2022, New You?

Happy New Year! I know I’m a little late, but we’ve just been soaking up the holidays and slowing down as a family. How long is it socially acceptable to say “Happy New Year” anyway? I’m thinking the entire month of January…

I don’t necessarily look forward to the “new year” every 365 days. It typically comes with a lot of unknowns and sometimes that can be scary. Every NYE, I find myself asking, “Where will I be in one year. What will we be doing in one year?” It’s as if I want to skip the entire year already to find out. Sometimes the answer to that question is exciting (like last year when we took a totally unplanned trip to Kentucky with my parents) and other times it’s stale because it’s the same ole, same ole (like this year when we went out for pizza and played games).

But, what I do *love* about each new calendar year flipping over is…

1. Getting a new planner. And pens to match, of course. I know this is an archaic approach, but I can’t function each week without one. It keeps me organized at work and home, aligns our extracurricular activities, helps us plan upcoming vacations/PTO, and is my go-to before committing to anything.

2. We get to map out our year. (See #1 haha!) We start by discussing pre-planned events, or things we already know to be scheduled. These are often holidays, weddings, surgeries, and other milestone events. Then, we chat about trips or experiences we want to take or have (summer camping, our anniversary, winter break, spring break, etc.) We rarely get everything booked in January, but we start the conversation and create a pretty solid outline.

3. New Years is a fresh start, if you want it. I’ve been in places where I desperately needed that reset. Other years, I dreaded the question, “What’s your resolution?” because I felt ashamed saying I didn’t have one, as if I felt I didn’t “need” one.

One of my best girlfriends got me hooked on a new practice. At each calendar year, pick a meaningful word to guide your year, instead of a resolution or goal. This word becomes your filter as you make decisions and live each day. So much easier to keep focused on it day-by-day and less likely to fall short of your goal.

Last year, after hearing about her word, I decided to give it a try and jump on the bandwagon. And ya know what? I never fell off. My word was “invest” and I chose it because I wanted to be more in tune with our spending, but also invest in myself and family with experiences and doing what makes me/us happy. Not gonna lie, I also chose it because I thought we’d be making our biggest investment ever last year by buying our dream home, but that didn’t happen. Nevertheless, I invested my time, effort, and energy into myself, relationships, and things that made my year worthy. We beefed up our retirement goals, paid off several things, saved, bought crypto, and invested our hearts a little more. And we did end the year with a few unexpected investments: a hamster and a new truck.

This year, my word is “healthier.” I want to make daily decisions that make me a little healthier. Of course this includes eating better, drinking more water, and moving my body more regularly, but it also includes the intangibles. Things like setting boundaries or saying “no” when it doesn’t serve me. Moments of being silent when my opinion doesn’t add value. Doing more of what betters me and my crew. These decisions won’t always make sense to everyone, and they don’t have to. I’m on a general path to being happier and healthier in 2022.

What do you think about using a word instead of a resolution? I hope you’re setting yourself up for success in 2022.

One last “new year, new you” thought. I heard the song “‘Til You Can’t” by Cody Johnson on the radio and the chorus had me in my January feels.

“If you’re gonna love somebody, hold ’em as long and as strong and as close as you can…If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance. If you got a dream, chase it, ’cause a dream won’t chase you back. ‘Til you can’t.”

Tomorrow is never promised. If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s to enjoy the moment and what we have right now. May 2022 be your best year yet, whether you’re trying for it or not. Happy New Year!