Melissa NicholsoN INTRO
MELISSA NICHOLSON: In episode twenty-three, we talked about leaving behind the things that no longer serve us from 2024. And today? We’re going to choose something powerful to replace them with. You’re going to choose your Word of the Year. Your word will be your guiding light
Introduction
INTRO: Welcome to Job Share Revolution. The show about job sharing—a partnership between two people to bring two minds and skill sets to one full-time position. I’m Melissa Nicholson, former job sharer turned founder of the first U.S. job share company. But it wasn’t long ago that I felt like an utter failure at work and as a new parent. Job sharing was my game-changer. I reclaimed four days a week to fully engage in my life while my capable partner handled everything. Together, we achieved more than I ever could solo. Fast forward to many lessons learned to bring you the training and support I wish I’d had to change lives and the modern-day workplace. Let’s live life and slay work.
Melissa NICHOLSON
MELISSA NICHOLSON: Hey there, friend. It’s your friend Mel. How ya holding up? I just wanted to take a moment before we get started to say that my heart is with everybody who is in California and has been personally impacted by these devastating wildfires. It just hurts my heart so much that somebody can lose everything at a moment’s notice. Just everything. And as we are hitting these natural disasters with more frequency, it’s just one after the other whether it’s a hurricane, a tornado, a fire…And I know that California is no stranger to these wildfires, but this is so different. We are just going to need each other even more.
And it’s such a big reminder when something devastates an entire community how the community comes together. I am one of the kind of people that, I kind of dive right into all of the news. I’m going to The Washington Post, going to The New York Times, getting all the updates. And, I have to say I took a real deep dive into TikTok because that is the way that you could see how this personally impacts people.
And with the frequency increasing more and more, I just feel like it would be very easy for us to get desensitized to the fact that there are hundreds, really thousands of people whose lives are impacted by so many tragedies. I don’t want it to become like gun shootings, you know? I’m in Texas and gun shootings just happen all the time and I feel like we get desensitized to, you know, what we can do about it. Watching those videos, watching those TikToks you really see the devastation and you really see the personal stories. And you see all of the animals that come out of the mountains and like, how this affected all these animals and all these humans. And how everybody was helping one another.
So I just want to say that my heart really goes out to all those who are affected, and I’m going to be putting together a list of some great resources that I’m going to include in the show notes of this episode as well.
Now before we get started, I have a personal favor to ask. Can you share this episode with a friend? I know doing these exercises can lead to big personal growth and changes, and it’s my goal to share our Best Self Challenge with as many people as possible! Thank you so much. I really appreciate it so much. It means a lot to me.
I’m so excited to dive into Day 2 of the Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge! If you are just joining us, I’m leading you through our gentle, kinder approach to the new year and who you want to be this year. The challenge is a series of exercises designed intentionally with time to ruminate and thoughtfully complete them to step into the best version of yourself in 2025. You get to decide how you use this challenge. You decide. It’s up to you. You know yourself and what works for you best. You can download the workbook and binge them or space them out. When you sign up for the workbook, you’ll get a series of emails spaced a few days apart to guide you through the challenge. And of course, I’ll be here guiding you through each of the exercises here over the next five weeks. To get the very most out of the challenge, download the workbook if you haven’t already at workmuse.com forward slash best self. I’ll link to it in the show notes.
When I first created the challenge, I didn’t know how powerfully it would show up not just in the lives of those doing it, but in my own life. I’d been through a really difficult set of personal circumstances, and I knew I had to take a more sustainable approach to finding the most joy in my life raising my kids alongside caring for my mom who has Alzheimer’s while continuing my work to tackle gender equity in the workplace with job sharing.
If you missed Day One of the Challenge, you can find it in last week’s episode, episode 23. I’ll link to it in the show notes. You haven’t missed anything. You’re not late.
In episode 23, we talked about leaving behind the things that no longer serve us from 2024. And today? We’re going to choose something powerful to replace them with. You’re going to choose your Word of the Year. Your word will be your guiding light—the mindset you’ll carry with you in 2025 to show up as your best self version of yourself. It’s not a specific goal or action; it’s a single word that embodies how you want to live, how you want to feel, and how you want to show up every single day in the new year.
As I step into 2025, I’ve shared that I am leaving behind trying to control circumstances or people’s actions that are outside of my control. There’s another thing I’m leaving behind that I didn’t share because it’s something that is hard to admit. And I don’t think until I wrote these exercises down that I did admit this. I was embarrassed. I am also leaving behind fighting with my family. When you come out the other side of a traumatic situation, everything doesn’t just magically return to normal. You’re finally free and you feel back to normal, but you’re not. And there’s a lot of cleanup to do on your side of the street. Every time there was an argument between two family members, I was the common denominator. I didn’t want to admit it but it was true. Now these were typical teen disagreements and arguments. Typical marital spats too. But the thing was I was the problem, it was me. It was me! This is why Taylor Swift, everybody loves her.
So I’m leaving that behind by giving myself a time out and stepping away when I feel myself instigating an argument or reacting to an argument, It’s a pretty vulnerable share but we are in a safe place and this is my way of holding myself accountable. Doing these exercises and challenges. This is personal growth. Maybe it will help you be brave about what you’re leaving behind in 2024 too.
