Say WOTY?

It's never to late for a WOTY!

Who says the new year has to start on January 1st? I'm a BIG fan of the rolling new year! To that end, I've decided to wait until February to talk about my WOTY (Word of the Year).

Drumroll please...

It's Generous.

I decided I wanted the theme of generosity to be my focus this year.

Why?

Well, it's not because I don’t think I’m generous—I know that I can be very generous (and I can also be very stingy!). I want to have a heightened awareness of how generosity shows up in my life.

Already, in just one month, I have noticed things that I might not have otherwise. For example, when:

• I am being generous

• Others are being generous to me

• I witness generosity directed toward others

• I think I should be more generous and notice what’s holding me back

• My feelings around generosity are jaded

• I consider being generous to myself (or not)

• I see the ripple effect of generosity

I'm trying to see generosity as more than just financial giving—though I’m stretching myself in that area, too. I keep asking myself: Would I have done this before, or am I pushing myself here?

As with all things in the personal development world, it all begins with awareness. Right now, I’d rate my Generosity Quotient (GQ) at 6.75, and by December, I’d love to get it to 8.25—that feels like a reasonable goal.

Next up: Accountability.

I’m in charge of this. The Hub isn’t saying, “Start (or stop) being so generous!” I have the resources to be generous, even if sometimes it’s poor man’s generosity by some standards.

Generosity is not a contest. It’s not a comparison game. It’s personal. It can be as much about the feeling as the act itself.

So, in the spirit of spreading generosity and maybe inspiring you to kick it up a notch, here are some ways I’ve been upping my GQ this past month...

• Showing up 100%, with a happy heart

• Inviting friends over/organizing social events

• Giving more compliments & encouragement

• Saying, “Keep the change.”

• Filling out feedback forms, even when I don’t want to

• Leaving bigger tips than usual for servers, buskers, etc.

• Happily donating my time, talent, and energy

• Showing extra patience and forgiveness

• Buying gift cards to give out randomly

• Giving public shout-outs

• Cleaning up messes/fixing things I didn’t make/break

• cutting myself a break

• allowing others to be generous with me, with out 'fighting it'

Generosity isn’t just about what we give—it’s about how we show up in the world. I look forward to practicing being more generous in 2025.

Now... your life, your version, your plan.

If you wanted to up your GQ this month or year, is there a specific area you might like to focus on?

Would you like to choose a WOTY—or maybe a Word of the Day, Month, or Quarter?

What’s one moment of generosity—big or small—that has stuck with you? I’d love to hear your story!

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Here are some ideas to have a friendlier February, courtesy of Action for Happiness!