The 3 Cs of 2023

I broke my New Year’s Eve tradition, and maybe that’s okay.

For the last five years, I have established a tradition for ringing in the new year. I start by disconnecting from social media for most of the day. I clean my house, and when it’s time to relax, I do a combination of reading and bingeing some show. About 10 minutes before the clock strikes midnight, I prepare a glass of prosecco. I set my meditation timer to ring right before 11:59 pm and welcome the new year with a clean house, peace, clarity, and cheer.

This year, I was tired. So tired.

2022 was a lot!

A literal “a lot.”

There was the good, the bad, the exhausting, and the exhilarating.

Most of the changes were professional. I started a new, higher-level position but lost some dear colleagues as they moved on to other opportunities. This made for a busy work year.

My personal life left much to be desired. A positive Covid result interrupted a birthday celebration in January, and my beloved dog Lola passed suddenly in February.

The rest of the year was…

• Work
•  Covid (again, but worse)
•  Work
•  Reading
•  Work
•  French lessons
•  Work
•  A new kitten (Olivia)
•  Work

So today, I took the day off to do what I would’ve done last week. Look back at 2022, and decide how I want my 2023 to look. What was I missing? Better work/life balance, yes, but there was more.

What I came up with and how I want to define this new year can be summed up in three words.

Connect

I want to feel connected to my family and friends again. I said no to too many things, canceled too many plans, and spent too much time alone.

Create 

I want to start writing for myself again and find another creative outlet, something that challenges me. I’ve defaulted to what’s easy too often.

Celebrate

Life is hard sometimes. There are losses, but there are also wins, big or small, and there’s always a reason to celebrate. 

My niece’s birthday party is tomorrow, and my birthday’s in 12 days. Let’s get the celebration started!

Cheers to a great 2023 for everyone!

What word(s) did you choose for your new year?