2022 Word of the Year

2021 Year In Review

2021 was the year of growing pains if I’m being quite honest. A year of many blessings, absolutely, but also a year of navigating challenges that feel much bigger than me. The beginning of the year was the highlight and I married the love of my life! I went on a post wedding bachelorette with my favorite girls! Max + I got to celebrate new life as we watched our best friends become parents. And 2021 was the year I began to see some success with my blog. But it’s also the year I lost my grandfather, the year I felt *constantly* overwhelmed by all of the world’s problems, and a year I didn’t feel like my best self. A year that left me feeling burnt out, tired, run down, + stressed. Honestly, I’ve been feeling this way for quite some time.

The last half of the year was the hardest season of life I think I’ve ever been in. After losing my grandfather in August, the grief took me down a road that I felt I could not get out of. Being away from family during a time such as that is REALLY tough. I’ve struggled with being so far away from my loved ones since I initially moved to Ohio for graduate school. But this one stung especially deep. I began retracting away from the habits + people that made me feel the best about myself. I shut down + started mindlessly scrolling social media. Eventually to the point that I let social media take over my thoughts – most of which were negative. But through it all, I began a process I didn’t know I needed. A process of learning to rest + be quiet.

In case you didn’t know, I am always on the move. Like ALWAYS. I truly have a hard time sitting still. + telling me to relax? Forget it ha! I’m the worst when it comes to resting. But I’ve recently learned that is just what I need. This realization has allowed me to take a step back to see what I truly want + to fully embrace + appreciate the simple joys.

My word of the year for 2021 was simplify, click here to read it! I wanted to simplify my systems, simply my spending habits, + simplify the amount of external information coming into my brain. There are a few areas that can continue to use improvement, absolutely. However I did find ways to simplify systems + spending habits. So for that I am proud!

2022 – My Word of the Year

2022 is a year I am truly hopeful for – a year with SO many exciting adventures to come. A year I plan to get out of my comfort zone. A year I truly pray I can make positive changes toward living the life I know my creator wants me to live. So this year I decided to choose the word flourish.

According to Google’s definition, to flourish is to “grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.” I truly love this definition because it emphasizes a few key points that I think are essential to living the life I know I can live. The first part of the sentence touches on growing or developing in a way that is “healthy or vigorous”. When I hear those words together, I think of energy + strength. Not rushed or careless. It’s important to work on skills that encourage healthy habits + propel us forward.

The second part of the definition touches on the environment in which one is trying to grow in. I personally believe the environment is vital to flourish. So it must be created in a way that is encouraging, uplifting, + contributes to a positive process. I’ll be honest, I have not been the best at creating an environment that is the best to grow in, so that is going to be a big focus this year. I want to take the opportunities life has to offer with full force, I want to move forward as my most confident self, + I want to strip the negative excess that this world tries to promise to unveil the beauty + truth of God + his love for me.

With flourish as my focus there are a few ways I know in particular I can make changes, both in my efforts//energy + in the environment I create. In order to flourish, I have to begin by removing the layers of my life that are holding me back – the endless scrolling on Instagram, the negative self talk, + the poor health habits I’ve let myself fall into more so in the past few months.

I am an action oriented person, so I prefer to have concrete practical applications to life rather than just a vision. Having a word to focus on provides a big picture but the daily habits I try to implement are where the changes really begin. Below are a few ways I plan to start removing the excess to focus + hone in on what drives my soul. Here’s to working toward my flourishing year!

Environmental Changes I Plan to Implement

• No screens 1 hour before bed – I’ve started this action already + I must admit this one is way harder than I expected. I’m typically the one scrolling through Instagram until my eyes can’t stay open any longer, but I plan to change that this year + find a system that works best for me. So far, I have tried taking this time to clean any dishes, put away any laundry, read a book, + go through my skincare routine. Completing the day with a few at home tasks allows me to feel productive at the end of the day + a clean home allows me to feel more at peace.
• Detox my body + focus on internal health – not like the detox of a juice cleanse but working to create a better relationship with food + nourish my body. I want to truly enjoy good quality food + allow my body to heal itself from my decades of chronic stress
• Setting a time limit on social media apps + locking it – yes this is a thing! + I can have my husband create a password so it physically kicks me out after a certain amount of time. It sounds strange + probably childish, but if it works, that’s all that matters!
• 10 minutes outside first thing in the morning. Spending time outside in God’s creation is something I hope to make a priority. Fresh air + starting the day off at peace is key.

Places for Growth

• As part of my morning routine, spend intentional time with God including meditation. I’ve been fairly consistent with a daily devotional but I want to work more toward listening to God + not just going through a reading. I met with a natural medicine provider in December + she put it in a way that I understood. Prayer is us talking to God but meditation is God talking to us. As I mentioned earlier, quiet time is not my strong suit. But it is necessary to be quiet to listen to what God wants to speak to me.
• Saying no to prior commitments that I feel are no longer necessary to hold onto.
• Create a system to achieve business goals both in my blog + a new business adventure I hope to start!
• Read more. Oof this one I have tried + tried + tried again. But by implementing a better nighttime routine, I have noticed I have the time I thought I once didn’t to spend on reading. I started this year with a book focused all about using our time as Jesus did here on Earth. It encourages time management in a way I have never heard before. It is a practical book, so it’s one that requires note taking. But I’ve already found it to be one of the most useful books I’ve ever read. + I’m only half way through! You can find the book here, if it sounds like something you would be interested in.

These are just a few ways I plan to begin my 2022 + I hope to build on each one throughout the year. What is your word of the year? Leave a comment below!

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