Forget ‘brain rot’ and ‘Brat’ – what’s your word of the year?

Although resolutions can help, I find coming up with a ‘word of the year’ a much better way to map out my intentions for the year ahead, writes money coach Talia Loderick

What’s your word of the year? No, I don’t mean the Oxford Word of the Year 2024 (“brain rot”) or Collins’s (“Brat”), but your own personal word of the year – for 2025.

Oh, you don’t have one? Well, you’ve come to the right place and the right person, because I’m a money coach and of course I love to set intentions for the year ahead.

Your word of the year serves to guide, inspire and motivate you – to help you zoom out and focus on the bigger picture that is your life; it summarises how you want the year ahead to feel.

New year’s resolutions are good for targeting specific areas of your life, such as health (get fit, feel stronger) and wealth (save money, spend less). But your word of the year can be applied to multiple areas of your life.

For example, my word of the year (well, phrase of the year) for 2024 was “level up”. “Level up” covered seeking physio (health), daily walks (wellbeing), moving house (home), prioritising spending time with family and friends (connection, community, belonging) and more.

How to choose your word of the year

1. Start with a simple reflection activity, looking back at 2024. Ask yourself: what’s gone well; what hasn’t gone so well; is there anything I would do differently; any other observations? Give yourself an hour or so to reflect, to think and to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper – or a digital device, if that’s your preference.
2. Secondly, think about 2025. What is it you want to do, want to focus on? And how do you want the year to feel? Make a note of all of this.
3. Finally, make a list of words that chime with all of this, and begin the process of shortlisting. I love having a dictionary to hand at this point. Eventually, you’ll whittle your way down to your word of the year. It can also help to do this activity with a friend and bounce words back and forth to help you narrow it down.

Previous words of the year

It’s good to reflect on last year’s word before choosing your new word.

My previous words of the year include “secure”, in 2023, which was just the right blend of inspirational and practical.

I went with “bloom” in 2022 and “become” in 2021 – which, on reflection, while inspirational, weren’t tangible enough.

I actually can’t remember my words of 2020 and 2019; I was guilty of “set it and forget it”.

Which brings me to my next point...

How to keep your word of the year front of mind

Keep your word front of mind so that it serves to inspire and motivate you all year round. Writing or typing it out regularly helps.

I’ve kept previous words of the year front of mind by writing it on every page of my physical diary, and every month of my physical calendar.

You could also have it as a screensaver on your phone or computer, or incorporate it into your passwords for the innumerable things we have to log into on a daily basis.

‘Play, present, perseverance’

I asked people to share their word of the year for 2025 with me and had a range of responses.

Nisha, 43, said: “My word of the year for 2025 is ‘play’. I want to play with movement and keep active, while boosting my strength and fitness. I want to play to my strengths and put my best foot forward. Play is also a motivation when doubt creeps in. It also means making time for new experiences, like travelling more and cooking new cuisines.”

Melin Edomwonyi, co-founder of Seedable Studio, a digital creative agency in Cardiff, and mother of one, said: “My word of the year for 2025 is ‘consolidate’. I’m a creative person, with a number of passion projects. In 2024, I co-founded a new digital creative agency, and as we go into 2025, I’ve realised that it’s time to consolidate my passion projects so I can focus my time and energy on the new business.”

Other word of the year responses include:

• “Present – as in being present. Although giving and receiving presents is lovely too!”

• “Focus. I’m going to focus on what I love and what’s important.”

• “Selfish – but more ‘self-first’ really.”

• Perseverance

• Growth

• Spiritual

• Resilience

• Mindful

• Consolidate

So, what’s my word of the year 2025? On the shortlist is “courage”, “resilience” and “home”. But I’m mid-process.

It’s something I look forward to doing during Twixtmas – those few days between Christmas and new year when you don’t know what day of the week it is. I love getting pen, paper and dictionary out and working through it. Bliss.

Talia Loderick is a money coach. Talia helps people understand and take control of their behaviour with money so they can stop stressing about money and have enough to live well – now and in future. Visit talialoderick.co.uk