Yes, I'm one of THOSE PEOPLE.
I'm one of those people who pick a word for the year, for the purpose of setting an intentional focus and gaining clarity about myself, and others, in the process.
This is a recent habit; I learned about it from a friend (Hi, Melissa!) a few years' back. She shared how having the focus helped her gain clarity in her personal and professional life, I knew I wanted to try it as well.
My words over the years tell the story of what I was focused on at the time:
-- Health (wanting to adopt more healthy habits) Through intentional focus in this area, I significantly curbed my sugar cravings and started to look forward to workouts.
-- Surrender (wanting to explore what it could look like to turn down the volume on my inner control freak) Be VERY careful if you decide to choose this word! VERY UNCOMFORTABLE! I teach that discomfort is the price of growth, but c'mon... that year was DISCOMFORT TO THE FIFTH DEGREE. And yes, it was a year of significant growth, breaking out of hustle habits and the desire for immediate gratification, leaving room for authentic connection and relationships.
-- Courage (stepping out of comfort zones with the faith and belief that something better/more will happen on the other side of discomfort) This led to the year I left corporate to start my own business at the start of a global pandemic. Because I kept choosing COURAGE, I kept finding my way forward. It was worth it.
-- Adventure (wanting to explore how I could move beyond my comfort zones, at work and in my personal life) This was the year I intentionally chose to prioritize fun, or new, experiences outside of work. I love to work, though I was recognizing how I was near-addicted to it, and it had taken on an uncomfortable place in my life as a result. I couldn't stop thinking about work. I only wanted to talk about work. I hid how much I was working (from family/friends,) though I wasn't then present when I was with them, because I was constantly thinking about work. Since I could get out of that cycle yet, I added Adventure as a specific intent that year. It helped me regain balance, though it was a "one step forward, two steps back" journey!
Which brings me to my 2023 word of the year: CURIOUSITY
This year, I'll be staying curious about many things, specifically:
Personal and professional belief
Personal and professional habits
Authentic connection
Perspectives, and why we hold dear to the ones we do
Personalities, and how this impacts how we see ourselves/others
Group think vs. peer pressure
The struggles of pursuing a healthy lifestyle in a culture of excess
As I stay curious about these topics and others, my goal is to keep those things that positively benefit me and others. and let go of things, within my control, that no longer serve my healthiest self.
Author's update: As 2023 comes to a close, this year has been the year of the most growth, to date, personally and professionally. I will write a specific blog about my journey early in 2024 and link back to this post. Curiosity is definitely a tool I will keep in my toolkit ongoing.
As we're all on our own journeys, I'm not here to tell you the "right" way to think/believe/behave. We're adults, and I honor that your life, and your personal experiences, are yours.
I would also ask: if you can see yourself in any of the personal beliefs on the left side of the graphic below, would you consider staying curious with me? Ask yourself: how do these beliefs benefit you? How do they benefit others? How does holding that belief keep you at your healthiest?
Taking the time to ask and answer those questions for yourself can bring clarity. As you reach clarity, it will bring peace, even if your situation is still challenging.
If you aren't finding peace or clarity, another curious question may be: what keeps you from believing the statements on the right?
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