Word of the Year in Review: Trajectory

Each year choosing a Word of the Year brings meaning and purpose to what I do and who I am connected with. Being the first year post covid that has been and felt more “consistent and routine,” my word Trajectory gave me lots of opportunities to explore, gather data, and focus forward. I love having a wrap-up to assess where my Word of the Year made an impact.

What this word meant to me

A trajectory is the path an object takes through time and space. That object for me could be my business path or the personal work I undertake. I wanted to be open to finding data on any of these paths was my intention. I am looking for my own patterns in work and in life.

Another reason I chose this word comes from a social media connection. A favorite team, Mollie and Liz, often capture this concept in their graphics. The trajectory paths that often occur are spirals up and down and sometimes resemble a ball of yarn. These graphics show how often a great plan can take many different trajectories. Reflecting on these graphics made this year more fun!

How I used my word this year

My word Trajectory gave me many opportunities for reflection.

• I am a part of many volunteer associations and efforts. I see a downward trajectory in my time in hours spent. I reflected on this being the time to move forward and find new opportunities to make a difference.
• My business trajectory continued to move upward, while my business analytics were flat. This gave me an opportunity to invest time and resources wisely in marketing.
• What is your trajectory of friendship from time to time? Over the years I have heard from many long-time friends. A positive trajectory with long-term stability is what we all want. It takes energy and effort to create this trajectory and it is well worth this.

Capturing lessons learned from my Word of the Year helps everyone review what was best, what is next and what will we look forward to!