During a walk with friends on the morning this New Year’s Eve, the concept of a word of the year came up.

My friend Laurel asked me, “What is your word of the year?”

I had heard of this before and had actually picked a word a time or two. But I hadn’t thought about it lately.

Word of the Year and MKE

This is a bit like one of the Master Key Experience (MKE) exercises – the Franklin Makeover. In this exercise, you choose a word signifying a positive attribute each week to focus on and look for. You see examples of that word or attribute in yourself and others. These are words like enthusiasm, decisiveness, kindness. Through the Law of Growth, these attributes expand in your life, and by the end of each week those attributes become a part of your self-concept.

Having a word for the whole year is a bit different, though. The way I see it, my word of the year is something that gives me a frame of reference or direction for everything I do. Kind of like a compass of magnifying glass, helping me to focus on what is important.

Laurel’s Word

As we walked, Laurel told me how she came up with her word. She said she relaxed, thought about the goal, and ‘let the word come to her.’ Wow, she is NOT a Master Key Experience member, but it sounds like she understands the MKE concepts.

Her word this year is ‘Candle’ which, at first, I did not understand. She told me it had two meanings. First, as a noun, the candle which shines a light and shows the way. Secondly, as a verb, to observe and sort, like the candling of eggs. If you aren’t a farm girl like me, candling is what you do to see if there is a baby chick growing inside the egg. If you hold up an egg in front of a candle, you can sort of see through it and would see if the egg is fertilized.

Laurel said that her perspective was to look at things in her life, sort out what is important to her and what is not, then sort accordingly, letting go of things that are no longer important to her. This can apply to clothes in her closet and activities in her calendar.

My Word

Well, this inspired me to think about what my word could be for 2023. I jotted down a few words that came to mind, like courage, persistence, Ultreia. After reading Part 15 of the Master Key System, I added Insight to my list. Then I went into my sit and asked “What’s my word of the year?”

My mind kept coming back to the word Insight just what Haanel said I should think about this week. Then I thought, that could be my word! Here’s what Haanel says about Insight in Part 15:

Insight is a faculty of the mind whereby we are enabled to examine facts and conditions at long range, a kind of human telescope; it enables us to understand the difficulties, as well as the possibilities, in any undertaking.

Insight enables us to be prepared for the obstacles which we shall meet; we can therefore overcome them before they have any opportunity of causing difficulty.

Insight enables us to plan to advantage and turn our thought and attention in the right direction instead of into channels which can yield no probable return.

Insight is therefore absolutely essential for the development of any great achievement, but with it we may enter, explore and possess any mental field.

Insight is a product of the world within and is developed in the Silence, by concentration.

Charles Haanel, Master Key System, 15:31-35

That sounds like a good word for the year, to guide me and remind me to listen to my inner voice.

Applying my Word of the Year

How can I apply this to my life this year?

I can start by using insight when I set goals for the year, when I review my Definite Major Purpose (my DMP, another MKE term). Then I can ‘plan to advantage’ and turn my thoughts and actions to the correct direction.

I can use Insight when faced with choices in how I spend my time and with whom I spend my time. Insight can show me the way to go.

Haanel says Insight is necessary for any great accomplishment. Do I want to achieve great accomplishments? You bet I do, so I guess Insight is an appropriate word for me this year.

If you want to read more of my thoughts on Insight, I did a post last year too. I talked about Insight being Inner Sight, or Sight Within, or Inner Knowing.

A few months ago, I was at a retreat, where I was given some cards with quotes and words of encouragement. One that I received was “I trust my inner wisdom.” On the reverse side, it said “As I go about my daily affairs, I listen to my own guidance. My Intuition is always on my side. I trust it to be there at all times. I am safe.” That sounds like Insight to me.

I have one last thought for you today.

What’s YOUR word for the year? I would love for you to share it with me in the comments below.

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