2022 Word of the Year: Less. “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hofmann
Happy New Year! I have always loved January with the promise of a new beginning.
I have been choosing a word of the year since 2013. My word helps me focus on an over-arching theme to help guide my year.
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2022 Word of the Year
Last week I finished setting my goals for this year with the help of my Powersheets. One of the pages of the prep work is to choose a word of the year.
The word I chose for this year is LESS. This may seem like a strange word to pick. Like, who would want less from their life? But let me explain.
“Less but better”
Dieter Rams
What Hasn’t Worked in the Past
I suffer from depression, anxiety, and perfectionism. This results in a lot of all or none thinking on my part.
Imagine, go big or go home. But the fear and self-doubt creep in all too easily go big seems too hard, so go home it is! Actually, it is more like lay under the covers and pretend it will all somehow magically fix itself.
I know little by little progress works. I have done it and used it in my own life with great success. But somehow, for the really big goals, the truly important ones, I somehow doubt the process.
These are the goals that are going to matter in 10, 20, and 50 years. Taking care of my health, nurturing my family, my marriage, and my friendships, and growing my business.
Making my health a priority will likely be a goal for the rest of my life. Yet somehow I feel like if I don’t change everything that is wrong RIGHT NOW, then why bother?
I know if I had stuck with my little goals for each day, week, and month in 2021 I would be in a completely different place with my health. But 2021 was a doozy for me, as I think it was for a lot of us. I didn’t even write a post about my word of the year for last year – wellness. These last two years have been filled with a lot of challenges.
What I am Doing is Not Working
Somehow because these big goals are SO important I can’t give them the attention they deserve. That is fear, taking hold.
I busy myself with less important tasks, and then beat myself up for not doing the truly important work.
I know this about myself, yet it is so hard to change. Depression can wreak havoc with your brain actually telling you the truth. It is such a distorted view that can so easily become your reality.
But I want to change. I need to change. By doing less.
Shown: Cultivate What Matters Powersheets | Simplified by Emily Ley Daily Planner
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
Hans Hofmann
Last Year, In a Nutshell
My usual month goes something like this. Create my tending list (the monthly goal-setting page in the Powersheets).
I am ready to go. I am inspired!
RELATED: How I Set Goals
Then, I have a bad day and can’t get to all the things I need to do. Then the next day, I beat myself up for not getting things done yesterday, and now I can’t possibly find the energy to do anything today. And the cycle repeats, over and over.
And maybe I will have a few good days, but overall I lose steam and motivation because my negative brain tells me not to bother.
The next month starts and I feel a renewed sense of motivation and purpose, but now I also feel like I am behind. Behind on all the things I didn’t complete perfectly the month before.
So instead of only working on my goals from the previous month, I add all those things to my to-do list, plus more because I should be further along by now. And since I have created an unrealistic set of tasks I am immediately set up to fail before I even start.
And this continues each month, until October when the holidays start, and then I say screw all of it, because who the heck has the time now?
New Year, Same Me?
So once again, it is January. I am starting with a fresh set of Powersheets, but I know I need to do things differently.
I need to accept the present. All of me. This is who I am.
I can’t go back and re-do the things I didn’t do. And I need to give myself the grace to let those things go. Slow progress is still progress and I need to trust the process. Little by little does grow great things.
You can read about my previous year’s words and why I chose them below:
2013 Focus | 2014 Happy | 2015 Create | 2016 Do | 2017 Balance | 2018 Simplify | 2019 Change | 2020 Finish | 2021 Wellness
Cultivate What Matters brought back their pretty gold foil word of the year card with the purchase of a yearly Powersheets planner. I keep mine posted on my corkboard above my desk so I can see it every day.
“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
Socrates
So tell me, do you choose a word of the year? If you do, I would love to know what word you chose in the comments.
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Mohamed Hashi says
Laura, your choice of ‘LESS’ as the word of the year resonates with me. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, doing less can mean achieving more in terms of quality and personal satisfaction. Your honesty about your struggles and how you’re addressing them is truly inspiring. It’s a great lesson in focusing on what’s truly important and letting go of the rest. Thanks for sharing your journey and insights!
Laura Silva says
You’re welcome! It definitely helps to know we are not along in our struggles.
Laura
Shirl Lundstrom says
I really love your word of the year. Thank you for your story and how your word came about. I just may have to “borrow” your word for my year. Love it.