HAPPY NEW YEAR! For the last nine years I have spent every December reflecting on the year that was and looking ahead to the year to come. Instead of setting resolutions I choose a focus word, a word that I want to drive my personal and professional life. I never know where my word will come from – sometimes it presents itself to me right away and other times I have to do a lot of journaling and reflecting and I’m still hesitant about the word at the beginning of a year. I love to look back on my past words, remembering the graphic I designed to represent the year, and how I embodied these words.

• 2023 –> GENTLE
• 2022 –> CONNECTION
• 2021 –> DARING
• 2020 –> GRACE
• 2019 –> SHINE
• 2018 –> POSSIBILITY
• 2017 –> CHALLENGE
• 2016 –> REJUVENATE
• 2015 –> MINDFULNESS

As I began to think about how I wanted to live in 2024 a few words came to mind: appreciation, gratitude, peace, hope, nourish, and tend. I know I want to tend to my wellbeing, nourish my health, my soul, my family, and my friendships, and I want to appreciate the daily joys. I want a return to mindfulness and connection, with a dose of gentle and shine thrown in! Taking in all of this, a word came to me via my four year old nephew. We were on a drive and he was telling me to just wait for a view that was coming around the corner, which he promised would be “delightful”. I loved hearing his little voice use such a beautiful word to describe the beauty of Maui, where he is lucky enough to live. He inspired my word of 2024… DELIGHT.

Do you have a word of the year, or a motto or even a resolution? If so, I’d love to hear it! I’m very much looking forward to finding the big and small details of life to DELIGHT in throughout 2024. Join me!