Challenge Day number two: Choose Your Word of the Year. This is my fifth year choosing a Word of the Year, and I can honestly say it’s been life-changing. Last year, I decided to choose two words for the first time, a personal and a professional word. My personal word for 2024 was ‘joy,’ and I found it, even in the smallest moments. And my professional word was ‘focus.’ Leaning into that word…it just kept me on track for our goals at Work Muse. When challenging goals I’d set seemed daunting, I kept to them. Even if I needed to shift deliverable dates or offerings, I didn’t beat myself up about making tweaks. I stayed focused but I gave myself an abundance of grace. And I achieved the three main goals I’d set for Work Muse in 2024, knowing it would be a challenge to hit them. But that’s what good goals are, they are challenging. So we launched Job Share Academy’s group coaching and training program in the spring and fall—the spring got pushed a little bit, but we did it—and the Jobshare Revolution podcast in April. Just saying that out loud feels good.
Now I’ll share a quick story with you. In 2023, when I created this challenge, I was navigating one of the hardest seasons of my life. I’ve shared that. My family became caregivers for my mom, who has Alzheimer’s. It was such a huge shift for us. I chose ‘kinder’ because I knew I’d need to find moments of light and connection amidst the challenges while being kinder to myself. Kinder to my family. I also knew that we were all coming out of several tough, tough years from the pandemic for the Work Muse community, and for my clients. So I wanted to be kinder to my clients. Kinder with everyone. It made a huge difference.
To start off the year, my husband Mike and I took our kids to the mountains of Oaxaca, México, for a much-needed reset before our lives changed permanently. That trip wasn’t just a vacation—it was an intentional choice to prioritize slow living, being kind to one another, and togetherness. As hard as things got, that word stayed with me. It guided me through every tough decision, every beautiful moment, and every new opportunity that came my way.
Now it’s your turn. It’s your turn to choose a word that will serve as your compass in 2025. Let’s pause for a moment and reflect. Grab your workbook—or if you’re listening on the go, just think about these questions:
- Question number one: What things made you happy this year?
- Question number two: What things in your life could be better?
- And now I want you to check in with your body. Question number three: How is your physical and mental health right now?
Friend, Your word doesn’t need to be complicated. It could be a word of reflection, like ‘gratitude.’ It could be a word of change, like ‘growth.’ Or it could be a word of connection, like ‘listen.’
Close your eyes for a second. Picture 2025 and how you want it to feel. What word comes to mind? Write it down. That’s your Word of the Year.
And here’s a pro tip: Write your word on a sticky note and post it somewhere you’ll see it every day. Let it remind you to show up with intention. You can even turn it into a personal affirmation. For example, if your word is ‘brave,’ you could say, ‘I am brave enough to try new things and step into my power.’”
Once you’ve chosen your word, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with someone who can hold you accountable—or better yet, share it with everybody in our Facebook community! You can grab the link in the show notes. And remember, every word has the power to shift your year. Whether it’s ‘focus,’ ‘balance,’ or ‘kindness,’ your word will help you reflect on your hopes and intentions and bring you closer to the best version of yourself.
So, I’m just literally grabbing my sticky off my board which is right next to me, and looking at it. And I did this practice before I started the challenge. So 2021, my word was ‘mindful’, 2022 it was ‘intentional,’ and I’ve shared 2023 it was ‘kinder.’ And then, last year, 2024 my word, I had two, ‘joy’ and then ‘focus.’
You know that I’m doing the Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge with you, so it’s only fair that I share my word of the year with you. Choosing two served me so well last year, so I’m sticking with it. My personal word of the year for 2025 is ‘surrender’ and my professional word of the year is ‘embrace.” I’m going to surrender to the need for control, past wounds, fears, and outcomes. And I’m going to embrace curiosity, collaboration, things that scare me, and whatever shifts are needed at Work Muse. On my sticky, right now under my two words is the word “unlimited.” Did you see Wicked? It was so good. I saw it with my daughter and wow, just wow. The internet says it best: In the final scene, Elphaba sings the word “unlimited” with a powerful, soaring vocal belt during the climax of the song “Defying Gravity” signifying her newfound sense of freedom and defiance against the constraints placed upon her as the Wicked Witch. Ah, that movie! The fact that she’s the wicked witch, but she’s not, she’s good inside. I mean, it’s so much the struggle, right?
So I am surrendering to and embracing all 2025 has to offer to be “unlimited.” I know, it’s got a whole through line. Do not feel pressure to choose multiple words, I’ve been doing this for five years. Keep it simple, friend. Choose one word of the year. When you do, you will be so surprised and delighted by what shows up keeping that word as your north star all year long.
Before we wrap up, I want to leave you with this: Your Word of the Year isn’t just about what you want to do; it’s about who you want to be. And that, my friend, is the most powerful thing of all.
Thank you so much for joining me for Day 2 of the Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge! You can’t just leave me hanging. I want to know what your word of the year is. Share it with me! DM me on LinkedIn or scroll down to “Send Melissa a Text Message” in the Apple podcast app’s show notes. It’s that simple. I’d also LOVE it if you shared in our Facebook community. Plus you’ll be in the running for a very cool work-life prize! Sharing your challenge action is exactly what you need to hold yourself accountable, friend.
Alrighty, friend. Next week, we’re diving into Challenge Day 3: Setting Achievable Goals in 2025. This is where we’ll turn your intentions into real, actionable steps.
Until then, keep your word close, keep your heart open, and remember—you are capable of incredible things. I believe in you. Bye for now. And remember, it’s all in you.