My word for the year is “light”. I want to be a light, to be brighter, to feel lighter and more enlightened.
I have been thinking about a big change in my personal life, but 1. I fear the opinions of others- how could I leave a husband who is 18 years senior to me? 2 Inertia: things aren’t terrible but I stay for the wrong reasons. 3 Thinking that things might possibly be better if I left ( but worse for him) only reinforces why I should stay (guilt)
I love "get to". That's definitely one thing I say very rarely - and it's about time all the "shoulds" and "have/need tos" get replaced with something more positive! Thank you for that. And thank you for having a space for inspiration and cheer - where we can all keep each other going and thriving.
This year, I'm going to allow myself to be a "work in progress" so I can heal from 8 years of abuse from my covert malignant narcissist husband (I could talk for another 8 years about that - divorce is also in progress!) "There would be no change without butterflies" (taken from "Holiday in the Wild") and I'm GOING to be "the leading lady of [my] own life, for god's sake" (from The Holiday), where I "get to" choose my own paths, make my own decisions, and do what BOTH my inner child and I want to do without having to ask anyone else for permission. CHEERS to that - and to all of us who keep showing up (with or without voicemail - HA - I'm still impressed with that bold move.)
Cheers to all that! it’s so nice to hear of someone breaking free from narcissistic relationship... I can relate! Unfortunately my parents and brother are all narcissistic (malignant &covert). I’m planning to go no contact or the very least low contact. A year of mental health is much needed!
I am working on changing my reactions. When I get upset or buttons get pushed, I can default to acting like a 7-year old. It doesn’t feel good in the moment and I recognize there’s something within me that is screaming for attention, so I’m paying more attention to her and what she needs.
This post was interesting for me. I like the idea of hope and striving to be better but I also honour that I am enough as I am. I think this is a complex juxtaposition but it might also be complimentary. Speaking as a woman with multiple demands on me (relationships, parenting, professional achievements, etc.) it can be easy to fall into the feeling of needing to be better at all of these things and seek ways to be a" better wife, better mother, or better business person." AND at the same time I am a damn good wife/mother/entrepreneur/etc. What I bring to the table is enough. My being is enough and I don't want to lose that in always striving for "better."
Thank you, Chris! "I didn’t understand how much better things could be" is such an eye-opening statement. It has been true so many times in my life and yet thinking about the future in such a positive way still doesn't come naturally.
1. I fell down the rabbit hole of Personal Knowledge Management tools, trying to change how I collect, organize, keep, and use information
2. "Explore and Organize" is my theme for the year - to tame overwhelm to keep the fun in learning
3. Marginally
How about you?
Speaking of eye-opening, thank you for your new book! Gonzo Capitalism indeed :)
So true, it's hard to change when things are tolerable. Even if I envision that 10 more years of tolerable leads to undesirable, it's still hard to get the oomph to change. In terms of inertia, what can get me to be an object in motion, as opposed to prolonged rest?
You're also pointing out a good thing about taking to my more recent younger self, not me as a child. I'll take this as an assignment: what can I imagine saying to my younger self, that is still applicable to me now, in order to improve my life?
Great questions as always. I'll go for number 2: my word for this year is 'reconnect'. I'm intentionally reconnecting with myself (therapy, revisiting old hobbies and passions, taking time to reorient my goals and identity) and reconnecting with others (checking in more, scheduling events and hangouts, forging my radically open relationships). The word encapsulates where I'm at as I'm working through an uncertain process that has put an end to what I'm calling my 'first career' and I now have the excitement of beginning a new chapter. However, before launching headfirst into the next thing, I'm grateful to have the time and means to reconnect and breathe. Enjoy the big sporting event later today!
Oh, and my word for the year is "worthy". Because my therapist wanted me to work on feeling "deserving", but it felt icky and entitled and just wrong somehow - so worthy it is! And I'm actually starting to feel worthy!
And if by "sporting event" you mean the game that the Clydesdale commercials are on, yes, I think I've heard of it!
