Happy New Year! 2022 was a wonderful, full year. Harrison and I started out the year newly engaged and began wedding planning in January. We enjoyed a spring break trip to Miami and the Keys, and I had a low-key bachelorette party in May. We soaked up the June sunshine in southern California, and came home to celebrate our engagement party and my bridal shower. In July, we spent a relaxing and leisurely time in Rhode Island. Late summer and early fall were full of wedding planning. We got married in October (and loved looking through all the photos)! We went to South Carolina for Thanksgiving and kicked off my winter break in New York City. We’ve been home in Nashville the rest of break, celebrated our offer being accepted on a house just two days ago (!!), and rang in the new year.
Welcome 2023! In the past, I haven’t had the most favorable opinion of New Year’s, but as I’ve gotten older, and established a daily gratitude practice that I began in 2021 (writing three things for which I’m grateful in my journal every night), I have discovered a newfound appreciation for a new year. I am actually looking forward to putting (much of) the Christmas decor away today (I do still leave some wintry things out!) and decluttering a few things in our home – especially as we will be moving this winter – and welcoming the new year with a fresh, clean start. I am excited to begin a brand new Yoga with Adriene 30-day journey; I always find much peace, comfort, and strength from these in January.
This brings me to my word of the year! The past two years, I have come up with a few words that I feel might represent the new year or lead me into the year ahead (see 2021 and 2022). This morning, I woke up and started making my tea, waiting for a word to come to me. And it did. My word for 2023 is intentional. While this is not a new concept for me – in recent years, I have made an effort to live with intentionality, in considering what I do and why, and looking for meaning – but when I thought of this word in the kitchen, it felt right.
This year, I want to live with intention. This seeps into all areas of being. It can be as simple as taking a walk and noticing the sights and sounds, or more significant changes – I would like to examine my habits and let go of which ones are no longer serving me while building new ones. Before buying something, I want to consider whether it’s a necessary purchase and a company I want to support. When in a rhythm of going from one day to the next, I hope to stop and consider if my actions are leading me where I want to go. As H and I go into our first married year, we’re ready to begin pursuing our dreams with purpose.
I hope that for all of us, the new year brings welcome change, a feeling of love and belonging, adventures big and small, an awareness of simple everyday joys, and an intentionality that brings us to a place of contentment. Cheers to a brand new year and a new beginning! It’s never too late to start.
Love,
B