2024 Word Of The Year

Merriam Webster’s word of 2024 is “polarization”. It chooses the word of the year based on what people were actively searching to learn more about and using in conversation. Unfortunately, it’s representative of what we went through in the United States this year with a heated and divisive election.

Ironically, the one thing that people can agree on is how polarized the world is. There’s an undercurrent of people wanting to build bridges and better understand each other, but it lacks application. Media is pulling us further into our viewpoints and belief systems. Stances are being taken to their extremes rather than settling somewhere in the middle. And people are starting to distrust and lose faith in those who are different from them.

The opposite of polarization is “unity”. Imagine if that was the word of the year… That 2024 had a narrative of collaboration, putting our differences aside, and joining forces for a greater good. It’s undeniable what a better world this would be!

We can play our part in making unity a major part of 2025, and this is how:

First we need to listen to each other. Rather than trying to get our point in, we need to understand each other's perspective. The only way you do that is by allowing someone to share it, and genuinely listening to understand and not to respond. If you want to change someone's perspective you must be willing to change your own.

Second is accepting them for who they are. It’s okay for two people to disagree. Diversity is healthy and it breeds innovation. It’s because we see the world differently that we can begin to solve the world’s problems. In fact we need these differences to be as effective as possible.

And last is the idea of oneness. At the end of the day we all want the same things - to live a joyful, impactful, meaningful life shared with others. The way we get to that varies, but the foundation is the same. So knowing that we’re all on the same team anyway, and being abundant enough to know that my success doesn’t take from your success, we can collaborate in ways that bring more goodness to all.

Call me naive, but that’s the world I want to see. So that’s the world I’m going to play a part in creating. And I hope you’ll join me.