My word of the year for 2024 is Courage. I love choosing a word of the year. It feels very low stakes, but also surprisingly orienting.
The first few years I put low to zero effort into making my word part of my life. My word would hover in the background and I would occasionally think about it. At the end of the year I would look back and be surprised by all the ways my word fit the year. It was like a little bit of magic or manifesting or maybe just hindsight bias.
When I chose Courage for 2024, I also brainstormed some ideas for things to do this year that would benefit from some courage, like zip lining for the first time, training for and completing my first triathlon, and actually subjecting myself to lab work as part of my annual physical (not a big fan of blood draws).
Initiating social activities requires courage for me. There is the fear of rejection, of saying something profoundly embarrassing, or (perhaps the worst of all) imposing on someone who tolerates my company only out of kindness.
Last week I reached out to a woman who lives in my neighborhood and asked her if she’d like a buddy on her morning walks. I liked the idea of walking with a friend, and I also selfishly wanted accountability to get out early in the morning. We have had two lovely walks together so far, so my courage paid off! I don’t think I’ve been intolerably poor company, although my inner gremlins sometimes wonder.
I can’t mention courage without bringing up the enneagram. Each enneagram type has a virtue and a vice (also called a passion). Our virtues show up when we are more aware and connected to our true nature, while our vices may run the show when we’re on autopilot. As an enneagram type 6, courage is my virtue and fear is my vice.
2025 is around the corner, so it will be time to choose a new word for the year. While I look forward to discerning what comes next, I also want to stay connected to Courage. Especially because, as Naomi says, I am a big chicken!
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