Boundless is my word for 2023. There are lots of new and exciting adventures on the horizon and I can't wait to discover what they bring outside of what I know so far. Outside my usually controlling nature. Just let they be what they are – and let myself be that way too. Boundless joy, laughter, love, creation.
I'll just make a tiny plea for preserving *some* goof-off time. I do think people need a certain amount of (seemingly) nonproductive time, of playing games or zoning out somehow ... and sometimes I wonder if the ways in which we find ourselves procrastinating or distracting ourselves are really the brain demanding this break for itself ... I put my goof-off time at the end of the day and it helps keep me on track during the day, because I know I can have that break later
Congrats on the piece in Cosmo, Kelton! I enjoyed your perspective and am so glad Cosmo gave you the opportunity to share it on their far-reaching platform. Yay! I've wanted to do Susanna Conway's Unravel Your Year forever, but each year I find myself simply reflecting and obsessively choosing the perfect word for the following year. In the end of 2021, the word "trust" kept coming up, so I kinda let the word choose me. 2022 has been a rough one, starting with losing my 7-year-old son, Leo, on 1/14, finding myself in a storm of grief with my husband and our world basically crashing down on us, selling our home in Fort Collins, CO to move to Portland, OR for the rain and proximity to the ocean without so much as even visiting beforehand (IDK, it just seemed like the right thing to do), and now just gently taking every day (or hour) one at a time. I forgot about choosing "trust" through it all and was reminded when another friend shared her planned word for 2023.. but it's been below the surface throughout my year of simply trusting while taking every next step amidst a time where all feels terrible and uncertain. Idk why I'm going into all this detail, but figured I'd share the experience that these silly words can truly anchor us in times of great struggle. I'm not sure what my word for 2023 will be, but right now I'm leaning toward "honor."
I loved your ideal day. So simple, so achievable. These days I'm living life much closer to my ideal day. Its surprising how much clarity can help with that.
Man, as I was reading your ideal day I'm like, YES all of this, especially the early morning and allotting some time just for writing. And allowing my partner and I to move at different paces...he too enjoys a slower morning while I am wired to get up and out. <3
I love this, I’ve been thinking about a word and ‘Discovery’ keeps popping up for me. Discovery of myself, others, the world. Certainly appeals! But I really do need structure in order for this to happen so I may need two words.
Do it!!! Loved loved your cosmo piece it was so good and gave me so much to think about. My autopilot days look very similar. My word for the year was “nourish”. It worked and I am finally starting my first side hustle (making an online class). Like you said the best work comes when we are kind to ourselves and give ourselves what we need.
2021 it was kindness - specifically towards myself. Letting myself live in a moment and try to let it breathe.
2022 - I wanted to pick Journey, (specifically marriage and fertility journey) and it felt too dicey, too scary to put it out there, on the fridge. So I picked something else (I don't even remember what) and then I changed to Journey after a week. I love the UYY exercise. I pair it with Gretchen Rubin's 22 in 2022 list (23 in '23 etc) and that list I keep front and center, with the word at the top.
Well- 2022 got married and quickly got pregnant, 7 months now, so Journey was a good one.
I need to do the exercise for 2023. Love your great day. Not sure what is a realistic one, and picturing a great day now vs. on maternity leave vs. with a baby and working full time blows my mind. It may be a time for Kindness or Living in the Moment or Breathe or something like Recalibrate/Adjust?(I don't like those words, thinking about the idea of trying to be flexible to expectations, and what worked yesterday may not work today or tomorrow), not sure yet, mulling it over.
I love the idea of journaling, but i never keep up with it. But goals around my birthday in July and end of year reflection in December - that i always do and love.
The Cosmo article - congrats!! so good. I'm not a solo breadwinner, but I'm the primary one. The chore discussion is constant. My husband loves to cook, so he does 90% of that, and when we moved in together, I designated him the House IT Guy, which started as a joke, but realistically plays to his strength more and he cares so much more. When we moved into our first home together, i thought more would fall on me (I owned a home before, I'm more mechanical/better at handyman stuff, etc). But my being pregnant and constantly asleep caused him to naturally pick up the slack, which has been amazing. At some point we need to reevaluate it, cause he does a lot more around the house, but that's not changing until after newborn phase for sure.
