Pilot Wife Podcast and Aviation Adventures · Jackie Ulmer

[EP54] Word of the Year 2023

January 8, 2023·21 min·1 clip

Jackie draws 'substance' as her 2023 word, sparking questions about how she'll embody it daily.

Jackie Elmer, an aviation professional and pilot's wife of 30 years, shares her personal ritual for selecting a "word of the year" in this solo episode. She explains how this practice helps her set intentions and evaluate personal growth annually. The episode was recorded live on New Year's Eve and details her methodology shift from actively choosing a word to letting the word choose her. Elmer recounts her words from previous years, including "focus" for 2016 and "faith" for 2017 when she relocated her business to Scottsdale. Her 2018 word was "systemize," aimed at creating business infrastructure after extensive networking. For 2019, she chose "mastering practice" to hone those new systems, a phrase she clarifies was often misunderstood. She began letting the word choose her in 2020, drawing "accomplished" to maintain productivity during the pandemic by focusing on five key life areas. Her 2021 word was "resilient," and her 2022 word was "present," which she says prompted significant personal growth and a shift in self-image. For 2023, after a ceremony involving a bowl of handwritten words, she draws the word "substance." She also introduces a complementary practice of selecting a "word of the month," starting with "curate" for January. A surprising insight is that her 2022 word, "present," initially met with resistance but ultimately led her to set aside many business goals to focus on personal identity. She describes writing a letter from her future self to her present self as a daily motivational tool. Elmer mentions going alcohol-free since August 2022 as part of "getting really present" and learning to avoid numbing out, promoting a free "Dry January" challenge. She wore a wig for the New Year's Eve recording purely for fun, which unexpectedly led listeners to express concern for her health. The process involves a months-long collection of words that come to her during morning journaling sessions, which she then reviews in a color-coded annual reflection. The tone is conversational, motivational, and deeply personal, blending life coaching advice with a narrative of self-discovery. The style is structured around a specific ritual, offering listeners a template they could adopt. Listeners interested in goal-setting, mindfulness, personal development frameworks, or New Year's rituals would find this episode valuable. Those seeking aviation-specific content or dramatic storytelling might prefer to skip this introspective, process-oriented episode.

As heard by us

A small New Year's ritual that turns reflection into a workable plan.

It follows a pilot wife through a year-end ritual built around one focus word. She looks back at the goals set earlier in the year, takes stock of December, and thinks through who to become in the next 365 days.

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Why you'd press play

You want a New Year's Eve reflection built around one clear focus word.

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