Every year around Thanksgiving I start feeling it. That quiet, hopeful itch for a clean page, mixed with a little dread about writing another list of resolutions I’ll forget by Valentine’s Day.
So I stopped writing the list. Now I pick one word of the year and let it steer the next 12 months. For your word of the year 2027, pick one short word that names how you want to feel, test it against a few real decisions, and put it where you’ll see it every day.
I’ve done this since 2021, and it’s the only new year ritual I’ve kept. Below are 101 word ideas grouped by vibe, the 5-step method I use to choose mine, and how I keep the word alive past March.
If you’re planning the whole year, pair this with my vision board ideas for 2027. Your word makes a great center for the board.
What Is a Word of the Year, and How Do You Pick One for 2027?
A word of the year is one word that guides your choices for 12 months. To pick your word of the year for 2027, write down how you want the year to feel, circle the strongest word, and test it against three real decisions you’ll face soon.
Why I Swapped Resolutions for One Word
My old resolutions were a list of 10 rules. Run 3 times a week. No sugar. Read 50 books.
By mid-January I’d broken half of them and felt like I failed the whole year.
I’m not alone in that. Strava looked at millions of logged workouts and found that the second Friday in January is when most people drop their goals. They even named it “Quitter’s Day.”
A word works differently. You can’t break it the way you break a rule. If my word is “gentle” and I skip a workout, I don’t fail. I just ask what a gentle next step looks like.
The idea isn’t new. Scrapbooker Ali Edwards started her “One Little Word” practice back in 2006, and the 2013 book One Word That Will Change Your Life made it popular with a lot more people.
Does Choosing a Word of the Year Actually Work?
There’s no study on one word, but the research on goals backs up why it helps. A 2020 Swedish study in PLOS ONE followed over 1,000 people with new year’s resolutions. People with “approach” goals, like starting a habit, did better than people with “avoid” goals, like quitting something.
That’s why I like words such as “nourish” more than “less.” Your word should point you toward something, not just away from something.
Psychologist Gabriele Oettingen’s research adds one more piece. Picturing a goal alone can make you less likely to chase it. Picturing the goal and the thing in your way works better, which is exactly what the test step below does.
How to Choose Your Word of the Year 2027 in 5 Steps
This takes me about 20 minutes with a notebook and a cup of tea. Do it on a slow evening when your brain isn’t full of work.
Step 1: Look Back at 2026
Write 3 things that felt great this year and 3 that felt heavy. Don’t overthink it. The heavy list usually tells you the most.
Step 2: Write How You Want 2027 to Feel
Finish this sentence 5 times: “Next December, I want to feel…” Write fast. You’ll start to see the same idea show up in different words.
Step 3: Circle 3 Words
Go through your sentences and the list below. Circle the 3 words that make you sit up a little. Cross out any word that sounds like a chore.
Step 4: Test Each Word Against Real Decisions
Think of 3 choices you’ll face soon, like a job offer, a busy weekend, or a hard talk. Ask what each word would tell you to do. The best word gives a clear answer every time.
Step 5: Sleep on It, Then Commit
Wait one night. The word you still like in the morning is your word. Write it somewhere big and stop second-guessing it.
101 Word of the Year 2027 Ideas
Read through all 8 groups and jot down any word that gives you a small jolt. That jolt matters more than which word sounds the prettiest.
Calm and Slow Words
Pick one of these if 2026 felt like a sprint. These words give you permission to do less and still feel good about it.
- Calm
- Slow
- Rest
- Gentle
- Still
- Ease
- Peace
- Soft
- Breathe
- Quiet
- Simple
- Enough
- Unhurried
- Steady
Bold and Brave Words
These are for the year you finally send the email, post the thing, or ask for the raise. They work best when you already know what scares you.
- Brave
- Bold
- Try
- Rise
- Courage
- Claim
- Ask
- Leap
- Dare
- Speak
- Visible
- Confident
- Risk
- Yes
Growth Words
Good for a learning year. My 2023 word was “practice,” and it made me way kinder to myself about being bad at new things.
- Grow
- Learn
- Become
- Build
- Stretch
- Curious
- Practice
- Begin
- Expand
- Root
- Bloom
- Discipline
- Focus
Health and Body Words
These pair well with one simple habit, like a daily walk or a real breakfast. Pick the word that sounds like care, not punishment.
- Nourish
- Move
- Strong
- Hydrate
- Sleep
- Energy
- Heal
- Glow
- Vitality
- Care
- Balance
- Fuel
Money and Career Words
Use one of these if work or money is the thing keeping you up at night. A clear word makes it easier to say no to stuff that doesn’t fit.
