Every year since 2009 I have selected a word to guide me. Not a resolution or a challenge, but a word that I can turn to for guidance or inspiration.
My theme word for 2024 is a cue to lighten up and be supportive. Cheer has a lot of meanings – fourteen according to Dictionary.com – and all of them are good for the coming year. Cheer fits the bill through its entire range of definitions.
noun 1. a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc. 2. a shout used by spectators to encourage or show enthusiasm 3. something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort 4. a state of feeling or spirits 5. gladness, gaiety, or animation 6. food and drink 7. Archaic. facial expression. interjection 8. cheers!, used as a salutation or toast. verb (used with object) 9. to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc. 10. to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often followed by 'up') 11. to encourage or incite: verb (used without object) 12. to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc. 13. to become happier or more cheerful (often followed by up) 14. Obsolete. to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
It took me weeks to find the right word this year. The last few themes have been quiet, self-reflective words. This year, I hoped to find a transitional word that incorporated a meaning of self-care and also extended outwards to others.
I have to admit that cheer is not my favorite word, conjuring up the overly peppy and popular high school cheerleaders I envied, but it’s truly the right word for 2024.
2023’s word, compose, did not play out in music or writing as I had hoped, though I did compose a place to live. Perhaps we are back to skipping two years and I’ll compose like crazy in 2025.
Here are all the words since I started practicing this:
2009, no shopping
2010, connect
2011, relate
2012, engage
2013, move
2014, develop
2015, explore
2016, realise
2017, open
2018, be
2019, light
2020, flourish
2021, observe
2022, wonder
2023, compose
