My word for 2021
2020 was a rough year, but it was also a year of personal growth for me. Considering what happened next, it probably was serendipitous that I didn’t choose a word for 2020, but I’ve decided to return to the idea in 2021 to help me plan an interesting year.
Ah 2020. Through lockdowns, my first year of marriage, and chipping away at some creative dreams, I learnt more about myself and how I operate in what ended up being a rough and tumultuous year. 2020 forced many of us to stay at home, to reduce the literal and figurative noise in our lives. For me, it ended up providing a space to think about what really mattered to me when so much of my everyday was reduced or taken away. I didn’t choose a word to focus on last year – it may not have been so applicable by March when New Zealand went into lockdown – but I’ve decided to return to the idea in 2021. Why? Well, I felt like I needed a launchpad. 2020 was full of disruptions and, while I’m sure this year will be no different, I’m oddly ready for the imminent changes. For someone with anxiety, 2020 was an odd experience. Rather than exacerbate my anxiety, it settled it. Here finally was the apocalyptic fear come to pass that I’d been waiting my whole life for. And for the first time it was real, not simply in my head. The source of the fear was known, tangible, unlike many of my usual worries. 2020 made the unexpected expected, the unplannable, ironically planned. I feel more ready to launch into a year with goals and expectations, maybe even because the stakes are visibly higher. So, like I said, I picked a launchpad in the shape of a word – Plant.
There’s something refreshing and hopeful about the idea of planting new things. I definitely need that lightness in my life right now when it’s easy to be caught up in the heaviness of our shared realities. A couple of years ago, I chose the word ‘Build’ as my theme and in many ways ‘Plant’ is a successor to it. In 2019, I actively strove to build a different life for myself, to change the way I thought, to create something from what felt like nothing. ‘Plant’ on the other hand is a gentler verb. It brings with it a sense of preparation, of expectation that good things will come to pass, that an investment now will yield bountiful results. I mean, what’s not to like?
In reality though, to Plant for me means to invest, to sow the seeds for something satisfying and nourishing later. In my planner, I’ve split the theme ‘Plant’ into quarterly sub-themes – Gather your materials, Prepare the ground, Sow seeds, Tend the garden. At this point in time, I’m not 100% sure what I mean by these sub-themes, but they describe a state of being and action, a pathway that I believe will help me reflect on each part of the next 12 months. For example, from January to March, I’m focusing on ‘Gather your materials.’ This encourages me to revisit my goals regularly and to check whether I have all the physical, financial, mental, emotional materials I need to achieve what I want later on in the year. It’s a small but simple step of reflection, preparation, and activation. Or at least I hope so. Watch this space.
If you’re interested in reading more about my 2019 word ‘Build’ and what a word of the year even is, you can check out that post here.
What is your word for the year? Curious minds (mine specifically) would like to know!
