I was making the bed on New Year’s Day and feeling a bit tasked by the idea of choosing a word for the year. It’s a practice we began several years ago when new year resolutions were no longer serving us, but this year’s word just wasn’t coming as easily as they have in the past. As I worked to get our pillows inside the pillowcases, I closed my eyes and thought back to the past year. I thought back to the areas of my life that felt challenging and about things I wish I could have changed. As those aspects came to mind, I couldn’t help but smirk as the thing I had struggled with was the very thing I was struggling with at that moment. And that’s when it came to me…
A Personal Mantra
What I was searching for wasn’t a word. What I was searching for was a mantra that would change the way I make decisions and go about my life. What I was searching for was the mindfulness to lean into whatever opportunity was in front of me and let go of the tight grip I tend to have on all the decisions I ever have to make.
If you know me, it’s no secret I have a hard time making decisions. Even the most trivial choices to be made, like choosing the perfect shade of color for the walls of our home, can be quite challenging and often leave me feeling overwhelmed. Projects that shouldn’t take long to complete remain unfinished because I sit with all the ways it can be completed before committing to a plan of action to get it done. In most instances, I take it upon myself to explore all options and weigh all possibilities which ultimately leads to indecision and fatigue. It’s not a trait I love about myself, but it’s one I’ve avoided to address.
Lean In and Let Go
With that, I’ve decided to use the mantra “lean in and let go” to face things head on in 2023. This year, I am offering myself grace and giving myself permission to lean into whatever it is I’m facing and to let go of the fears and doubts that hold me back. I often think far into the future, and while planning is important, it can also hold us back from the goals we’ve set to achieve. So, this year I am going in knowing decisions can always be changed, plans can always be tweaked and everything always seems to work out for the best.
Leave a Reply