Looking back at 2022, growth and gratitude come to mind. Every year we grow if we are open to it. As we know, the only constant in life is change. With change, we can always grow. As I grow, my mission and my passion become clearer. As the business grows, I get to share this passion with more and more people and for that, I am truly grateful. Reflection on the past year is a great way to grow as well. Recently, I came across some pretty fabulous free downloads to color and write your reflections of 2022.
Looking ahead ~ I love words. I love goals. I love intentions. I’m not however a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Simply because I believe goals and intentions should be made and adjusted all year long. You don’t need to wait for January 1st to start something or build a new habit. So, I set goals, adjust them, refresh them constantly throughout the year. But this, I did start doing for the new year~ picking some words for the year and all of my goals and intentions fall here, under these words. It’s fun and simple and I think it helps you stay focused.
Here are my words for 2023 ~ maybe give it a try. I put them in the front of my planner. They need to be somewhere you see them often to keep you on track.
- Gratitude ~ Starting my day with warm lemon water before coffee (so many health benefits to this) and my gratitude journal. 5 minutes in this journal to start the day with gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more you will have to be grateful for. This is my favorite gratitude journal (this is an Amazon Affiliate link).
- Protect Your Peace ~ You will hear Protect Your Peace throughout the year from me. I have some super cute hats to remind us of this coming soon! For me, it means, I’m following through with my boundaries. Keeping those who feel like sunshine close. Saying no, making sure when I do say yes, I’m not saying no to myself. Keeping me at the top of the priority list. Simplifying my space.
- Sunshine ~ I’m rolling fresh air into this one too because both are equally good for the soul and in the Pacific Northwest, we lack in sunshine in the winter months. But just getting outside and letting sunshine, fresh air and movement do its thing this year. Getting as much of it (with safe sunscreen on of course) as possible. It makes my soul happy; it clears my mind and brings a new perspective.
- Choose JOY ~ yes it’s a choice. Some days, weeks, months, years just kick our ass frankly. Life is just plain hard. Remember, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” (Henri Nouwen)
- Pursue ~ (verb) to continue to do
- Minimize ~ I think I’m always trying to simplify and minimize. Not just my space, but noise too. I love to organize ~ like really really love it! I think cleaning out and getting rid of stuff you don’t use and keeping what’s truly important feels so good. One thing that works for me are timed clean outs. Pick a closet or drawer or a desk and set a timer and work on it for 10 or 30 minutes. If you have to go on and do something else, come back when you have 10 more minutes. It will get done eventually and you will keep going back to that clean space! Minimize distractions and noise that you do not need! Inhale what you need, exhale what you don’t friends.
- Perfect Never ~ When I started making Pilates videos, recording classes for a Video on Demand library, and got serious on Instagram, I had to fling caution into the wind. There was a leap of faith, I had to take in myself in order to really commit to doing this. There was going to be and continues to be failure and hurdles every single day. I was NOT ready. But, truly that is my best advice, start now, not when you’re ready because you will NEVER be ready! And remember, perfect never! (because now at least the pressure is OFF!)
Maybe try some words for 2023. If you have goals and intentions, remember to revisit them often to stay on track and create attainable steps to get where you want to go. I hope your year is truly full of health and JOY! ~ Andy