1. Lordy lord, it feels like I'm trying to change everything all the time. I'm constantly tweaking things about how and what I teach. I'm trying to help my kid with his neurodivergence and all that entails. We're moving as part of that help. I'm applying for new jobs which I have so, so many feelings about. And the thing is, I keep hearing about fearing change, but I actually like change. I like novelty. And I really like change if I'm feeling stuck, and this past year has had quite a bit of stuckness. What I don't like is something I couldn't anticipate biting me on the butt, and that's always a risk with change.
2. I don't have a theme or word for the year, but maybe I need one. "Bring on the changes, baby!" How about that?
3. One thing I will miss about living in Europe is not having to hear about such trivial matters. (Although I do live a few blocks away from a major soccer stadium, so I can't get away from it all the time...)
I loved the message today! The audio is beautiful so soothing and such an important message! I'm trying to make a big shift in my life right now..to build a business (I'm taking your idea course right now on Side Hustle Schoo ) and move away from a highly toxic situation. Your message today was very timely, it's like I was supposed to hear these exact words this morning. It gave me hope! I think A Year of Mental Health is a fitting word theme for me this year!
Less doom-scrolling. More creative expression. The 100 Day Project. I would like to throw 100 cups in 100 days which has been on the back burner for awhile. I'm thinking about combining photography with ceramic decals to create functional political art.
2. Do you have a word or theme for this year? (If so, why did you choose it?)
Restorative. 2023 was a very difficult year. I've added acupuncture& acupressure, Cameras & Coffee at the NYC ICP and a 5 week pottery wheel throwing class so far.
3. Were you aware of a big sporting event being played this weekend? Yes
By the big sporting event do you mean The Puppy Bowl?! Because yes, I’m very excited for that 🐶
My word for the year is “light”. I want to be a light, to be brighter, to feel lighter and more enlightened.
I have been thinking about a big change in my personal life, but 1. I fear the opinions of others- how could I leave a husband who is 18 years senior to me? 2 Inertia: things aren’t terrible but I stay for the wrong reasons. 3 Thinking that things might possibly be better if I left ( but worse for him) only reinforces why I should stay (guilt)
I love "get to". That's definitely one thing I say very rarely - and it's about time all the "shoulds" and "have/need tos" get replaced with something more positive! Thank you for that. And thank you for having a space for inspiration and cheer - where we can all keep each other going and thriving.
This year, I'm going to allow myself to be a "work in progress" so I can heal from 8 years of abuse from my covert malignant narcissist husband (I could talk for another 8 years about that - divorce is also in progress!) "There would be no change without butterflies" (taken from "Holiday in the Wild") and I'm GOING to be "the leading lady of [my] own life, for god's sake" (from The Holiday), where I "get to" choose my own paths, make my own decisions, and do what BOTH my inner child and I want to do without having to ask anyone else for permission. CHEERS to that - and to all of us who keep showing up (with or without voicemail - HA - I'm still impressed with that bold move.)
Cheers to all that! it’s so nice to hear of someone breaking free from narcissistic relationship... I can relate! Unfortunately my parents and brother are all narcissistic (malignant &covert). I’m planning to go no contact or the very least low contact. A year of mental health is much needed!
Oh Girl…I’m sending lots of love, light, and strength your way! You got this! Do it for YOU for once! (And you totally know what I mean.)
I am working on changing my reactions. When I get upset or buttons get pushed, I can default to acting like a 7-year old. It doesn’t feel good in the moment and I recognize there’s something within me that is screaming for attention, so I’m paying more attention to her and what she needs.
This post was interesting for me. I like the idea of hope and striving to be better but I also honour that I am enough as I am. I think this is a complex juxtaposition but it might also be complimentary. Speaking as a woman with multiple demands on me (relationships, parenting, professional achievements, etc.) it can be easy to fall into the feeling of needing to be better at all of these things and seek ways to be a" better wife, better mother, or better business person." AND at the same time I am a damn good wife/mother/entrepreneur/etc. What I bring to the table is enough. My being is enough and I don't want to lose that in always striving for "better."
