I embarked on the journey of giving my year a theme a while back. Honestly, I can’t pinpoint what inspired me to start, but I do recall a bit too much negativity in the air when it came to reinventing oneself.
But hey, here’s a little secret: you’re allowed to show up as a new you every day! Don’t let the naysayers rain on your parade with the whole “no more ‘new year, new me'” mantra. In my book, every new day is a golden opportunity to dive into something you’ve always wanted to do. So what if you’re stuck in old habits that no longer serve or lead to growth? Today is a perfect day for change!
And what better way to capture this spirit than with the newness of a year? It’s a fresh start, 365 more days waiting for you to shape them. That’s where the magic of having a theme comes in—it captures your focus, direction, and outcome all in one.
Typically, I go for a personal or spiritual theme, but this year I’m doubling the fun with both. Now, how do you come up with a theme, you ask? Well, let me spill the beans on my last three: 2022 was all about healing and restoration (not Jubilee, as I initially thought); 2023 was an ode to trust with “In God We Trust,” even inspiring me to start a company named IGWT consulting; and this year, my themes are “Thato ya hao e phethehe” (May God’s will be done) and a personal focus on discipline and consistency.
Curious about theme-forging? For spiritual themes, let the Holy Spirit be your guide. Can’t quite hear His voice yet? No worries, hop on the corporate theme train most churches set at the beginning of the year. As for personal themes, start with the areas where you lack conviction and execution. In my case, it was discipline and consistency, which I believe will be the champions of my growth journey.
Another way to land a theme is to complete a year compass. The year compass prompts you to reflect on your previous year and prep for the upcoming year. In this way you have a good idea of what you did well and what you want to improve – and with this awareness, choosing a theme is quite simple.
Now, what do these themes symbolize? They’re like badges of honor for the areas you want to grow and improve. Envision yourself conquering those life strongholds and becoming the person you’ve always aspired to be. Pause for five minutes and give it a try – what theme would be beneficial for this stage of your life? It doesn’t have to be serious – it could be something like “to build my friendship circle”
But how do you make sure these themes stick in your day-to-day life? A theme becomes your North Star—it points you in the right direction, but you need a map. Use your personal taste in the form of a vision board, prayer board, planner, or even a year compass.
Personally, I’ve tried a vision board (First time was in 2020), physical and online, and even a prayer board. This year, I’m diving into a spiritual planner from House of Hosting heaven Etsy store. It’s got everything—declaring goals, creating a bucket list, tracking habits, a 15-day prayer challenge, and more.
New Year’s resolutions are another option to bring your theme to life. You’ve done your year compass, and you’ve picked a theme you want to focus on for the year – new year’s resolutions make it all practical by forcing you to ask yourself – what do I need to do daily and monthly to hit my resolutions? In this mindset, hitting your resolutions means you’re growing towards your year compass desires.
Growing towards your year compass desires means you’re living out your theme. It becomes a snowball effect all from one action of penning down your resolutions. Pause for five minutes and give it a try – what are two resolutions that you need to perform monthly to help you live out your theme?
As a cherry on top, create your vision board using Canva or similar platforms and set it as your wallpaper. Constant visualisation helps keep you motivated in the long run. Want a chance to snag a month-long access to Canva Teams? Subscribe to our email list and comment on this article with #Canva.
I hope this article helps you to think of a theme for your life – I am interested in what it is. Share it in the comments, and may God grant you the courage, tenacity, and strength to conquer every element of your theme. Cheers to a theme-filled year ahead! ✨
