About five years ago, I stopped making New Year’s resolutions.
Not because I didn’t care about growth, but because the kind of growth resolutions demanded didn’t match the season of life I was in as a teacher, a mom, a wife, and, honestly, a person who was just… tired.
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That was the year I discovered the One Word Project.
Instead of creating a long list of goals I’d eventually feel guilty about, I chose one word to guide my year quietly. This became something I could return to on hard days, busy days, and the days when teaching felt heavier than usual.
Since then, my words have changed as my life and career have changed:
- Nurture – when I needed to care for myself and others more intentionally
- Peace – during a season that felt loud, rushed, and overwhelming
- Rest – when burnout was real and ignoring it wasn’t an option
- Action – when it was time to stop waiting and start moving forward
This year, I’ve chosen Intention as my current focus. The goal this year is to use this as a lens as I choose how to intentionally spend my time, resources, energy, and attention.
None of these words magically fixed everything.
But each one gave me a lens—a way to make decisions, set boundaries, and show myself a little more grace in a profession that rarely slows down.
That’s why I love sharing this practice with other busy moms, wives, and teachers, just like you!
January doesn’t need to come with a brand-new version of you.
Sometimes, it just needs a word to return to what matters most to you this year!
The One Word Reset: A Supportive Way for Teachers to Set Goals
For teachers, the new year often arrives right in the middle of the hardest stretch of the school year. Energy is low. Expectations are high. And the idea of setting big goals can feel, well, overwhelming.
That’s where the One Word Project comes in.
Instead of chasing resolutions that fade by February, choosing one meaningful word gives you a steady focus. Something you can return to on busy days, hard days, and everything in between.
So let’s go through how you can bring this meaningful new-year reset routine into your busy life without burning out or giving up on yourself by February!
Step 1: Choose a Word That Feels Supportive (Not Demanding)
First, you need to find a word. This can be tricky, as a busy mom, wife, teacher, sister, aunt, care-taker…etc, there are so many important things that take up your time. Here are a few suggestions to help you pick the perfect word for you!
Your word should feel like:
- An anchor
- A permission slip
- A quiet reminder
- …not a to-do list
Some questions to ask yourself:
- What do I need more of this year?
- What do I want to protect?
- What feels missing, or out of balance?
- Which word makes me exhale when I read it?
There’s no “right” word, only the right one for this season of your life.
Think of it as the “vibe” you’d like to bring with you in the new year.
Step 2: Define What Your Word Means to YOU
Before setting your goals, personalize your one word as your focus.
Here, try completing this sentence:
“When I choose the word __________, I am giving myself permission to __________.”
Some Examples:
- Calm → When I choose the word calm, I am giving myself permission to slow down and stop rushing
- Boundaries → When I choose the word boundaries, I am protecting my time and energy
- Joy → When I choose the word Joy, I am giving myself permission to notice the good that already exists
- Grace → When I choose grace, I am giving myself permission to release guilt and unrealistic expectations
- Focus → When I choose focus, I give myself permission to do fewer things, better
Step 3: Let One Word Guide These Three Areas
Now, instead of creating a long list of New Year’s resolutions you’ll forget by MLK Day, you’ll have a word to come back to that can help you remember the vibes you wanted to set for the new year.
Then, you can use that feeling to help you focus on three different areas of your life:
- Well-Being
- Day-to-Day Life
- School Life
Well-Being (Mind & Body)
Think of this as your overall physical and mental health. Ask yourself:
How would my word show up in the way I care for myself this year?
Some Examples:
- Choosing rest without guilt
- Moving my body in ways that feel good
- Letting “enough” be enough
- Being intentional with my workouts (that’s mine!)
Your Day-to-Day Life
This area includes all those things you have to do because you are you. Think about chauffeuring your kids to practices, making dinner for your family, or cleaning the house.
Ask yourself:
How can my word support my everyday life?
Examples:
- Being more present with family
- Using boundaries to protect evenings or weekends
- Making space for joy, hobbies, or quiet
- Setting boundaries with my phone
- Being more intentional about who and what I let steal my limited amount of energy.
Classroom Life
Teaching is a big part of our lives. But it doesn’t have to consume it.
Let’s be honest, you landed here because you were looking for a way to set goals that also honor your passion for teaching (without overwhelming your entire existence!)
As you set some teacher life goals using your one word as a guide, ask yourself:
How can my word shape the way I teach and work?
Some real-world examples:
- Simplifying systems or routines
- Setting boundaries around work hours
- Letting lessons be meaningful, not perfect
- Focusing on connection over completion
- Being open to new ideas, while honoring my tried and true teaching self
- Being intentional with the time and resources I invest so I am not wasting instructional time.
Step 4: Create a Gentle Intention (Not a Resolution)
The point of choosing one word to guide your year is to bring intention to how your year unfolds, not necessarily to set a resolution.
But, as the year goes on, you can succumb to forgetting what you started. To try and keep your focus for the year, I suggest returning to your word when things feel heavy.
Try filling in this sentence with your chosen word:
“This year, I will return to my word __________ when I need to remember what matters.”
That’s it. Save it as a reminder on your phone at the beginning of each month.
I also like to order a custom Little Words Project bracelet. It acts as a little reminder of what I want my year to feel like. The “vibes” so to speak.
The point of choosing one word is that you’re not tracking your progress through lots of little or big goals. No pressure or feeling like you failed.
The point is to feel empowered to do the little changes (or big changes) needed to make this year your best one yet.
Step 5: Revisit Your Word, Don’t Reinvent
As the school year progresses, it is easy to fall back into old habits, so be sure to check in with yourself frequently.
Easy way to do this? Asking yourself a simple question:
“How did I live my word this month?”
If the answer is “barely at all,” that’s okay.
Remember: the point of the word isn’t to pass or fail a test. It’s a guide.
Why This Works for Busy, Tired Teachers, Just Like You and Me!
- It meets us where we are: midyear, tired, human
- It honors growth without hustle culture
- It allows flexibility when life and school get heavy
- It keeps reflection meaningful but manageable
Want to Bring the One Word to Your Classroom?
Bringing your One Word to your classroom is a simple way to remind yourself of the goals/promises you are making.
Some simple suggestions:
- Share their word with students- especially if they’re completing The One Word Project, too!
- Create a class word together
- Use One Word during morning meetings or journaling
- Model goal-setting without perfectionism- show your students how you’re checking in with your word, so that they can see that it’s all about balance and effort, not perfection.
Bringing a Focus to Your New Year
Remember, the goal isn’t to become a different teacher this year.
The goal is to teach and live in ways that feel more aligned, supported, and sustainable.
This year, one word is enough.
Bringing the One Word to Your Classroom
Want to bring this simplistic goal-setting routine to your classroom? Check out this best-selling unit!
