5 Easy Steps to Pick Your Core Value of the Year (and Make 2022 the Best Year Yet!)

By Erika Fehrenbach Prell

Have you ever heard of the word of the year? The idea is to pick a word that will serve as your mantra for the next calendar year. This word will help you bring focus and clarity in what you create in your life. It will serve as a guide for your daily actions and help you become a better version of yourself. It’s a simple but powerful strategy to help you on your goal-getting journey, and it really does work!

I have used the Word of the Year for several years with awesome success. I found it to be such a simple yet powerful way to keep my goals in mind; this is definitely a Best Life Tool for your Best Life Toolbox, DreamChaser! As I was getting my 2022 goal-setting going, I had an idea to make this strategy even more powerful. Instead of a Word of the Year, select a Core Value of the Year!

Why would this be even better, you ask? Core Values are central to your purpose and why. They are the guiding principles of your life that everything you believe and, therefore, can achieve is based on. Aligning your core values with your goals is a crucial step to not only living your Best Life but also finding your purpose. Selecting a core value for your Word of the Year might just be the difference maker!

Here are a 5 easy steps to selecting your Core Value of the Year:

Step 1: Take a moment to reflect on the past year
Consider questions such as: 

• What would I like more of in my life?
  
• What would I like less of in my life?
  
• How do I want to feel?
  
• What wins did I have this year?
  
• What challenges did I face? What lessons were learned in facing them?
  
• Where would I like to see myself 1 year from now?
  

Step 2: Narrow down your core values
This is an important activity to do to live your very Best Life. If you have already done this, pull out your top 5 core values. If you have not, grab the SoulShine Life Connections DreamChaser Core Values List here → https://www.findyoursoulshine.com/uploads/3/1/5/4/31546327/core_values_list.pdf

Go through this list until you have 3-5 core values remaining.

Step 3: Visualize
Think about your reflections and what you would like to accomplish for the upcoming year. Meditation can be helpful in this process. Consider your 3-5 core values. Which one pops out as aligning with what you want from this year? Which one elicits strong emotions from you?  That’s your Core Value of the Year!

Step 4: Commit to your word…and the process
Like affirmations, the Core Value of the Year is not magic. It is a strategy to help keep you focused on what you want to accomplish. You still need to take the actions necessary to bring this Core Value to life. So, are you committed to the process? Or just curious? There’s a BIG difference when you commit!

Step 5: Post your Core Value everywhere
Display your Core Value of the Year everywhere…on your mirror, by your alarm clock, on your phone, your computer screen saver. The more you see it, the more your Core Value of the Year can work to keep your goals in mind.

Let’s make 2022 the Best Year yet! You’ve got this, DreamChaser!

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