Finally I can sit down and write my most favorite post of the year. As I keep telling you every year this post kicked off my blogging adventure on January 1, 2013. So it will be my tenth time I am sharing my intentions. I can hardly believe it and once I am done with this post I think I will read through the last decade and see what kind of change has happened. Blogging is such a fun hobby to be able to look back at and having it all documented. But for now lets see what the new year has in store and in which way I want to celebrate 2022.
Before I start sharing my intentions and goals for the new year though I would like to have a look at what I had in mind for 2021. As you may remember I choose the word GRACE to guide me in 2021. I think it did me good. In many aspects I believe I have been a kinder person. Towards myself, towards strangers and people around me. It was important to me to donate a few times – not just my regular Christmas volunteering but also money. I also took time to write letters to elderly people for Easter and Christmas. I was more attentive to the people around me. It felt nice not solely focussing on myself. I am blessed and I tried to pay it forward. I showed my self a bit of grace when I acknowledged that there were days I didn’t feel well, when I went back to bed when a migraine crept up, when I took a break when the to-do list overwhelmed me.
While in 2021 my word was a gentle more introverted word the upcoming year will be the total opposite. I feel like I need some sparkles, a bang and a bit of noise. And so my guiding word for 2022 will be CELEBRATE. And there is lot to celebrate in 2022.
What will CELEBRATE look like in terms of goals and dreams in 2022:
I have decided to sort my goals for 2022 in four main areas of celebration: life, me, relationships and beauty. Here is an excerpt of what I intend to do in each area:
Celebrate Life
- I will send out birthday greetings.
- I will throw a big birthday party for myself.
- I will celebrate three more 40th birthdays.
- I will celebrate anniversaries and school enrollments.
- I will celebrate other cultures and perspectives by reading.
- I will celebrate each bucket list item I achieve and write a new one.
- I will celebrate life by decluttering and letting go of the past.
Celebrate Me
- I will celebrate my body by taking care of it with better food and more movement.
- I will allow myself to splurge in some new clothes I will feel good in and spend money on myself to beautify e.g. spa, nails, cosmetic treatment, massages
- I will enjoy at least 30 Sundays in a bathtub.
- I will celebrate every migraine free day.
- I will read a book about positive thinking and positive body image.
- I will celebrate work victories.
Celebrate Relationships
- I will put effort into my marriage and put effort into more fun and adventures.
- I will stay connected to my real life friends by meeting more – hopefully.
- I will try to stay connected to online friends by visiting blogs regularly, chatting, etc.
- I will give the blog a facelift to make it more fun to stay connected.
Celebrate Beauty
- I will cherish nature by preserving it and living even more sustainable.
- I will celebrate the beauty of art by attending #the100dayproject, going to a museum, etc.
- I will keep my eyes open to see celebration e.g. typography, party remains, happy faces.
Those are the key things I want to keep in mind when heading into that brand new year. Most of the bullet points have clear action steps already scribbled down. In my opinion key to actually achieving anything. If it is to vague I tend to forget what I wanted to do. I am not sure if I will keep a monthly list of intentions. What do you think? Want to read how I work on fulfilling my intentions and dreams or does it get boring?
So for now I will sit with my word and let it hug me. Do you have a word for 2022? I’d love to hear. Also how do you embrace it and plan on keeping it in your mind?
If you are interested you can read about my previous words here: 2021 Grace, 2020 Moxie, 2019 Trust, 2018 Beautify, 2017 Become, 2016 Lose.
Happy new year and lets celebrate 2022
Tobia
8 comments
“So for now I will sit with my word and let it hug me.” What a great image! I love the idea of “celebrate” – it’s whimsical and joyful and a great word to center your year around!
I have only done this once before (and I picked the word “Simplify”) but this year it’s going to be a short motto: “Be kind.”
I’m actually going to paste in an answer I wrote to someone else about why I’m choosing this theme:
Be kind to the kids (with my words AND my eyes). Enough said.
Be kind to strangers (I need to smile more, though that can be tricky with everyone wearing masks; side note – when a lady behind me in line complimented me on my earrings a month ago, it MADE MY DAY. I feel so hidden when out in public which, as an introvert, I actually like to a certain extent, but that kindness from a random stranger who was standing 6 feet away was lovely).
Be kind to my friends. I have the annoying (and common) habit of interrupting other people mid-sentence. I keep telling myself to reign it in. Hopefully a reminder to “Be kind” will prompt me in this direction.
Be kind to my spouse. I can be a real nag sometimes and can “lecture.” I really want to stop this (as much as possible when living 24/7 with another human).
Be kind to myself. I definitely think I need to give myself more grace…I’ve been too rigid and expected too much. And I also think by expecting LESS from myself, I might – paradoxically enough – manage to do more? More things I enjoy? Be more productive? Explore some creative passions etc…
Nothing profound and this is only the second time I’ve ever had a word theme for the year, but I feel like I need it as a centering point in a world that currently feels all over the place.
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Oh I think it is anything but profound. Lots of the things you mentioned here have been my motivator for choosing last years word GRACE. I feel we have a lot in common from what I read in your comment and on what you would like to implement kindness. I am rooting for you and hope you can find a lot of ways to be kinder.
I have tried to be kinder/graceful to strangers and let people skip ahead at the cashier when I had time, just be patient and not rush the person in front, smile more to the people working inn a store, be kinder to the mailmen. It really did have an impact. So much so that on Christmas Eve a kid yelled across the street “Merry Christmas” and it made the Christmas so much better. I believe that only happened because I was kinder all year long.
If you like to work on your listening skills – and I can relate so much here – I may recommend the following book: The Lost Art of Listening by Dr. Michael P. Nichols. I’ve written a review and shared my learnings here: https://www.craftaliciousme.com/becoming-a-better-listener-and-how-i-am-working-towards-this-goal/
However it is a work in progress and I could be much better.
I am looking forward seeing how you live your phrase this year. Have a great one!
Your word for the year is stunning! Wishing you all the best as you celebrate 2022.
I liked reading how you are going to put your word into practice in different areas of your life and the ways you are doing it!
It is so important to celebrate – I find the more I appreciate the more I find there is to appreciate. It is the same with celebrating :)
Thank you Anthea. I am really excited and my gut tells me there will be lots of happy celebration. I’ll share how.
This is so fun! I love how optimistic these goals are ! Good luck on all these wonderful celebrations of life and love!
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Thank you so much. Yes I am hoping for lots of happy vibes and positivity in 2022.
I love that you chose such a positive, affirming word – because you’re right: there is so much to celebrate. And I can easily relate to this word because it intentionally puts a positive spin on things (and that can only be a good thing).
I have not completely settled on my word for 2022 (I am always late), but will blog about it soon.
Thank you San. It has a positive vibe to it and it’s so important. 7 days in I already am sucked into daily grind and didn’t think about celebrating much. So I guess it’s the right work.
I am looking forward hearing what you settled on.