Before I begin, I feel compelled to let you all know that this is my second attempt at this piece. I wrote and edited the first one to completion on a day when the power was out. I thought it would save. It did not. I was pretty proud of that original piece, but we’ll see what I come up with this go-round.
Year after year, I come to the blog and talk about how I don’t subscribe to new year’s resolutions and that I prefer to choose a word for the year instead. I’ll spare you all of that because you already know where I’m going with this. Another year, another word. And I’m sorry that it took me until February to write about it.
2022 was a dumpster fire for me and my family. I won’t go into details because I plan on making separate posts about all of the things that ripped me apart last year. Needless to say, I was not sad to say goodbye to 2022. Was I excited about 2023? Not particularly, because I was afraid.
Afraid that 2023 would be worse than 2022.
And it certainly didn’t help that I said hello to the new year with the flu.
Yep, I literally spiked a fever and started feeling like garbage around 10:00 on New Year’s Eve. It was the first time in years that I was in bed before the ball dropped. I was sick for the first week of 2023 and thought to myself, “Well, if this is any indication of what the new year has in store for me, I want to go ahead and call it quits right now.”
Usually, my word of the year requires a lot of contemplation and soul searching to decide upon. This year, it just sort of fell into my lap. A word that stood out so clearly that I didn’t even have to think twice about it.
It’s the thing that 2022 lacked, and the thing that I truly hope to regain in 2023.
Stability.
I don’t need incredible or exciting or even memorable. Just please, don’t give me terrible or heartbreaking or chaotic.
Just calm, peaceful, and safe. That’s all I’m asking for.
I’ve decided that I’m simply not willing to sacrifice my stability this year. Not for anything. The people in my life who love and care about me will understand this, especially after seeing the turbulence that I experienced last year. So now it’s just up to me to protect my own peace.
Easier said than done, I know. It’s going to take some work. It’s going to take some practice. But I think I can manage as long as I repeat this mantra to myself. “I will not sacrifice my stability for anyone or anything.” It’s no longer worth it to me.
Do you have a word for 2023? I would love to hear about it!
Mind Over Mainstream 