Word up, 2023
If you were with me this time last year, you know that I don't make New Years' resolutions. Why? I never keep them -- partly because I'm not good at formulating them -- so I took a different tactic for the first time: a word of the year. My 2022 word was BETTER and it served me well. For example, I got BETTER at giving myself grace.
Last week was a perfect example. It was the first time since September 10, 2020 that I took a week off from writing this newsletter. (!!) I felt I needed a digital break and to truly unplug while taking time off from my day job. So I did it and it was weird -- I missed writing! -- but it was fantastic. This break also lead me to my word of 2023.
For awhile, I thought my word would be SIMPLE. I tend to catastrophize or overcomplicate things-- a vestige of perfectionism, I guess. For example, in December it took me nearly 90 minutes to reformat a JMT Speaks invoice in Canva. 90 minutes! After about ten minutes, I should have shifted gears. . . but I didn't. I made it hard -- way hard -- and wasted precious time. The procurements department did not need an aesthetically pleasing, absolutely perfect invoice. It needed information I could have created with my logo in Word and PDF'd. Lesson learned.
As I let my brain wander last week, I realized that what I really need in 2023 is CLARITY. I need to get BETTER at being purposeful with my time, my tasks, and my mindset. After all, choosing to truly unplug was indeed a choice I consciously made. So my word for the year is... INTENTION. It encompasses simplicity, manifesting the life I want, and being present. It's about the opposite of doing something because it's a habit but truly asking myself what I want to do and how I want to spend my time. It's about remembering my WHY for every little thing, big and small. It holds me accountable.
Did you pick a word for the year? Do you make resolutions? If so, drop me a line because I'd love to know -- and I'm cheering you on!
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