Welcome to the new year! As I (Molly) shared in the impromptu blog post last week, we are at the time of the year that I do my word of the year. This year, my word process led me to consider a few different words. Reflecting on what I want from 2023, I considered what I learned from being authentic (2022 word):
I learned how to trust myself, and that learning happened in part from me recognizing that I needed support in that process, which makes me so grateful for having people in my life who continue to help me grow into myself;
I learned that no one thing defines who I am, and that I can choose a path that others do not understand and have it be the right thing for me;
I learned that being authentic can feel uncomfortable, especially while I am learning to embrace it myself, and that is okay;
I learned that authentic is not always easy, often walks alongside vulnerable and that putting on armor can feel safer and yet choosing authentic feels more comfortable the more I choose it.
My reflections also reminded me that my word always shows up in unexpected ways throughout the year and this year was no exception. From big career changes to learning how to trust and love myself, this year has definitely been one of growing authenticity for me. A big part of authenticity that I learned was how much energy I put toward trying to show up how I believed others expected me to show up. I am definitely still going to be working and practicing authentic as I head into 2023.
All of that leads me to what word I chose from 2023, so no more suspense, my word for 2023 is SPACE. I had three common words come up in my reflections, which included space, abundance and joy, and as I reflected, I kept being drawn to space, which I actually think embraces both abundance and joy, so I am excited to see how it shows up in 2023.
Here is how I am thinking about space in 2023:
I want to create more space that allows curiosity, exploration and innovation.
I will hold space for myself and those around me.
I want allow space for more joy and abundance.
I am ready to discover new spaces that allow me to continue to grow and learn.
I want to offer space that inspires creativity, confidence and supports growth.
I will free up space by removing what is not working anymore.
I want to be aware of both physical and mental space and its value.
I will continue to work on living into the wholeness of my life, which is all about space.
I am excited to see how space shows up for me and to share insights and experiences along the way with you. If you are inspired to choose a word for yourself, we would love to hear about it and how you are going to bring it to life in 2023.
Here's to a year filled with space that allows for growth, joy, learning, connection, confidence and abundance. I cannot wait to see how space brings even more value and impact to our readers and supporters and clients - 2023 is going to be a fun year!