For 2022, it was a phrase for me..."simple celebration". Finding this little and big things and taking the time to celebrate them. It was fun to break out bubbly because a group of friends managed to coordinate schedules (worth celebrating).
2023...what's your word? I love this closing time to the year, reflecting on what was, and imagining what could be. I did the ideal day visioning this morning and it already has me both motivated to make those little choices and to see how it unfolds into a word, a theme, a focus.
Mmmm. I like the idea of nourishment. My word this year was “soft”. Looking back on the year, a lot of this has been softening to myself. Softening in a way of Accepting that I have real needs. Accepting my aging body as it is. Accepting that doing more and more isn’t making me happier and happier. I’ve been practicing with a Mindful Self Compassion group since early summer and it’s starting to sink in.  I definitely want to continue practicing. 
As I was reading, I was thinking maybe the reason we wander into “mindlessness“ is that we need some unstructured time. We rebel against a fixed schedule.  what really nourishes me today might not be the same thing that will nourish me tomorrow. One day I need more rest. One day I need more movement. I think my word for 2023 is peace, at least I’ve been writing about it for the last couple of weeks.  but maybe peace in the sense of being at peace with what I need right now, balancing my needs with the needs of others. Allowing myself to pay attention and be aware and alter my plans and do less.  great food for thought Kelton. Thank you. 
I've been saving this issue for when I sat down to reflect on my word for 2023, and I just downloaded UYY to help me figure it out! Though of course I already have a front runner, which I will reveal soon. ;)
I love your ideal day - it's similar to mine, as is your autopilot day. The Wordle/Quordle/DuoLingo combo is also a daily occurrence, but I consider all three part of my ideal day.
My word this year was gentle. My focus was on being gentler to myself and it was an eye opening how often I push myself to do more / work harder.
Boundless is my word for 2023. There are lots of new and exciting adventures on the horizon and I can't wait to discover what they bring outside of what I know so far. Outside my usually controlling nature. Just let they be what they are – and let myself be that way too. Boundless joy, laughter, love, creation.
I'll just make a tiny plea for preserving *some* goof-off time. I do think people need a certain amount of (seemingly) nonproductive time, of playing games or zoning out somehow ... and sometimes I wonder if the ways in which we find ourselves procrastinating or distracting ourselves are really the brain demanding this break for itself ... I put my goof-off time at the end of the day and it helps keep me on track during the day, because I know I can have that break later
Congrats on the piece in Cosmo, Kelton! I enjoyed your perspective and am so glad Cosmo gave you the opportunity to share it on their far-reaching platform. Yay! I've wanted to do Susanna Conway's Unravel Your Year forever, but each year I find myself simply reflecting and obsessively choosing the perfect word for the following year. In the end of 2021, the word "trust" kept coming up, so I kinda let the word choose me. 2022 has been a rough one, starting with losing my 7-year-old son, Leo, on 1/14, finding myself in a storm of grief with my husband and our world basically crashing down on us, selling our home in Fort Collins, CO to move to Portland, OR for the rain and proximity to the ocean without so much as even visiting beforehand (IDK, it just seemed like the right thing to do), and now just gently taking every day (or hour) one at a time. I forgot about choosing "trust" through it all and was reminded when another friend shared her planned word for 2023.. but it's been below the surface throughout my year of simply trusting while taking every next step amidst a time where all feels terrible and uncertain. Idk why I'm going into all this detail, but figured I'd share the experience that these silly words can truly anchor us in times of great struggle. I'm not sure what my word for 2023 will be, but right now I'm leaning toward "honor."
I loved your ideal day. So simple, so achievable. These days I'm living life much closer to my ideal day. Its surprising how much clarity can help with that.
Man, as I was reading your ideal day I'm like, YES all of this, especially the early morning and allotting some time just for writing. And allowing my partner and I to move at different paces...he too enjoys a slower morning while I am wired to get up and out. <3
Clarity.....hmmm
I love this, I’ve been thinking about a word and ‘Discovery’ keeps popping up for me. Discovery of myself, others, the world. Certainly appeals! But I really do need structure in order for this to happen so I may need two words.
