It’s that time of year again when my family and my team at Express sit down to choose our “One Word” for the year ahead. If you’ve followed my articles or blog, you know this is a tradition I’ve embraced for several years. I like the exercise because it forces you to really look ahead as well as reflect on the prior year. Unlike New Year’s resolutions, which often fade, One Word serves as a theme—a guiding principle you can carry throughout the year.
Last year, my word was Thriving. I set out to become healthier in every area of my life—physically, mentally, and professionally. I wanted to stay active, improve my mindset, and help others succeed. Looking back, I can confidently say I accomplished what I set out to do. I hit a personal milestone of 10,000 minutes of cardio, tracked my caloric intake, and lost 25 pounds. Our team also worked hard and saw slow but steady growth, leaving us excited about where we’re heading in 2025. Thriving wasn’t just a word—it was a mindset that transformed how I approached my year. Now, it’s time to Elevate!
Let me share with you why I chose “Elevate” as my One Word this year. To Elevate means: to raise one’s standards and expectations in personal and professional life by continuously seeking growth and improvement. One of the tough things to do if you are Thriving is to continue to grow. I don’t want to stop the progress and after some reflection, I felt that if I plan to grow, I need to Elevate my thinking, I need to have some big 10X goals and asked myself these questions:
- What do I want to accomplish?
- What steps will get me there?
- What roadblocks or blind spots might hold me back?
- How will I handle setbacks?
- How will I track progress?
What inspired me last year was a single conversation I had with a good friend and our sales trainer, Matt Nettleton. I asked him what he had done to become healthier. I noticed he lost a bunch of weight. He shared that he set a goal to become healthier and set out to do 10,000 minutes of exercise in 2023. He stayed on track of that goal monthly using a Peloton app. I knew if Matt could do it, I could as well. After some reflection, I knew it was going to be a journey, but decided it was time. I tracked my calories with Fitbit, stayed consistent with my workouts, and hit my goal at Club Pilates in mid-November.
As we move into 2025, I feel an elevated sense of excitement and purpose. Elevate is more than a word for me—it’s a mindset of continuous improvement. It’s about pushing beyond comfort zones, striving for excellence, and raising the bar in all areas of life.
Reflecting on the past year, I am proud of the progress made and the lessons learned. Thriving helped me build momentum on a journey of transformation. Elevating will require me to think bigger, set higher standards, and embrace growth. My hope is to inspire others to do the same.
So, what’s your One Word? What’s the theme that will guide you in 2025? I encourage you to take time to reflect, choose a word that resonates, and set your sights high. Together, let’s make this a year of growth, achievement, and elevation. Cheers to 2025!