Ah, January! Fresh starts, new goals, and that whole “new year, new me” vibe. It’s the time when everyone’s all about setting lofty aspirations and rereading Atomic Habits for the umpteenth time, hoping this year it’ll finally stick. 

I recently heard someone say that James Clear is to January what Santa Claus is to December and I felt that in my soul.

James Clear, really is the Santa Clause for self-improvement junkies (like me). Honestly, if he were to walk into a room right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him wearing a red suit and carrying a sack full of habit-building goodies. 

And you know what? I’d be the first in line to sit on his lap and tell him what I want this year—okay, get your mind out of the gutter, you know what I mean!

The man has practically become synonymous with January aspirations. And I can see why. I myself have the tradition of rereading Atomic Habits every year and that’s because to me, it isn’t just a book; it’s a prerequisite for kicking off the year right.

Another prerequisite? Choosing a “word of the year”. While reflecting on my good and bad habits from the previous year (with Santa Clear as my trusty guide, obviously 🎅), I make it a point to choose a specific word to focus on for the year ahead. 

I usually try to choose just one word. But let’s be real, I’m a multiple word of the year girlie. So this year, instead of putting a one-word limit on myself, I settled on three specific words, each resonating differently with various aspects of my life.

This year, I took it up a notch and decided to group my three words into three specific categories for an added layer of depth and purpose. My chosen categories? 

Personal Development, Relationships, and Health and wellness.

Don’t worry, I’ll delve deeper into what each of these categories means to me and how my three words align with them. But for now, drumroll, please… 

My words for 2024: Gumption, Trust, and Savor.

Ready to dive in? Mmmmk, let’s do it!

The Story Behind My Word(s) of The Year For 2024

First up…let’s talk gumption

Gumption: 

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all seen the movie The Holiday, and if you haven’t, what ARE you even doing with your life?! Cozy holiday feels? Check! Adorable grandpa-esque gentleman? Check! Badass female leads? Check! Jude Law’s green-eyed gaze piercing through the screen and straight into my soul? Double check!

Honestly, cozying up in my PJs with a steaming cup of chamomile tea while engaging in some virtual flirtation with Jude Law from the comfort of my couch, has become my faaavorite holiday pastime. And don’t even try to act like you don’t know what I’m talking about…I know you do it too 👀 

Maybe it’s the romanticization of old Hollywood heroines or the British accent that I find sooo irresistibly charming, but something about the word ‘gumption’ just hits differently. Perhaps it’s the way Kate Winslet delivers that iconic line when the light bulb fiiiinally goes off in her head. Whatever it is, what I know for sure, is that I want some of that capital G-U-M-P-T-I-O-N. And between you and me, couldn’t we all use a bit more of it in our lives? 

What is gumption?

So, what is ‘gumption’ exactly? Skipping the Webster’s version, because let’s be real, it doesn’t quite capture the vibe. I mean, ‘shrewd’? Not the vibe I’m going for. Instead, think of gumption as a cocktail of courage, grit, and determination. It’s often synonymous with ‘moxie,’ another favorite word of mine.

Okay Lorin, but why the sudden fascination with ‘gumption’? Well, first off, who doesn’t enjoy rolling that word off their tongue? Saying the word ‘gumption’ just feels goooood, doesn’t it? Try it out, I’ll wait…

But beyond that, when I thought about the courage I want to channel this year, ‘gumption’ felt like the perfect fit. It’s almost like gumption gives courage a bit more pizzazz, ya know? 💁‍♀️

It reminds me of those cinematic moments, like Kate Winslet’s character in The Holiday. She eventually learns how to accept and embrace herself and decides to pursue her desires all with a dash of style and a heaping dose of no regrets—aka gumption.

So, where does ‘gumption’ fit into my categories?

Straight into my ‘Personal Development’ category. As I continue to shape my personal brand and, you know, actually LIVE my life, developing more gumption is something that will help me in all areas of life and business. I’m excited to have this push me out of my comfort zone by unapologetically chasing after my goals all the while channeling gumption into everything I do. 

More specifically, when it comes to gumption, I’m focusing on…

• Self-confidence
• Embracing the audacity to try
• Being unapologetically myself 
• Personality infused everything 

My second word for the year is Trust…

Trust: 

I’m going to trust (see what I did there?) that you have a preeetty good idea of what this means. But what does it mean for me specifically? Welp, I’ll be honest, I have trust issues. And I don’t just mean trust in other people, I mean trust in myself, which tbh, is thee worst kind of trust issue if you ask me. 

This is why this word is going into my “Relationships” category. 

