Choose a “word of the year” to stay motivated and keep you on the road to success in 2023 with this printable list of positive, motivational, and inspirational words.
First, use this alphabetized printable list of positive, motivational, and inspirational words to help you choose your “word of the year” for 2023. Next, use the positive word you choose as a mantra or focus point to help you stay motivated to achieve your goals and live the life of your dreams!
The alphabetical list of positive motivational words below and on our inspirational words printable is not exhaustive. You can choose several words, not on the list that would make a perfect choice to be your “word of the year.” It can even be a short motivational phrase, a #hashtag, or a group of positive words. You may also be interested in learning how to plan your day.
Word of the Year Ideas 2023
Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution that you could keep? Yeah, me neither. So, I found a better idea!
Today, I like to turn my resolutions into SMART Goals and create an action plan to achieve my goals with actionable steps.
Next, I chose an inspirational word for the year to help me stay focused, motivated, and on track to accomplish my goals.
Related Post: How to Use the Power of Habit to Change Your Life
What is the “Word of the Year” and the “One Little Word” Project?
A word of the year is a word or phrase you choose to help you stay focused, motivated, and on track throughout the year. It is usually an uplifting, positive, inspirational word that motivates you to take action, but it can be any word that holds meaning for you somehow. I learned about the one little word project from Ali Edwards. She writes,
In 2006 I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January—a word to focus on, to live with, to investigate, to write about, to craft with, and to reflect upon as I go about my daily life. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another—a process I document via simple creative monthly prompts from January to December.
Related: I Am Grateful: Gratitude Journal Printable Worksheet
How to Chose a Word of the Year
Choose your word using our free printable list of positive motivational words. Click the link to download and print this printable list of inspirational words and use it to choose your word of the year for 2023.
Although we have updated it to include even more positive and motivational words and put them into alphabetical order–our printable list of “word of the year” ideas is not exhaustive. You can choose other inspirational words that would also make a perfect choice.
Change the plural form or tense of any positive words on this list of ideas. If, for example, you prefer your word be spelled “courageous” instead of “courage,” then, by all means, use the plural form or tense that you like.
Your “one little word” can even be a short phrase, #hashtag, or group of words if you wish it to be. It is, after all, your word. Choose something meaningful for you, and prepare to be amazed!
When thinking about the word that you would like to use, take a moment to consider your goals and any challenges that you may be facing in your life.
What’s going well, and what can you improve?
If you still need to set goals for the New Year, head over to look at our tips in How to Set SMART Goals. We even have a free goal-setting worksheet you can download–click the link!
Choose a positive, inspirational word that will help you balance everything and make it happen–your choices are unlimited! Claim any word that holds heart and meaning to use as your word of the year.
Don’t worry if none cry out to be your word of the year at first. Meditate, reflect, and allow your word for the year to come to you.
5 Fun Ways to Use Your 2023 Word of the Year
Many believe writing down your goals is the quickest way to reach them. And choosing a word for 2023 is a simple thing you can do to get focused and stay motivated to reach them. Bring the word you desire into your life with the fun “word of the year” ideas below. You might also enjoy this list of New Year Traditions and Celebration ideas.
1. Doodle your “Word of the Year.”
Spend some time writing and doodling the motivational word you choose for your word of the year for 2023. Doodling your word or short phrase can help you embody the positive word or words and make it yours for the year. Make sticky notes and put them all around the house.
Once finished, frame your inspirational word and put it somewhere you will see it daily. If you keep a bullet journal, place your inspirational word for 2023 on the cover or front page.
2. Paint a rock with your inspirational word for the year.
First, paint a rock, or several rocks, with your inspirational word for 2023. Next, place the rock or rocks where you will see them daily. Inspirational word rocks make an excellent paperweight for a desk and look lovely in the yard or garden. Pop over to look at these fun rock painting tips and ideas to get started on your inspirational word rock.
3. Make (or buy) a “Word of the Year” bracelet or necklace.
Here are three ideas in one–use the one you like best:
- Make a beaded bracelet or necklace with your “word of the year.” To do this, first, use our jewelry-making tutorial that shares how to make a name necklace. Next, spell out your positive “word of the year” instead of a “name,” and you’re good to go!
- Click on the link to learn how to make a beaded necklace and add an inspirational word charm to it.
- If you are not interested in beading a necklace, purchase a lovely sterling silver ball chain
or this gorgeous moon-cut chain, and put a word charm on it that has your favorite inspirational word!
or this gorgeous 
on it that has your favorite inspirational word!4. Paint a candle holder with a positive motivational word.
Use our personalized candle holder tutorial to paint a heart with your favorite motivational word of the year. These hand-painted candle holders cast beautiful heart shapes upon the wall when lit. Look at how gorgeous they look in the photo below. You can see the candle holder I painted with the word “focus” written inside the heart.
5. Buy positive, inspirational word swag.
Make your inspirational word of the year work for you with fun swag you can buy–such as Word Cloud Art Prints–with your motivational word to help you stay focused on your goals all year. A few more things you can buy with your “word of the year” are on the list below.
- T-shirts
- Coloring book
- Word signs
- Word Pillows
- Bags
- Jewelry
- Word rings
- Pendants
Related: Get Organized for Good: 10 Reasons to Make Rhythm a Habit
Word of the Year 2023 Ideas
Once you have decided on your word for 2023, use it to create any of the ideas listed above to help revitalize it and bring your dreams and goals to fruition.
Next, learn how to turn your goals into positive affirmations!
Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
This is very helpful. As a refugee from the Paradise fire (I prefer not to call myself a victim) I am confronted with a New Year unlike any in my experience. Most everything has been lost from my life, so it’s a perfect opportunity to focus on the parts that I want to restore, and let the rest go. So, “Simplify” might be a good word for the coming year. And yet, my life has already been simplified for me because of losing my home, so maybe that’s not quite the word. Still, it does help me remember that I want to consciously choose to stay focused on the most important things in life, now that I have had so many distractions swept away.
Cheers!
How to print word list
Hi Stephanie! Thank you for alerting me to the fact that the link to the printable list of inspirational words was not working. It’s all fixed now, and ready to download and print!