Yesterday I was asked, “What’s your New Year’s resolution?”
I answered, “Nothing, I don’t do resolutions.”
To which they replied, “Well, I’m going to start eating better and be nicer to people. You seriously don’t have any resolutions?”
I clarified myself, “I don’t believe in resolutions. They set us up for failure. I do themes. I choose 3 words to guide my year. Throughout the year, I live and work to honor that theme.”
I got the idea for this framework from my cousin Chris Brogan back in 2011. Since then, I’ve been calling on my spiritual adviser Theresa Reed to help me choose 3 words at the turn of each calendar year.
Every year, the results have been absolutely amazing! Check this out:
2012: 1. Forward 2. Compassion 3. Worry
My theme for 2012 was to keep moving forward despite the obstacles and pitfalls…to remember compassion when I am compelled to stay stuck in anger or resentment…and to embrace the worry-some side of me and transform it.
- traveled to New York City and re-enacted my favorite scenes from the movie, Serendipity
- moved away from my home of 20 years to move forward with my dreams
- took my business 100% virtual and became location-independent
- presented at the first annual gang violence prevention convention in Los Angeles
- drove through 5 states on a road trip to camp in the Rocky Mountains with my son, sister and nephew
- alienated from my adult son and spiraled into a depression
- accepted the unconditional love and support I was receiving from my family whom I hadn’t lived near for over 20 years
- chose compassion as my weapon to overcome the anxiety and worry
2013: 1. Hope 2. Service 3. Celebration
My theme for 2013 was to offer hope to others, be of service even when I believe I have nothing to give, and celebrate how far I’ve come along my journey.
- launched a blog series to give alienated parents, family members and children a voice
- launched a podcast to offer entrepreneurs hope, inspiration and support
- collaborated with a project benefiting depression and suicide prevention
- helped plan my parents’ golden anniversary party
- helped raise $20,000 to build a windmill in Gambella in Kenya
- helped raise $15,000 to build the world’s first philanthropic coffee roaster in Laos
- found healing through writing and published over 52 essays on speaking up, standing out and changing your world
- wrote a blog post about why I can’t stand life coaches that went viral and put my writing on the map
- presented as the opening keynote speaker at Fashion Week
- coached at a retreat for Hmong women in non-profit, working towards social change
- traveled to Monterey Bay and celebrated my emotional, mental, physical and spiritual journey one year of being cut out of my son’s life
2014: 1. Brilliance 2. Luxury 3. Revolution
My theme for 2014 was about stepping into my brilliance and radiating with my gifts and craft, investing in myself even if it felt like a luxury item, and embracing the feminine leader in me as I built a new revolution.
- wrote the entire manuscript for my first book in a single Saturday afternoon in January
- hosted The Life and Times of a Remarkable Misfit book tour in Milwaukee
- attended my first Misfit conference (changing the world with fellow creative entrepreneurs)
- traveled to Portland to celebrate my sister’s 40th birthday
- spoke on stage at my first Misfit conference in Fargo
- launched the Brave Bear Revolution
- published my first book, The Year of the Brave Bear: Speak Up. Stand Out. Change Your World.
- co-hosted Strong Inside Out Tour in Milwaukee (benefiting depression and suicide prevention)
- helped a fellow coach and author publish her first book
- successfully launched an Indiegogo campaign to build 2 clean water wells in Laos
- traveled to Laos for a month to return to my motherland and help oversee the clean water mission
- traveled to Austin to help a coach and author write a book proposal that will be accepted by a major publisher in 2015
- received Reiki attunement on my 38th birthday and am now a certified practitioner
- learning how to read tarot cards to incorporate spiritual guidance into my coaching
My 3 words for 2015
1. Truth
2. Motivation
3. Balance
The theme in 2015 will be about seeking and telling the truth…leading my brave bear revolution with the inspiration, motivation and support to tap into the stories they want to tell…and to keep my energy in balance as I tackle the biggest year ahead of me.
- I’m already planning to return to Laos in October 2015 to host a 10-day retreat for people who want to join me on a spiritual, writing journey to speak up, stand out, and change their world as we author our memoirs together.
- I’ll be announcing a new coaching service soon for change-making authors.
- I’m working on my second book, which I plan to publish after August 2015.
What are your 3 words?
Do you have a theme to frame each year? If so, comment below with your 3 words!
If you need some clarity and insight into crafting your 3 words for the new year, subscribe here and ask me how you can book an intuitive reading.
xo,
Berni