Word of the Year

As we embark on this journey into 2025, I wanted to share a special tradition that has brought me great inspiration and focus in the past – choosing a 'Word of the Year'. I’ve been doing this for about 9 years now and love looking back over the year to see how that word played out in my life (though a journal or the photo’s on my camera roll).

Some notable words I can remember off the top of my head are the year of ‘bold’ in 2015 - that was the year I learnt to ice climb (I say ‘learnt’ - I went once… had a lesson from a broad Scottish lad I could only just understand, INCREDIBLE climber - also has no fingers on one hand. I bought ice axes. We haven’t been ice climbing since. But still - it was a pretty bold thing to do!!)

The year of ‘Joy’ - that was 2016, the year our eldest was born. (I wasn’t expecting when I chose the word).

2023 was the year of ‘Calm’. As a self confessed ‘panic and freak out’ type, I really hoped that by the end of the year I would have magically transformed into the type of person who is completely unfazed by anything. That didn’t happen. But I am much more present in the calm snippets of the day. I search them out. I spent Fridays sharing a moment of calm on my Instagram stories and I loved how that pause in my day feels much more achievable.

Choosing your word of the year

There are different ways to do this.

Some people will sit down and think about their goals and intentions for the coming year and choose a word that aligns.

Some will reflect on the previous year and think about where they might want their lives to go and choose an intention.

I pray about it. Sometimes a word comes to me straight away. Sometime times it takes a little longer.

I've got two words for 2025:

Gratitude and Curiosity

Inspiration

Below I've pulled together 43 words inspired by the meanings of Nordic Runes to help you in your quest to find your word of the year.

I'd love to know if you do this, or if you will after reading about it.