Do it!!! Loved loved your cosmo piece it was so good and gave me so much to think about. My autopilot days look very similar. My word for the year was “nourish”. It worked and I am finally starting my first side hustle (making an online class). Like you said the best work comes when we are kind to ourselves and give ourselves what we need.
Focus. If only I could focus more instead of getting so easily distracted. Which is totally my own fault, dammit.
2021 it was kindness - specifically towards myself. Letting myself live in a moment and try to let it breathe.
2022 - I wanted to pick Journey, (specifically marriage and fertility journey) and it felt too dicey, too scary to put it out there, on the fridge. So I picked something else (I don't even remember what) and then I changed to Journey after a week. I love the UYY exercise. I pair it with Gretchen Rubin's 22 in 2022 list (23 in '23 etc) and that list I keep front and center, with the word at the top.
Well- 2022 got married and quickly got pregnant, 7 months now, so Journey was a good one.
I need to do the exercise for 2023. Love your great day. Not sure what is a realistic one, and picturing a great day now vs. on maternity leave vs. with a baby and working full time blows my mind. It may be a time for Kindness or Living in the Moment or Breathe or something like Recalibrate/Adjust?(I don't like those words, thinking about the idea of trying to be flexible to expectations, and what worked yesterday may not work today or tomorrow), not sure yet, mulling it over.
I love the idea of journaling, but i never keep up with it. But goals around my birthday in July and end of year reflection in December - that i always do and love.
The Cosmo article - congrats!! so good. I'm not a solo breadwinner, but I'm the primary one. The chore discussion is constant. My husband loves to cook, so he does 90% of that, and when we moved in together, I designated him the House IT Guy, which started as a joke, but realistically plays to his strength more and he cares so much more. When we moved into our first home together, i thought more would fall on me (I owned a home before, I'm more mechanical/better at handyman stuff, etc). But my being pregnant and constantly asleep caused him to naturally pick up the slack, which has been amazing. At some point we need to reevaluate it, cause he does a lot more around the house, but that's not changing until after newborn phase for sure.
As always - thought provoking writing! Thank you
For 2022, it was a phrase for me..."simple celebration". Finding this little and big things and taking the time to celebrate them. It was fun to break out bubbly because a group of friends managed to coordinate schedules (worth celebrating).
2023...what's your word? I love this closing time to the year, reflecting on what was, and imagining what could be. I did the ideal day visioning this morning and it already has me both motivated to make those little choices and to see how it unfolds into a word, a theme, a focus.
Mmmm. I like the idea of nourishment. My word this year was “soft”. Looking back on the year, a lot of this has been softening to myself. Softening in a way of Accepting that I have real needs. Accepting my aging body as it is. Accepting that doing more and more isn’t making me happier and happier. I’ve been practicing with a Mindful Self Compassion group since early summer and it’s starting to sink in.  I definitely want to continue practicing. 
As I was reading, I was thinking maybe the reason we wander into “mindlessness“ is that we need some unstructured time. We rebel against a fixed schedule.  what really nourishes me today might not be the same thing that will nourish me tomorrow. One day I need more rest. One day I need more movement. I think my word for 2023 is peace, at least I’ve been writing about it for the last couple of weeks.  but maybe peace in the sense of being at peace with what I need right now, balancing my needs with the needs of others. Allowing myself to pay attention and be aware and alter my plans and do less.  great food for thought Kelton. Thank you. 
I've been saving this issue for when I sat down to reflect on my word for 2023, and I just downloaded UYY to help me figure it out! Though of course I already have a front runner, which I will reveal soon. ;)
I love your ideal day - it's similar to mine, as is your autopilot day. The Wordle/Quordle/DuoLingo combo is also a daily occurrence, but I consider all three part of my ideal day.
Kelton!!! I look forward to your posts every Sunday. So happy to hear about your Cosmo piece. Congratulations.
I love picking a word for the year. This year it was heal. Next year it's forward.