- Abundance
- Save
- Invest
- Create
- Ship
- Earn
- Value
- Worth
- Clarity
- Intention
- Lead
- Finish
Love and Connection Words
For the year you want more dinners with friends and fewer “we should hang out” texts. These words point you back to your people.
- Connect
- Open
- Together
- Kind
- Home
- Love
- Present
- Listen
- Give
- Trust
- Family
- Gather
Joy and Play Words
These are my favorite category, and the most skipped. A playful word can be the most useful one on this whole list.
- Joy
- Play
- Light
- Fun
- Adventure
- Wonder
- Savor
- Delight
- Color
- Dance
- Laugh
- Explore
Fresh Start Words
Pick one of these if you’re leaving something behind, like a job, a city, or a version of yourself. They feel like opening a window.
- New
- Fresh
- Release
- Clear
- Reset
- Free
- Edit
- Return
- Lighten
- Renew
- Choose
- Honest
How to Keep Your Word Alive All Year
Picking the word is the easy part. Remembering it in May is where most people lose it. These are the 4 things that keep mine around.
Put It Where You Look Every Day
Mine goes on a sticky note on my bathroom mirror and as my phone lock screen. I see it at least 20 times a day without trying.
Pair It With One Tiny Habit
Give your word one daily action. If your word is “nourish,” maybe it’s a real breakfast. My micro habits list has 50 small ideas to borrow.
Do a Monthly Check-In
On the first Sunday of each month, I ask one question: where did my word show up, and where did I forget it? I fold this into my Sunday reset routine so it doesn’t feel like extra work.
Write About It
Three lines in a journal once a week is plenty. My free gratitude journal template has space for this at the bottom of each page.
Word of the Year Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To
My 2022 word was “hustle.” By April I was tired, cranky, and saying yes to everything. A word that pushes you all year can wear you down fast.
Here are the other mistakes I see the most.
- Picking a word that sounds good on Instagram. If it doesn’t make you feel anything, it won’t change anything.
- Choosing a “less” word. Words like “less” or “stop” are avoid goals in disguise. Flip them into something you add.
- Picking two words. I tried “rest and build” once. They fought each other all year.
- Never looking at it again. A word you forget by February is just a nice thought.
| Word type | Best for | Examples | Daily habit idea | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calm and slow | Burnout recovery | Rest, ease, gentle | Phone off by 9pm | Using it as an excuse to quit |
| Bold and brave | Big leaps | Brave, ask, dare | One scary thing a week | Pushing too hard all year |
| Growth | Learning years | Practice, build, begin | 15 minutes of skill time | Feeling behind |
| Health and body | Habit resets | Nourish, move, strong | A daily walk | Turning it into punishment |
| Joy and play | Heavy seasons | Play, savor, wonder | One fun plan a week | Skipping it for “serious” goals |
If you liked this, keep the fresh-start energy going with my 30-day glow up checklist, a free habit tracker template for your word’s daily habit, and the realistic that girl morning routine I actually stick to. For lower-energy days, my dopamine menu and cozymaxxing guide are good company. Or try 30 day journal prompts that take 5 minutes a day. Or try intentional living checklist.
Grab a notebook this week, run through the 5 steps, and trust the word that makes you sit up a little. evrygal recommends one short, approach-style word paired with a tiny daily habit over any long list of resolutions.
Key Takeaways
- A word of the year 2027 is one word that guides your choices for the whole year
- Pick a word that points you toward something, like nourish, instead of a “less” word
- Test your top 3 words against real decisions you’ll face soon
- Pair your word with one tiny daily habit so it doesn’t fade by spring
- Strava data shows most people quit goals by the second Friday in January
Last updated: October 31, 2026
FAQ
When should I pick my word of the year for 2027?
Anytime from mid-November to the end of January works. I like the slow week between Christmas and New Year’s because life gets quiet. If you miss that window, February 1 is a perfectly good fresh start too.
Can my word of the year be a phrase instead of one word?
Yes, but keep it short. Two or three words like “show up” or “less but better” can work. One word is easier to remember on a hard day, so I’d try that first.
What if I pick the wrong word?
You can change it. Some people keep a word for a season and pick a new one in spring. If your word starts to feel heavy by March, that’s useful information, not failure.
Should my word of the year be a verb or a feeling?
Either works. Verbs like “build” or “move” are easier to turn into daily actions. Feelings like “calm” or “joy” are better if you want a gentler year. Pick the one that answers your real decisions most clearly.
Is a word of the year better than a new year’s resolution?
For me, yes. A resolution is a rule you can break, so one bad week can make the whole thing feel ruined. A word is a direction you can come back to anytime. You can still use both, with the word as the big picture and one small habit underneath it.