Belgian fashion designer, Diane Von Furstenberg once said…

“The most important relationship in your life is the relationship you have with yourself. Because no matter what happens, you will always be with yourself.”

Oof–that quote hits me every time. It seems so obvious right? But for me, my relationship with myself has been, well, complicated over the years—hello recovering perfectionist and self-sabotager over here!

But seriously, without building trust in yourself, how can you actually begin to build trust in others? The answer? You can’t—well, maybe you can, but I’ve found that I can’t, which is why I’m placing so much focus on it this year. 

Specifically, when it comes to trust, I’m focusing on…

• Trusting myself, first and foremost.
• Trusting the process.
• Building trust within my community. 
• Trusting others whose opinions I value 

It’s no secret that trust is key in any relationship, whether it’s friendships, work partnerships, or that inner dialogue you’ve got going on. Building trust with others and within yourself involves reliability, integrity, and confidence—even if that last bit is a work in progress for me. At the end of the day, I’m striving for more trust in myself and with others this year.

My third and final word for the year is ‘savor’…

Savor:

The past few years have somehow flown by and I’ve been finding it more difficult than usual to wrap my head around this weird timewarp where my brain still feels like I’m in my twenties, but my body is not so gently reminding me of how I’m oh so evidently in my thirties. 

I assume if you have kids, you also experience a weird timewarp of sorts. Now, I don’t have kids myself, but I hear it enough from those who do—ahem, my own parents, who never miss a chance to point out how fast time flies, especially during holiday gatherings when we flip through old family photos. The photos are like a time capsule serving as a reminder of just how quickly life moves. 

Experiencing loss has also reshaped my perspective on time over the years. Reflecting on pictures of lost loved ones like my grandparents and younger sister, I often find myself longing to revisit those moments. Wishing I could LITERALLY freeze them, so I could savor them a bit longer. 

Isn’t it funny how we don’t fully grasp the true value of a moment in time until it becomes a memory, either warming our hearts or leaving us with regrets? 

Cue Joni Mitchell singing, “… Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone?” IKYKY—or maybe you’re more familiar with the Counting Crows version from 2002. Either way, you get the point.  

Which is exactly why ‘savor’ resonates with me so deeply. This year, I’m committed to lingering a little longer in moments of joy and appreciation in my day-to-day, especially the seemingly mundane ones. To be completely honest, there were some days this past year when I was glued to my laptop for 12+ hours a day, which left me feeling like I missed out on the opportunity to savor moments of life outside of pixels on a screen. 

So, where does ‘savor’ fit into my three categories?

It’s nestled perfectly under my Health and Wellness umbrella, influencing both my mental and physical well-being. My goal is to be more mindful, immersing myself fully in the present, and taking time to cultivate daily gratitude. Whether it’s as simple as taking a few extra seconds to appreciate the flavors in a meal, choosing to cherish people and experiences a little extra, or soaking in the beauty of nature during my daily runs, I’m embracing the art of savoring.

More specifically, when it comes to savor, I’m focusing on…

• My morning cup of coffee 
• The views on my daily run/walk
• Mundane moments, because oftentimes they are the ones that are missed the most
• Screen-free conversations 
• Little wins 

So there you have it! My three words for 2024 and their respective categories. Annnnd because I love me a visual aid, I’ve included a cute little chart below, which I’ll also be infusing into my vision board as a daily reminder to guide my year. 

WORDS	DEFINITIONS & SYNONYMS	CATEGORIES	FOCUS
Gumption	Trust me, Trust the process, Build trust within my community, Trust others whose opinions I value	Personal Development	Self-confidence, embracing the audacity to try, being unapologetically myself, personality infused everything
Trust	Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.  Synonyms: confidence, resilience, believe	Relationships	Trust me, the process, build trust within my community, & trust others whose opinions I value.
Savor	Intentionally focusing your attention on the positive aspects of an experience. Whether it’s a feeling of joy or a piece of food — when you savor something, you enjoy it to the fullest. Synonyms: relish, enjoy, bask	Health & Wellness	☕ Morning cuppa joe  🏃‍♀️ Daily walk/run views ✨ Mundane moments 👯‍♀️ Screen-free convos  🥳 Little wins

What is your word for the new year?

Do you have a word of the year? Whether you participate in this practice or not, I’d LOVE to know!

And if we haven’t connected already, let’s be Instagram friends! I love connecting deeper on that platform where you get a closer peek into my daily life and also, selfishly, it would be totally helpful if you keep me accountable for my three words this year…just saying. 

Ta ta for now~

XX Lorin