Set Your New Year Intentions
How are you feeling at the turn of another new year?
While many people dive headfirst into setting new goals and resolutions as soon as the calendar turns to January 1, I advocate for a slower and more deliberate approach. In this sacred period of “new,” there are many different ways to set new intentions, but for the past six years, I have learned that adopting a word or theme for the year works best.
Narrowing my intentions into a single theme for the year ahead forces me to dig deep and uproot hidden desires.
That unearthed word or theme becomes a guide I carry throughout the year. It takes some time to reflect, think about the intention I want to set, and narrow down the 170,000 words in the English language to the ONE word though.
So, after a lot of reflection, here it is…
2024: Play
Play suggests a year loaded with imagination, levity, charm, and a sense of freedom—it’s like sneaking the magic of fun into everyday routines. But most importantly, I want to cut through the noise, try not to take things too seriously, and make time for daily delights—and I’d love for you to join me.
Ready to set your intentions for 2024?
PLANTING + CARE INSTRUCTIONS
For Your 2024 Theme Of The Year
If you’d like to pick a theme or word for 2024, the most important thing to remember is:
Don’t stress about being perfect.
Just go with what comes up—you can always adjust it.
For a dash of inspiration, here are some examples of themes I’ve used in the past:
2019: Wander. Wandering, to me, is “feeling lost in the right direction.” In 2019, I officially started career coaching and brought Flourish Careers to life. It felt right—although I had no idea what would happen.
2020: Go.All.In. This year was my first full year of solopreneurship—without corporate support. I committed to going all in.
2021: Elevate. As the number of people I served increased in 2021, confidence in my work grew—I knew I was on the right path.
2022: Cultivate. I shared the message of heart-based career planning through regular communications and expanded the micro-community. I also launched the podcast!
2023: Presence. This was a big one—read all about it on the blog or tune into the pod to hear the ups and downs (along with a few fun experiments) of my pursuit of presence.
To uncover your theme for 2024, it’s an excellent idea to Conduct a Personal Energy Audit and then consider:
+What experiences do you want to gain?
+Which relationships do you want to cultivate?
+What kinds of things do you want to learn?
Visualize yourself ONE year from now:
+What are you celebrating?
+What have you accomplished/created/become?
+What do you want to remember?
Use your responses to help select your guiding theme for 2024.
FLOURISHING NEWS
Season 4 Of The Pod Kicks Off Today!
As someone who treasures the opening and closing of seasons, I love that we are moving into our fourth season of The Flourish Careers Podcast. Not to brag or anything, but this may be the best one yet!
Season 4, Episode 1 dropped today, and it’s about how I brought my 2023 theme to life by committing to halting hamster-wheel productivity in pursuit of focusing on one thing at a time instead. It was a year of trial-and-error experimentation—I learned to make presence a daily practice.
HAND-PICKED FOR YOU
“Word Of The Year” Custom Jewelry
I love taking your word of the year and making it a wearable reminder. The Little Words Project (a woman-owned jewelry company) allows you to craft a custom bracelet of up to 13 characters.
Each bracelet has a unique code so that when you finish using it, you pass it on and watch how far your inspirational word travels.
The Gardener’s Glove
A Monthly Newsletter
Want more career wisdom? Check out these podcast episodes/blog posts!
Beyond the Office Walls: Exploring the Shift from Intrapreneurship to Entrepreneurship
Daring Decisions When You’re At A Career Crossroads
How To Craft Your Career Plan B – Without Losing Sight Of Your Goals
For more insider stories, quick tips, and #CareerTalk, I invite you to connect with me on Instagram @flourish.careers.
