Name Your Year: Transform New Year's Resolutions with Intentional Growth

Transform your approach to New Year's resolutions with a unique ritual that could redefine your 2025. Discover how naming your year can set the tone for personal growth, mindfulness, and intentional change. Join me, Christopher Mifsud, on this episode of the Press Start Leadership Podcast, where I share my own journey of naming each year—from the audacious "Year of Nobody Fucks with a Lion" to the enlightening "Year of the Illuminated Path." This practice is more than just a quirky habit; it's a powerful tool for setting intentions that align with your dreams and aspirations, while fostering a community of accountability and reflection.

You'll find out how a simple name can encapsulate and guide your goals, becoming a beacon in both expected and unforeseen turns of life. As I walk you through my past year's names, you'll see how each one served as a personal compass—whether it was embracing creativity or seeking inner peace. This episode isn't just about sharing stories; it's about inviting you to participate in this transformative practice. Name your year with creativity and purpose, and watch how it illuminates your path. Join our community of intentional growth by sharing your year's name and see the ripple effect of positive change it can ignite.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Press Start Leadership. Hey there, press Starters and welcome to the Press Start Leadership Podcast, the podcast about game-changing leadership, teaching you how to get the most out of your product and development team and become the leader you were meant to be Leadership coaching and training for the international game industry professional. Now let me introduce you to your host, the man, the myth, the legend, christopher Mifsud.

Speaker 2: 1:07

Hey there, press Starters and welcome back to another awesome edition of the Press Start Leadership Podcast. On this week's episode, we'll be discussing Name your Year a Mindful Ritual to Redefine New Year's Resolutions in 2025. A Mindful Ritual to Redefine New Year's Resolutions in 2025. Set Meaningful Intentions, boost Accountability and Embrace Personal Reflection for a Transformative New Year. Traditions and rituals are important not just for creating healthy habits, but for cultivating mindfulness as well. This ritual of naming my year is something I've shared with friends for over two decades. Sometimes the name arrives months ahead of time time and sometimes not until January 1st, but I always give each year a name. The name serves several purposes, although it's mainly a tool for setting my intentions. Instead of traditional New Year's resolutions, I reflect on the shape I'd like the coming year to take, jot down my goals and choose a pseudonym that neatly captures my hopes and dreams. Following are some of my past year names, including recent ones 2010,. The year of nobody fucks with a lion. 2011,. The year of awesome. 2012,. The year of roots. 2013,. The year of the golden butterfly. 2014,. The year of the grinning tiger. 2015,. The year of the rainbow butterfly. Unicorn kitty. 2016,. Year of the unchained heart. 2017, the year of the vibrant nesting doll. 2018, year of the wild monk. 2019, year of reflective shadows year of the wild monk 2019 year of reflective shadows. 2020 year of the helping hand year. 2021 year of walking with giants. 2022 the year of the magical mr mifsud. 2023 year of dream caterpillars and manifest butterflies. Last year, 2024, was year of the king of happiness and this year is 2025, the year of the illuminated path. In the year of the grinning tiger, for instance, I was moving to India and wanted to focus on cultivating happiness. In the year of the wild monk, my goals revolved around daily meditation and taking bold leaps of faith. For the year of the rainbow butterfly, unicorn kitty well, that one speaks for itself. I wanted to approach life with colorful, creative energy.

Speaker 2: 3:29

Once I choose my name, I share it with my friends. This is my way of creating accountability. There are several ways you can do this, but I like to reach out to a group of close buddies. Over time, our monthly check-ins have become a support system that inspires us and keeps us focused. As we all know, good habits beget good habits. I also practice monthly reflections on my year's name and purpose. At the end of each month, I do a quick recap of my progress to see if I'm sticking to the spirit of my chosen name. If I'm falling short, I try to figure out why Do I need help or motivation? Were my goals too simple or too ambitious? If I didn't have the right resources, can I pivot and seek them out? It's important to stay open to how life often unfolds in ways we never predict.

Speaker 2: 4:11

The name I choose might end up revealing a new aspect of itself over the course of the year. Take 2020, for example. I initially expected to be the helping hand in the year of the helping hand, but as the pandemic unfolded, it was people everywhere extending help on a global scale. My name is still fitting, but its interpretation had to evolve. So, as we move into 2025, I encourage you to name your own year. Make it creative, meaningful and personal. See what a simple ritual like this can bring to your life. Share what you name your year in the comments and let me know if you have any new year rituals of your own. All right, and that's this week's episode of the Press Start Leadership Podcast. Thanks for watching.