ENGAGE was the word that steadily followed me through 2024—showing up not just as a theme, but as an invitation to lean all the way into my life, work, spirituality, and travels.

Why I Chose “Engage”

I tend to pick verbs for my words of the year, and ENGAGE felt like the natural next step after a 2023 focused on “Go and Grow.”

In fact, during a Logistics With Purpose® podcast interview that I co-hosted featuring author and speaker Sam Horn (listen here), she used the word “engage,” and it immediately sparked for me—because so much of her story around solo travel and purposeful living mirrored my own.

I realized I didn’t just want to keep moving through life; I wanted to participate in it more fully.​

Engaging With Travel

2024 was my second year of full-time travel, and ENGAGE meant being present in new places, not just passing through them.

Like 2023, I went coast to coast again in the US, but also finally made it to Canada for the first time, and—after a lifetime of dreaming—checked a huge bucket list item off by going to the Paris Olympics with my friend Julie. I’d originally applied to volunteer, but when that didn’t work, I had the ability to attend in person, and it was everything I’d ever hoped.

Seeing the Games in person felt like stepping inside a story I’ve watched unfold on TV my whole life. Not to mention seeing them in Paris. It was just magic all-around.

Engaging With Work and Impact

On the work front, ENGAGE looked like re-immersing myself in my own business at www.signify.solutions, taking on more client projects and reconnecting with the heart behind their causes. Client work picked up, and it felt good to roll up my sleeves and be in the trenches again with mission-driven organizations.

At the same time, I continued my part-time role with Vector Global Logistics as Chief Marketing Officer as well as head of giving and impact, and the biggest highlight of my career with them was helping Vector earn our B Corp Certification—no small feat I assure you, and one that now places us among a very small number of certified freight forwarders worldwide.​

Engaging Spiritually and Personally

ENGAGE also showed up in quieter ways: in my spiritual life, relationships, and the way I approached everyday decisions. I admit, sometimes ENGAGE felt exhausting. But remembering the reason why helped me to reframe experiences and choose those that felt most fulfilling in my life.

Finally, unlike most years, I never landed on a single song or scripture to anchor this theme, and that’s okay; it felt like a year to live the word more than label it. Maybe 2025 will bring a new soundtrack and verse to match whatever comes next.

Five Resources to Find Your Word

If you’re interested in finding your own word for the year, here are a few great resources:

• One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page – A simple, faith-informed framework to help you narrow your focus to one guiding word for the year.​
• Mountain Modern Life’s “Tips for Choosing Your Word of the Year” – A practical, reflective blog post full of prompts and examples if you feel stuck.​
• Your favorite Bible app’s verse-of-the-day feature – A gentle daily rhythm that can surface themes or phrases that keep resonating with you.​
• Dayspring Word of the Year Quiz – A short, reflective quiz that suggests a word based on your hopes, prayers, and priorities for the year ahead.​
• A trusted friend or therapist – Sometimes the people who know you best can reflect back the word you’ve been circling around but haven’t yet named.
• Thesaurus.com or AI – If you have a concept but haven’t yet narrowed it down, Thesaurus.com or an AI tool like ChatGPT or Perplexity can help you get to the heart of what you’re trying to express.