Moving forward with intention
Another year has come and gone. Can you believe it? As the years end, I spend time reflecting on all that has transpired. Time feels so unpredictable to me. There are so many twists and turns in life that I could never have anticipated which is also why I take time to look back and recognize all that has happened. I guess that explains why I don't typically set goals for myself. There are so many external factors out of my control and my life rarely looks like I thought it would. Instead, I set an intention, in the form of a word, for the year.
I pick a word to help shape my year and my life. It helps me lean into life a little more and check in to make sure I am heading in the direction I want to be. Last year my word was GROW. When situations came up that had me feeling uncomfortable, scared, and uncertain, I took the opportunity to remind myself of my word and then move forward with intention. It gave me the ability to look at each situation from a place of clarity, to pause instead of react, and become better at the art of pivoting. Learning to be flexible, make adjustments, and figure out what is truly important is good training for every area of life.
A large portion of this year has been about rebuilding, whether that was from surgery, work, relationships, and now long Covid, it has been challenging and provided many opportunities to practice what I preach. I have had my fair share of days where I felt sorry for myself but I always came back to my word, GROW, to give me the chance to look at my situation differently. Growth and transformation are often painful and challenging, but by focusing on what I could do at the moment I was able to reframe even the worst of days. (We're not talking toxic positivity here, I allow myself to feel all the feelings, but I also know that I can choose to move through them.) The best part is looking back and realizing this is the result of years and years of work I have done on myself. All those small habits and routines I have been creating have paid off in the long run.
2022 has helped me push myself out of my comfort zone, learn to trust myself like never before, and not settle for things that don't feel aligned. I have also found a deeper sense of acceptance, patience, compassion, kindness, perseverance, determination, and equanimity in myself. It has been a journey for sure but one I wouldn't trade for the world.
As I look forward to what 2023 will bring I have thought long and hard about what I want out of life. I've been trying to figure out the word I want to shape my life this next year, and what will help me lean into life so I can continue to grow and evolve. After much contemplation, I decided on THRIVE. Creating more time for life and joy will be a large part of thriving in 2023. I am excited to see what this new year has in store and where my word leads me.
As we enter the first days of 2023 I have a question for you to ponder:
What would your life look like if you focused on one thing for an entire year? Where could it lead you and how could it help you lean into life more?
As always, I love hearing what's going on in your life, any wins or struggles you're experiencing, and any questions you may have. Feel free to hit reply and share it all with me.