As we approach the holidays and 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to pause and reflect on the year behind us. For many of us, the practice of choosing a “Word of the Year” has been a meaningful way to set intentions and guide our decisions. Back in January, I shared my own Word of the Year for 2024: Fun. At the time, I envisioned a year filled with lightness, laughter, and adventure—a stark contrast to the seriousness that had crept into my life in previous years. But, as with all journeys of growth, things didn’t unfold quite the way I expected.
The Surprising Lessons Behind “Fun”
To be honest, 2024 wasn’t as fun as I had hoped. You may recall my blog in August that revealed my journey through depression. It’s easy to choose a word and imagine it magically transforming your life, but real transformation takes work. What I realized as the months went on was that fun isn’t something that just happens. It’s something I have to create. And that takes some focused healing work along with intentional changes in my life. I recently finished reading a book called Happy After All: A Novel by Maisey Yates and the main character, Amelia, said something so poignant, I want to share it. She said, “You have to do the work of healing. You just do. Because if you don’t …. Then all you have is the pain. It’s there beneath the surface, whether you want it to be or not.”
Life kept serving up challenges, distractions, and responsibilities—all the usual suspects that can keep joy and fun at arm’s length. But instead of letting those things discourage me, I used them as opportunities to explore what was holding me back from truly embracing fun. I had to ask myself:
- Am I giving myself permission to play?
- Am I prioritizing joy in my daily life?
- What does fun look like to me now, at this stage of life?
Through this reflection, I learned that cultivating fun isn’t about grand adventures or external circumstances. It’s about mindset, presence, and intention. It’s about finding joy in the small moments and allowing yourself to step away from the grind. Most importantly, it’s about setting boundaries and saying no to things that drain your energy, so you can say yes to what lights you up. I spent much of my summer eliminating obligations like serving on committees that no longer lit me up. It was time to allow my intuition and clues from my energy and excitement to guide my way forward. This meant a lot more rest, both mentally and physically. I found more time to sit in the stillness to connect with that intuition, my creativity and my desires. Where we feel excited and energized, we typically find greater joy and ability to serve others.
Reviewing Your Word of the Year
What about you? If you chose a Word of the Year for 2024, now is the perfect time to review how it played out. Ask yourself:
- Did your word shape your actions, decisions, or mindset?
- Did you experience challenges or resistance related to your word? What did you learn from that?
- How did your word help you grow, even if it didn’t look the way you expected?
Taking time to reflect on these questions can reveal the hidden lessons and gifts of the past year. Even if your year didn’t unfold the way you imagined, there’s always wisdom to be gained from the journey.
Preparing for 2025
As you review your Word of the Year for 2024 and the lessons it brought, you might start to feel the stirrings of inspiration for 2025. What do you want to call into your life in the year ahead? How can you take what you’ve learned this year and use it to create a more intentional, fulfilling experience next year?
If you’re new to the idea of setting a Word of the Year or need a refresher, check out my earlier blog post, “Choosing Your Word of the Year”. In it, I share tips and insights for selecting a word that resonates with your goals and intentions, as well as practical ways to embody it throughout the year. Let’s keep the intention-setting going and continue our journey to live the song of our soul!
The ideal time to do this exercise is at the Winter Solstice on Saturday, December 21. Energetically and astrologically, this date marks the start of the winter season and moving into a time of greater light. It is also the shortest day of the year. When we sit in the stillness of the darkness, we can truly hear our own soul. If you miss that day, it’s okay! Anytime around the end of year will work just fine. You can find your 2025 Word of the Year worksheet here to help you through the process.
Closing the Chapter on 2024
As I reflect on my journey with the word “fun,” I’m grateful for the lessons this year brought me. It wasn’t the carefree, laughter-filled adventure I initially envisioned, but it was exactly what I needed. I learned that fun is something I can create, not something I have to wait for. I’m not sorry to see 2024 go, but I’m grateful it happened. I’m carrying those lessons with me into 2025, and I’m excited to choose a new word that reflects where I want to grow next. Stay tuned into my social media and newsletters on what that will be!
So, as you reflect on your own Word of the Year, I invite you to honor both the victories and the challenges of 2024. Celebrate what you’ve learned, and allow those lessons to guide you as you set your intentions for 2025. Let’s step into the new year with clarity, courage, and purpose.
If you would like guidance on setting intentions and goals for 2025 or processing 2024, set up some time for us together here.
It’s beautiful how you express the depth of your emotions and the experiences that go along with them. Its inspiring how you describe your journey to increase fun to be a journey that helped you clear out what no longer serves you to make room for what does . A metamorphosis towards joy and fun as it is meant to serve you in this stage of your life.
You are a beautiful and inspiring soul.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I truly appreciate you.