E 226 Align Your 2025: A Simple Exercise to Start the Year Strong

Happy New Year! 🎉 In this episode of The Teen Anxiety Maze, we’re diving into a powerful way to start your year with purpose and clarity. Instead of traditional resolutions, I share how choosing a "Word of the Year" can help guide your decisions, align your goals, and keep you on track—even when life throws challenges your way.

Join me as I reflect on my words from past years—like "Intentional" and "Focus"—and reveal my 2025 word: Aligned. I’ll explain how this simple concept can help you stay true to your values and create a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling.

You’ll also hear practical tips for:
✨ Reflecting on what worked (and didn’t) in 2024
✨ Identifying what brings you joy—and what to let go of
✨ Turning setbacks into opportunities for growth
✨ Crafting your own Word of the Year to inspire your journey

Whether you're navigating school, work, or big transitions, this episode will help you step into 2025 with confidence and intention.

💬 Let’s Connect!
What’s your Word of the Year? Reach out—I’d love to hear how you’re aligning your life for 2025! If anxiety is holding you back, I’m here to help. Contact me to learn more about working together to make this year your best yet.

📬 Follow for more tips on managing anxiety and living your best life:
🔗www.cynthiacoufalcoaching.com

Don’t forget to  subscribe for more episodes of The Teen Anxiety Maze!

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Email me: ccoufal@cynthiacoufalcoaching.com
Text me: 785-380-2064
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Transcript

Happy new year. I am so glad you are here for the teen anxiety Maze today. The last couple of years, I have chosen a word of the year. I like that better than new year's resolutions though. I always see the new year as a time to reflect back on what I've done over the year. What I liked about it, what I didn't like about it, reviewing everything. 

What do I want to do more of, or make more of what do I. Want to stay away from or do differently. But it's kind of fun to have a word that helps kind of guide you. And a couple of years ago, I did the word intentional. I wanted to be really intentional with the things that I was choosing to do or be involved with or. How I wanted to run my business. Last year I was focus because I wanted to really focus on the things that were important. And really getting my [00:01:00] business off the ground and that is happening. 

So I'm so excited about that. And this year I chose the word aligned. And it's been actually kind of a difficult word. I didn't, I did a workshop. With a fellow coach that I just adore and I wanted to be in her space again. So I went to her workshop about how to choose your word. And there was a lot of reflecting. During that workshop where you could kind of really think about your year and what you wanted. 

And I didn't know what I wanted my word to be at all. I had didn't even have any ideas. But some ideas came up or came to me as I was going through the workshop. And I started writing down all the words that were coming to me. And then I just really looked at them. To decide what is it that I want to do? And I chose the word aligned. 'cause I thought about. When I originally picked it, I was thinking about how I want [00:02:00] everything that I do in my life and in my business to align to certain values or goals. And earlier in 2024. And I might've mentioned this on a podcast, but I haven't really talked about it very much. I only shared it with my husband, but I did some other kind of workshop where you wrote your eulogy. And then you were supposed to read it every day and then that would guide you. To make your decisions or what you wanted to do. 

And I don't read it every day. I think I only read it a couple of times when I did it. But I really like it and I saved it. And I sent it to my husband cause I was like, You know, what do you think about this eulogy? You know, does this, does this seem to describe me? And he said it did. And I thought, okay, so I'm already kind of doing that. And I want to keep being that person. And keep making decisions based on that. 

So so aligned. To me means that everything that I do. This year we'll be in [00:03:00] alignment or going towards the person that I want to be and the business that I want to have and the friends and the family and the memories and all the things. And I, I feel like I do live my life like that now, but I really just want to have that in the forefront. If everything I do. 

And I asked my clients to write every day. Like kind of a thought that they want to focus on for that day or that week or that month. And I do that also. And so this word can help me. With those thoughts that I want to have every day that get me going in the right direction. Now alignment. When you're in alignment doesn't mean that bad things don't happen or that things don't get in the way. But if you have a purpose and a compass and a. A InPoint that you're going towards. Then when you [00:04:00] get off track or when things happen. That you don't want to have happen in your life. You can still stay in alignment with who you want to be. With the decisions that you make with the way that you interpret those things that have happened to you. And so. I think I see a lot of people when bad things happen. They just take on the victim role of, oh, well this happened, I guess my life's ruined or I guess I can't do anything or I guess I'll never have friends or I'll never. Find the right person or all the things like the story that they're telling themselves. Is I'm hoping out of alignment with who they really want to be, but it's like they can't bring themselves back into the story that. You know, their value is always a hundred percent their level bell. Lovability as always a hundred percent, we were born that way. 

