My #WOTY 2024 is Freedom

Now you know what my #WOTY is from the title so no building up the suspense!

Like many, I have chosen a #WOTY for several years and I’ve always found they have helped guide my year. In most cases the word has been exactly what I needed at the time.

In the early days I would spend so much time ‘finding’ my WOTY but the last couple of years the word has presented itself to me out of the blue and I’ve just gone with my gut feeling. It has proven successful so I continued with that selection process.

A couple of months ago I was driving along and suddenly the word ‘Freedom’ came to me. The more I thought about it, the more I knew that it would be my perfect WOTY for 2024.

My #WOTY 2024 is Freedom – Why ‘Freedom’?

I decided to see what AI suggested about Freedom and I think it is pretty spot on:

Freedom can hold various meanings depending on the context in which it is applied. In the context of choosing a Word of the Year (WOTY), “Freedom” could symbolize a desire for liberation, independence, or the ability to make choices without constraints. It might represent the pursuit of personal autonomy, the release from limiting beliefs or practices, or the opportunity to explore new paths without inhibitions. Overall, “Freedom” can encompass the aspiration to live authentically and pursue endeavors aligned with one’s values and aspirations, unrestricted by external or internal constraints.

Whilst many of us are fortunate to live in countries which afford us some form of Freedom, for which I am extremely grateful, my WOTY will be more about personal discovery and reflection.

Freedom will see me striving to improve areas in life

• freedom to try new things by letting go of limiting beliefs and having faith in my ability
• freedom by being accountable to myself and my needs first
• setting boundaries to allow me the freedom to do things that bring me joy
• travel – the freedom to be more spontaneous with our travel plans – especially local travel
• freedom of my time to find balance with ‘doing’ and just ‘being’
• freedom from mental stress, worry and anxiety and taking time to keep a healthy mindset

These are just some of the ideas I have but most importantly for me it will mean:

FREEDOM TO BE MYSELF, LIVE AUTHENTICALLY AND WITHOUT EXPLANATION OR APOLOGY

An added challenge!

I had scheduled my post and was scrolling through Facebook. I came across a post from Sally Thibault a friend of mine who has chosen the same WOTY ! She has taken it a step further and set some goals for each of the letters.

I might take up this idea for more clarity in living my word so watch this space. It will be a good project to work on I think.

Previous WOTY

Each year from 2016 I’ve chosen a WOTY and I’ve usually selected my word as early as November. My previous WOTY have included:

• 2016 I wanted to find more BALANCE in my life.
• 2017 I wanted to SIMPLIFY.
• 2018 I wanted to THRIVE and in
• 2019 I chose two words – COMMIT AND EVOLVE.
• 2020 I chose a statement – MAKE IT HAPPEN
• 2021 I chose to put the focus on SELF and where I was placing my energy ‘I needed to embrace my SELF and live my life with the focus of keeping what SERVES me WELL and LETTING GO of what is holding me back and making me feel trapped in life‘
• 2022 I chose BE – Just BE – living life your way
• 2023 I chose TIME – to use my Time wisely

So that is my Word of the Year for 2024. It has quite a large scope and I look forward to finding ways to incorporate Freedom into my daily life and sharing those experiences with you. Perhaps you may have some suggestions for me as well – I’d love to hear them.

Word of the Year works for some but not for others. If you have chosen a Word of the Year I would love you to share it with me.

The most important thing to remember is whether you select a WOTY or not, is to do what works for you and live life your way.

Happy New Year everyone!