Posts