Are you feeling the New Year motivation or are you already tired of hearing about resolutions and goals?
Honestly, I’m feeling the motivation and while I know it won’t last, I’m soaking it in right now and trying to make the most of it.
One thing I’ve been doing for years is choosing a word of the year. I feel like this helps me focus even when that motivated feeling had long since faded away.
Last year my word was ‘embrace’. I knew I was entering a tough year. I’d just spent 4 months coming to terms with my spouse coming out as transgender and trying to figure out how we should move forward with that. Ultimately, I decided I wanted a divorce, knowing that we would both be happier as friends (as heartbreaking as that realization was). Making that decision was hard. Telling our three kids was hard. Navigating the results of that decision have been hard! But you know what? I embraced the hell out of it. I leaned into that word and found comfort in it. I learned how to embrace things that were necessary even if I didn’t love it.
Having a word makes it easier to remember what you entered that year wanting. It’s also very open ended! It’s not really something you can fail at because it’s up to you how you define it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need to add any more feelings of failure on the plate right now, ha!
For 2023, my word is ‘self’. I know so many moms say they lost themselves in motherhood, that they forgot who they were before kids. Honestly, I’ve never really felt that way. Yet, I was feeling a bit lost. I was feeling like the woman I saw in the mirror wasn’t one I knew all that well. What I realized was, I was a wife for 16 years and now that I’m not, I’m feeling like I have to get to know myself again. I guess I need to get to know single Sophie. Sophie not in that relationship; a relationship I was in from the age of 18!
Self.
Putting myself first more often.
Hobbies.
Time alone.
Dating (eek!).
New experiences.
Prioritize my mental health.
Independence.
What is your word for 2023?
If you’re struggling to think of one, try asking yourself what you’d like to work on this year. What would you like to improve? What are some goals you have? Think of a word that sums all of this up! It’s a word to help guide you, not box you in.
Love this. Such a good word to chose. Mine is connection this year. I want to be better at connecting with the people in my life and people coming into my life. True connection, if that makes sense?
The word I've chosen for this year is "Open". We are planning a move to a new city, after being in the same place for 28 years, so we can be closer to family. I want to remain Open to the new experiences, feelings, and relationships, that I will encounter while making this transition. ❤️