Celebration… Word of the Year
A quiet and content goodbye to 2025 can be the loudest invitation to live more fully in 2026… and celebrate!
But first…
Have you ever heard of establishing a Word of the Year at the beginning of a new year?
Have you ever established one for yourself?
Establishing a Word of the Year is the practice of selecting one particular word that will serve as your motto, guide, or focus for the coming year. People go to great lengths to come up with a word that truly conveys what their intention or goal will be for themselves. Research may be employed to determine the best word; even prayer and meditation are used as guidance in selecting a word.
It is quite different from setting a New Year Resolution, a practice many of us may be more familiar with. Sometimes with resolutions, although we have the best intentions, we can create unrealistic and strict goals for ourselves that do not always foster growth and awareness. Resolutions give us a task that is to be finished, a box to be checked upon completion. When that task is not achieved, we may feel defeated and give up on that focus altogether.
In my opinion, with a Word of the Year, we have more flexibility to establish exactly what that word means for us individually. Any given word may have a completely different meaning and impact from one person to the next, and that is perfectly fine. That’s actually the beauty of it! YOU, and you alone, are in control of the interpretation and execution, in your own way and in your own time.
Now…
CELEBRATION is my Word of the Year for 2026!
“
: to say or show publicly that (someone or something) is great or important”
Merriam-Webster had several definitions for celebration, but I was intentional about choosing this specific one. That’s because it uses the work “publicly”, and that's not easy for me! Even with my line of work, working with the public, I’m still an introvert at heart. While I do share a lot of information publicly, I do not always share the little wins. But little wins matter too!:) We sometimes take small wins for granted, but they truly add up. Take a moment to think about small wins you’ve experienced. To get your mind moving in the right direction, I’ll share a few of my recent ones:
Making it to Christmas Eve church service in the midst of a changing schedule - Good for my spirit
Clearing about 1,000 photos (screen shots) from my phone - Good for my mind (and my data storage limits:/)
Remembering to take my daily vitamins - Good for my body
Confidently and kindly saying “no” when I needed to - Good for everything
Leaving my Fitbit behind at the condo where my hubby and I stayed for a weekend getaway - Good for my mind (even though I was stressed in the beginning, it’s been good to have a break from constantly stressing over the data)
Getting the opportunity to attend 3 different painting parties this season - Good for my heart (and creativity)
As I typed out these statements, I also realized that those small wins are also blessings for me. And when I think of them like that, I cannot help but celebrate and share publicly! The tiniest of wins are still wins. We do not need huge accomplishments to feel proud. Sometimes it’s the fact that you made (and finished drinking) a cup of tea, replied to one text message that you’d been dreading, or simply kept going while battling issues that no one knew about but you. You are doing better than you think, and that deserves your celebration.
According to Psychology Today, celebrating accomplishments, whether big or small, activates the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine, which boosts motivation and life satisfaction. Recognizing achievements helps solidify lessons learned and fosters a sense of progress, ultimately enhancing self-efficacy and self-esteem. Skipping celebrations can lead to increased stress and burnout, negatively impacting overall well-being.
So, with that being said, I’m wishing you the happiest of new years. My hope is that you celebrate it ALL, with ALL your might, privately and publicly! Tomorrow is not promised for any of us, so I recommend that we celebrate even the smallest wins. A WIN IS A WIN! And that’s a BLESSING!
