Monday Musings: My Word for 2023

Welcome, 2023! I'm truly looking forward to this new year. For the next 12 months, I want to focus on my relationships and practice the art of being present in the moment. Therefore, my word for this year is connectedness.

Last year, I focused on my physical health. I accomplished this in meaningful ways by running in and finishing my first half-marathon and adjusting my diet after discovering a few significant food sensitivities. In the last few months of the year, I consistently limited my screen time at night and I went to bed earlier. These are all strong improvements from 2021.

While it has been very fulfilling to prioritize my physical health, I've not always accounted for my mental and social health the last few years. After COVID, moving into a new home and landing a new job, my mental exhaustion hit an all-time high. This has forced me, unintentionally, to become withdrawn from social activities and forgoing social investments outside of our family of five.

I believe I can make strides toward connectedness by scheduling more time for phone calls with family and friends who live far away, and arranging coffee or lunch dates with friends who live nearby. In addition, I'd like to make more social investments in the different communities I am part of.

Humans require connection and I want to feel more connected in 2023.

Here's to a year filled with social growth!