On New Year’s Eve, my friends and I always come up with a word we each want to live by in the upcoming year. We also reflect on the word we chose the year before and reminisce about the last 365 days. It feels like a much healthier version of a New Year’s resolution, and I spend a lot of time thinking about my word.
Last year, my word was “community.” I was about to move to Oregon, and was anxious about leaving behind my friends & family to start a new life in a new place with a new job. I chose “community” because I wanted to lean into the connections I already held close to my heart, despite the new distance. I also wanted to push myself to branch out, meet new people, and find a community in my new home.
It’s been a bumpy year. I’ve really struggled with my eating disorder and, at times, felt so lonely and isolated from the people I love. But, despite it all, I’m walking away from 2022 with beautiful new friendships, strengthened old friendships, and more clarity about what I need in relationships.
I haven’t decided what word I want to live by in 2023.
Help me brainstorm! What word do you want to live by this year? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Ooh this is always so hard for me. I’m thinking “full” or “rich”... I want a year of big, deep emotions and experiences and adventures and insights and I want to feel everything. I’m tired of it being considered “cool” to be numb and detached and dissociated!!
i LOVE this! and allowing myself to feel big emotions is definitely something i'd like to do more of in the new year. did you have a word for this past year?
I've been trying to think of my word but also being patient with the process. Someone once told me, 'let your word of the year by the word it wants to be, not what you think it should be.' That inspired a sense of patience when it comes to realizing my word of the year. My word for 22' was 'fun, ' which might have been lofty. It wasn't a miserable year, but the fun is overstating it. The word that's been rising to the surface is 'understanding', but we'll see.
I really love that notion of allowing it to be a word that resonates, not something you are trying to force. "Understanding" is a great word, especially because there are so many areas of my life that it could apply to. thanks for sharing! <3
Dec 20, 2022·edited Dec 20, 2022Liked by Julie Gallagher
I’m trying to choose: healing, rest, rooted 🤲🏿 Oooh, and also thinking about “not being attached to any outcome” … not sure if there’s a word for it other than non-attachment but I think that sounds too cold.
I’m going with ‘nourish’ this year - also healing my relationship with food and exercise and wanting to reflect that need for reconnection with my body, mind and soul. Perhaps ‘unity’ would also be a good one...
Ooh this is always so hard for me. I’m thinking “full” or “rich”... I want a year of big, deep emotions and experiences and adventures and insights and I want to feel everything. I’m tired of it being considered “cool” to be numb and detached and dissociated!!
i LOVE this! and allowing myself to feel big emotions is definitely something i'd like to do more of in the new year. did you have a word for this past year?
One year I picked enough, and it served me really well. I am enough as I am, and enough is enough with bullshit.
"enough is enough" - ugh! yes!
I've been trying to think of my word but also being patient with the process. Someone once told me, 'let your word of the year by the word it wants to be, not what you think it should be.' That inspired a sense of patience when it comes to realizing my word of the year. My word for 22' was 'fun, ' which might have been lofty. It wasn't a miserable year, but the fun is overstating it. The word that's been rising to the surface is 'understanding', but we'll see.
I really love that notion of allowing it to be a word that resonates, not something you are trying to force. "Understanding" is a great word, especially because there are so many areas of my life that it could apply to. thanks for sharing! <3
I’m trying to choose: healing, rest, rooted 🤲🏿 Oooh, and also thinking about “not being attached to any outcome” … not sure if there’s a word for it other than non-attachment but I think that sounds too cold.
Oooh! Yes. Maybe "embrace"? As in, embracing the outcome no matter what it is?
I’m going with ‘nourish’ this year - also healing my relationship with food and exercise and wanting to reflect that need for reconnection with my body, mind and soul. Perhaps ‘unity’ would also be a good one...
safe
hell yes!