To say I have been remiss in writing blog content lately would be an understatement. Just another reminder to myself that I need to make more time for the things I enjoy in 2022. That being said, the last two years I have chosen a theme word to start the year. It is a word that describes my goals for the upcoming year but also a reminder all year to keep me grounded and focused on what really matters.
Initially, I chose the word JOY and then after some soul searching was grappling with having FAITH be my word for 2022. So, I decided to just choose both. There are no set rules that you have to select just one word so I’m changing it up a bit for 2022.
JOY-With the 2 year anniversary of the start of this pandemic looming in the next few months and cases surging again everywhere, I think finding joy has never been more important. In 2020, joy was hard to find but eventually we found ways to try to bring some normalcy back into our lives in small ways. In 2021, as kids resumed school and sports again and families were able to come together safely again, we found pure joy in the things that really mattered, the people we love the most.
As we look ahead to 2022, I want to take these learnings from the last two years and really embrace joy in any form I can find it throughout each day. Some days may be harder than others but at the end of the day, even on a bad day, there are moments of joy to be found. Time spent with my family and loved ones has never been more precious for many reasons. Not only do we all have an appreciation for time together after the initial quarantine days but I also think we recognize the people in our lives who bring us joy, who cheer us on or lift us up in our darkest hours. Those are the ones who bring us pure joy. I’m not saying every relationship is perfect or will always be joyful, but in the end, if we love one another unconditionally, we can find and share those moments of joy that become long lasting memories.
I think joy is also found in the way you live your life. How do you prioritize work vs. home life balance and make sure your family is taken care of while not losing sight of yourself? Much of that comes down to ensuring that the things you fill your life with bring you joy. To be honest, if they don’t, now is the time to remove or reduce them.
Now I know changing jobs or making a lifestyle change isn’t something you can easily do overnight but you can work towards these goals or look for ways to slowly improve them as much as they are in your control. I know for me this is a key priority. I sacrifice my daily time in many cases to the wrong things. Working 9-10 hour days because I can or the workload is heavy doesn’t always leave me satisfied at the end of the day, especially if I sacrificed a good walk or time with my family. One would think balance would be my word for 2022 but I’m a firm believer that I will never feel truly balanced, so it’s more realistic to try and make sure I am including the things in each day that will bring me joy.
FAITH-Well, this one is pretty obvious as we continue to face this pandemic almost two years later. I decided to include faith because, while I am a faithful person and a believer in God’s plan, I realize that so much of my life is still driven by fear. Fear that we will get this illness or, heaven forbid, something far worse. Fear and worry that something will happen to my kids or they won’t be happy or content with their lives. Worry that our jobs will be stable and we don’t have to stress that the pandemic will affect them again. The list could literally go on and on and while I am certainly not neurotic (or at least I don’t think I am), I am a classic overthinker and it has become worse with age.
Recently, my son told me that I need to stop living my life in fear and it really resonated with me. While I don’t see myself changing overnight, I need to lean into my faith and really trust God that he is in control of me and my family. When times get tough, I need to stop processing all the scenarios and pray that God will provide the direction needed. I have no doubt that this will contribute to my joy as well not carrying the burden of worry everywhere with me.
As we head into 2022, it is hard to predict the future. No one can say what will happen as I don’t think anyone ever predicted we would be here almost two years later but I know that if I approach each day with joy in my heart, gratitude for the gift of a new day and faith for God to see me through, I know it will be a year filled with blessings and even more lessons and learning opportunities along the way. Hope everyone has a beautiful start to 2022!