What is Your Theme Word for 2024?
by Tabby Biddle
At the end of every year, I like to choose a theme word for the upcoming year. Instead of having a ton of New Year’s Resolutions that might be hard to keep track of, or hard to keep, my theme word acts as a focal point for me to stay aligned and true to my intentions for the new year. It’s like a magnet that my energy organizes around.
Whenever I need to make a decision about my personal life, relationships, business or career, I tune in to see which decision would be in the best alignment with my theme word. It acts as an anchor and grounding force for me.
It also helps me to magnetize what I want to create in the new year.
For example, one year, my theme word (admittedly, it was a phrase that year) was feminine political voice. That year, I published a book to help emerging women leaders find their political voice, gave a TEDx talk to empower women’s voices in the personal and political realms, wrote numerous feminist politically-oriented essays, and activated hundreds of women’s political voices through my courses, coaching and speaking engagements.
Another year, my theme word was luxury. That year, I began offering luxury VIP days to my clients (which they loved!), took multiple luxury vacations at luxury hotels with my husband and son, upgraded some elements in our home to make it more luxurious, and created a luxurious schedule for myself on a daily basis.
Last year, my theme words were bountiful queen, and it was indeed a bountiful year filled with incredible female changemaker clients, beautiful circles of women, a rich and bountiful home life, and, I’m proud to say, my best financial year yet.
I’ve been doing this ritual for the past eight years, and it has served me well. If you’re not familiar with this ritual, and would like to try it, I’ve included the steps below. If you prefer to be guided through the process, I’ve recorded a short audio meditation (11 minutes). Listen below.
How to choose your theme word for 2024:
Close your eyes and take 3 long deep breaths to get centered and connected to your body. Place one hand on your heart, and the other hand on your low belly, feeling your belly rise and fall with each breath.
Once you feel centered and connected to your body, ask yourself: What do I want more of in 2024? Listen to your body and inner voice for the answer.
Write down what comes to you. Don’t be shy about this. Be true to what you desire. (If you have more than one word come to you, that’s fine. Write down all of your words.)
Now, look at your piece of paper and circle the word that has the most resonance with you. This is the one that makes you feel the most excited, perhaps even giddy inside, and also maybe a little bit scared because you may not be used to claiming this word for yourself.
The word you circled is most likely the best choice for your 2024 theme word. If you circled two or three words, perhaps there is a way to combine the words like I did one year with feminine political voice.
Choose a word or phrase that encapsulates what you want more of, what you want to focus on, or what you want to improve upon in the coming year.
Now, close your eyes and take three long deep breaths to get yourself centered and connected to your body. Place one hand on your heart and the other hand on your lower belly, and continue breathing, feeling your belly rise and fall with each breath.
As you breathe, begin to silently or quietly say your theme word (or phrase) several times to yourself until you can feel it in your body. Notice how it feels in your body.
From here, allow yourself to envision what it would look like for you to have more of this theme word in your life in 2024. What would this look like in your personal life? Your relationships? Your business? Your career? What do you see? (Allow yourself space to expand here. Don’t hold back. Give yourself space to dream and imagine.) How does it feel? (Tune into your body and see how it feels.) Continue with this visualization for 1-2 minutes. If you’d like to go longer, you are welcome to do that.
End the visualization by bringing your hands to your heart and thank yourself for showing up for this ritual to honor yourself. Thank any benevolent guides, deities, ancestors or any other support system that you connect with on a larger, cosmic level.
On a piece of paper, do a 1 to 2-minute stream-of-consciousness writing about what you saw, heard, and/or felt in your meditation.
You may also want to make a drawing or collage that visually represents your theme word and/or what you saw in your meditation. It is works great to simply write the word on a piece of paper and put it in a place where you will see it on a daily basis.
Allow this word (or phrase) to be an anchor and grounding force for your upcoming year.
Once you’ve chosen the word (0r phrase), stick with it. Your commitment to it will bring you the results you desire. (Exception: If you feel there is a new focus that wants to emerge partway through the year, then please honor that. Your inner voice and intuition know best.)
Please don’t overlook how important it is to set time aside to reflect on how you want to show up 2024. This end-of-year ritual will help you do that. Download here.
I wish you many blessings in 2024! I’ll see you on the other side.
Tabby Biddle, M.S. Ed. is a women’s leadership coach and award-winning writer dedicated to uplifting and championing women’s voices in the world. She specializes in helping women find their voice and amplify it as writers, public speakers and thought leaders—not tethered to the old ways of patriarchy, but in a new paradigm of feminine leadership. Want to grow your impact as a feminine thought leader? Contact Tabby.