We can't do anything. Nothing can happen to us. [00:05:00] We can't do anything to take that away. And that we can be the hero of our story. And I've talked about that several different times and different episodes where. All the things that happened to us and some things are terrible. And very painful and scary. And that's okay. We can't change what happens on the outside of us. But when those things happen, we can choose to tell a story that's in alignment with the person that we want to be in the end of the story. And if you focus on that, As you're going through life. You're going to feel so much better about all those things that do happen. 

Those. Accidents, those diagnoses those. Terrible tragedies that go on in our lives and everybody's going to have them, or even just the minor challenges sometimes. I noticed the last couple of weeks. Just really dumb things that I, [00:06:00] you know, like I, I make. A really dumb decision. That's nothing, you know, like, oh, well I dropped this instead of, you know, I don't know, just things that are so. Silly. And I say to myself, well, you dummy. And then I'm like, well, why would I say that to myself? 

Why would I say that I am dumb because I made a mistake or that I dropped something or that I forgot about something. Like, that's just part of those like minor challenges. And so that's helping thinking about alignment. I'm like, well, that's not how I want to see myself. That's not how I want to tell the story about minor challenges. 

And so I am going to really embody and think about alignment this year. And I want you to do the same. I hope that you just look back at 20, 24, think about all the things that were good and amazing and wonderful, and, and the things you wish [00:07:00] hadn't have happened, or the things that. You wish you would have made different decisions about look at all of it. And then think about what do you want to add to 2025? Two. Like those things that you really enjoyed. 

I just, I, Tim Ferriss is famous for lots of things and I've heard of him and listened to some of his stuff before, but not really. Got too involved in it, but over this break, I've been kind of digging into some of his stuff just to kind of, you know, everyone raves about him. So I want to. Take some of his knowledge in, and one of the things he said to do, and I haven't done this yet, but I'm planning to do that. 

There's a blizzard actually going on right now. So. I'll have some time to do it. I can't leave my house. But he said to go back in your calendar each week and think about what happened in that week. And this is much easier to do when you have a business and you have like a planned calendar because I can go back. To last January and see what appointments I had and what [00:08:00] things happen. 

And it reminds me of the stuff that went on. And I don't know. You know, as a teenager, I'm thinking, I don't think I could have went back and known what I did the year before or whatever, but if you've, if you have a calendar rewrote, some appointments. And Mo most of mine is digital. So a lot of you probably use a digital calendar. But go back to each week and think about what were the things that were so amazing, what felt really good. 

What did you really enjoy? What did you hate about that week? What was so terrible now? I know if you're still in school, you can't, you know, you probably hated homework and you can't say I'm not going to do homework anymore. But. Think about, you know, the things that really brought you joy and you enjoyed so much and you thought, oh my gosh, I need to do more of this. And do more of that in the new year. 

And then the things that were like, Ugh, that was just such drudgery and terrible. Think about how you can make it better. If it's something you can't avoid. But if it's something that you can avoid. Then find [00:09:00] ways to start saying no to some things, because maybe you don't need to be involved in all those things, or maybe you don't need to take care of all these friends or, you know, whatever it is. 

That's kind of feeling like it's bringing you down or maybe you need to stay off of social media so much because maybe that's, what's bringing you down, like, think about those things. And then just make a plan for this year. Like how, what are the things you're going to do? That really lift you up and our fun. And what are the things that you're going to try to. 

Get out of your life. 

If you need. Need to, or if it's something that. You. Can't get rid of how can you make it more fun or doable or break it into smaller pieces or something? So I hope this was inspiration. Inspirational for you. I usually talk a whole lot, but I Just thought that it might be nice for you to have a really short. Episode to listen to just, just really reflect and think about the year. 

That's what I'm doing. [00:10:00] I'm going to spend the rest of my day, trying to really think about 20, 25 and. What I want it to be. And. And all the good things that are already in my life, but how do I want to do more of that? And how do I want to. Maybe say no to some things that. Drain my energy or don't really move the needle forward towards that person that I want to be, or the business that I want to have. 

So I wish you many blessings this year and please contact me and tell me all the things that are going right. And all the things you want to try. For this year. And if you're having anxiety and you really want some help with it, I am here for you. I can totally do that. So contact me about that too. And we'll start working together to get 20, 25 to be the most amazing year you've had yet. 

So I'll talk to you soon.