One Little Word for 2025 - Strong
My word for 2025
Do you pick a word for the year? I’ve been doing this every year since 2008, thanks to Ali Edwards’ "One Little Word" project. It’s a tradition I’ve grown to love—a simple way to set intentions and stay focused throughout the year. What makes it even more fun is that my whole family gets involved. Everyone picks their own word, and it’s something we talk about and cheer each other on for all year long. This year, we all “unveiled” our words as part of our family New Year’s Eve celebration.
For 2025, my word is Strength. I went back and forth between "strong" and "strength" for a bit. It might sound like splitting hairs, but the exact word really matters to me. After some thought, I knew "strength" was the perfect fit for what I want to focus on this year.
While I was thinking about it, I came across a great post by Ully Huang on LinkedIn that really clarified the difference between the two words. She explains that strength isn’t just about being physically strong. It’s about willpower, discipline, and drive. It’s about having the capacity to show up and get things done—even when it’s hard.
That definition really hit home for me because I know I’ll need strength in so many areas of my life this year. For starters, I need inner strength to handle challenges with resilience and confidence. That includes building up my mental and emotional reserves so I can stay motivated and focused, even when things don’t go as planned.
At the same time, I’m focusing on outer strength too. I’ve made some great improvements in my health over the past year, but I’ve still got some challenges that are going to require me to be strong in both body and mind. I will be having at least one surgery because of a Diastisi Recti split as well as some abdominal prolapses. I’m sure some women can relate to this, as it often happens with multiple pregnancies or large babies. I had a 10.5 lb baby over 30 years ago, so it’s been in the works for a while. Now is the time to commit myself to repair, healing, therapy, exercise, eating well, and caring for myself to feel my best and have the strength to do the many things I want to accomplish.
But strength isn’t just about health. It’s about showing up in my relationships, pursuing my creative projects, and staying disciplined with my goals. It’s a word that touches every part of my life. For me, this isn’t just a New Year’s resolution. It’s a promise to myself to embrace the effort and growth that come with it. I love the many ways this word can be inspiring. As part of my OLW (One Little Word) tradition, I’ve picked some quotes to use for inspiration.
Choosing "strength" as my word for 2025 feels right. It reminds me that even when things get tough, I have the power to rise to the challenge. I’m excited to see how this word shapes my year and helps me grow stronger in every way.
So, what about you? Do you pick a word for the year? If you do, I’d love to hear what you’ve chosen and how it’s inspiring you for the year ahead!
If you are still looking for ideas, here are my past words.
2008 – Create
2009 – Learn
2010 – Do
2011 – Healthy
2012 – Nourish
2013 – Refresh & Renew (a phrase instead of a word)
2014 - Forward
2015 - Focus
2016 - Progress
2017 - Complete
2018 - Ready
Ali Edwards offers community support and products around the One Little Word theme if you are interested.