Thank you, Chris! "I didn’t understand how much better things could be" is such an eye-opening statement. It has been true so many times in my life and yet thinking about the future in such a positive way still doesn't come naturally.
1. I fell down the rabbit hole of Personal Knowledge Management tools, trying to change how I collect, organize, keep, and use information
2. "Explore and Organize" is my theme for the year - to tame overwhelm to keep the fun in learning
3. Marginally
How about you?
Speaking of eye-opening, thank you for your new book! Gonzo Capitalism indeed :)
I’m reading Gonzo Capitalism right now, it’s so good! It’s opening my eyes and changing how I see money!
1. Trying to change mindset
2. No
3. Yes
So true, it's hard to change when things are tolerable. Even if I envision that 10 more years of tolerable leads to undesirable, it's still hard to get the oomph to change. In terms of inertia, what can get me to be an object in motion, as opposed to prolonged rest?
You're also pointing out a good thing about taking to my more recent younger self, not me as a child. I'll take this as an assignment: what can I imagine saying to my younger self, that is still applicable to me now, in order to improve my life?
Great questions as always. I'll go for number 2: my word for this year is 'reconnect'. I'm intentionally reconnecting with myself (therapy, revisiting old hobbies and passions, taking time to reorient my goals and identity) and reconnecting with others (checking in more, scheduling events and hangouts, forging my radically open relationships). The word encapsulates where I'm at as I'm working through an uncertain process that has put an end to what I'm calling my 'first career' and I now have the excitement of beginning a new chapter. However, before launching headfirst into the next thing, I'm grateful to have the time and means to reconnect and breathe. Enjoy the big sporting event later today!
That change is possible is, to me, the definition of hope.
Oh, and my word for the year is "worthy". Because my therapist wanted me to work on feeling "deserving", but it felt icky and entitled and just wrong somehow - so worthy it is! And I'm actually starting to feel worthy!
And if by "sporting event" you mean the game that the Clydesdale commercials are on, yes, I think I've heard of it!
I didn’t understand how much better things could be.
Wow. That one stopped me in my tracks. Why is it we can always imagine how much worse things can get, but imagining *better* seems outside our SOP?
This one's definitely ponderable.
Thanks, Chris.
1. Lordy lord, it feels like I'm trying to change everything all the time. I'm constantly tweaking things about how and what I teach. I'm trying to help my kid with his neurodivergence and all that entails. We're moving as part of that help. I'm applying for new jobs which I have so, so many feelings about. And the thing is, I keep hearing about fearing change, but I actually like change. I like novelty. And I really like change if I'm feeling stuck, and this past year has had quite a bit of stuckness. What I don't like is something I couldn't anticipate biting me on the butt, and that's always a risk with change.
2. I don't have a theme or word for the year, but maybe I need one. "Bring on the changes, baby!" How about that?
3. One thing I will miss about living in Europe is not having to hear about such trivial matters. (Although I do live a few blocks away from a major soccer stadium, so I can't get away from it all the time...)
I loved the message today! The audio is beautiful so soothing and such an important message! I'm trying to make a big shift in my life right now..to build a business (I'm taking your idea course right now on Side Hustle Schoo ) and move away from a highly toxic situation. Your message today was very timely, it's like I was supposed to hear these exact words this morning. It gave me hope! I think A Year of Mental Health is a fitting word theme for me this year!
1. What are you trying to change right now?
Less doom-scrolling. More creative expression. The 100 Day Project. I would like to throw 100 cups in 100 days which has been on the back burner for awhile. I'm thinking about combining photography with ceramic decals to create functional political art.
2. Do you have a word or theme for this year? (If so, why did you choose it?)
Restorative. 2023 was a very difficult year. I've added acupuncture& acupressure, Cameras & Coffee at the NYC ICP and a 5 week pottery wheel throwing class so far.
3. Were you aware of a big sporting event being played this weekend? Yes
Oh wow, thank you so much for the mention, Chris! Your books were immensely helpful when I made the transition to self-employment!