For the last 8 years, I have used the week between Christmas and New Year to reflect on my goals for the upcoming year. I sit down, normally with a glass or bottle of wine. I reflect on some of my biggest wins and successes. I think about where I struggled and try to analyze why those struggles were difficult.

I then begin with the end in mind. How do I want to feel at the end of 2023? Next December, when I look at my year in review, how do I want to feel?

Last year my word was LIGHT. I wanted to feel lighter. Not just with weight, but with my energy. I wanted to feel like I was spreading that light and shining bright. I wanted 2022 to feel radiating. I wanted to ignite a passion in myself and others that spread excitement, positivity, goal achievement, confidence, and empowerment to people in my circle.

Once I know what I want, I come up with my action steps to start to put that end feeling in place. What skills do I need to learn? Where do I need to place my focus? What habits need developing? In what areas do I need to grow? What do I need to eliminate? What can I do each quarter, month, week, or day to help me develop that feeling?

This kind of self-reflection is hard. This year, as I am spending time reflecting, I can say I never considered that in order to have lightness, you have to have darkness. I feel like there was a lot of time I didn’t feel light. I don’t necessarily feel like I spread light. I felt heavy. I felt extinguished. There were also moments when the heavy load was lightened. There were even moments when I saw a light at the end of the tunnel, pointing me in a different direction. Almost like the light bulb finally went off. Such is life. It ebbs… it flows. It’s light, it’s dark.

I recently read a blog by Gretchen Rubin (you can read it too by clicking here https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/one-word-themes-for-2023/ ). She too discusses One Word Themes for the year. I like how she purchased things to keep her theme in mind. Maybe I should have had visual light reminders in 2022 to keep me driving toward that end game.

With that in mind, I am looking at 2023. I have ideas about how I want it to feel… and I keep coming back to the word EXPAND.

I want to expand our house.
I want to expand my knowledge.
I want to expand my skills.
I want to expand my network of people.
I want to expand my spirituality.
I want to expand my investments.
I want to expand my willingness to share and contribute.

However, with expansion, there is also contraction. A lesson I learned in 2022 is the ebb and flow… there were moments of light and darkness. I know 2023 will have moments of expansion and contraction. I am ready for both sides this year. I can’t expand without also experiencing contractions. And that is okay. I expect to have to be a little (or very) uncomfortable at times, restricted, confined, bursting at the seams, and tight if I want to see things expand. Hopefully, this expansion doesn’t include my pants size (lol) because that isn’t where I am looking to expand and I don’t want the seams of my pants to burst :).

I am not sure of what photos or trinkets I plan on using to remind me of this idea to expand in 2023. The image that immediately comes to mind are expanded wings- birds, butterflies, or angels. Maybe all three, I haven’t decided yet.

So my question for you and others out there is, how do you want to feel at the end of 2023? Do you have a word? Are you prepared for both your word and its opposite at times? Leave a comment below. I want to know.

And if you liked this blog feel free to subscribe to get other updates. One of my areas of expansion is to EXPAND this platform this year and share knowledge more with people like you.

51% of people seek privacy in the bathroom, according to recent study.
This statistic doesn’t surprise me.
When younger my brother hid in the bathroom. Sometimes I think he even secretly did his homework.
My husband, Matthew, is known for taking his “baths,” where he disappeared to the bathroom for 15+ minutes. He “says” it helps his aching back.I am sure it does. But it also allows him those 15 minutes of quiet.

In all fairness, Matthew will say that I escape to the bathroom every so often. But, I really don’t like long baths or long showers. And besides, moms rarely get to use the bathroom uninterrupted or in silence.

But, aside from personal experience, how many commercials do we see of people escaping to the bathroom to enjoy a bath, cookie, or to take a zoom call. Bathrooms are known for a moment of privacy.

With over half of Americans finding privacy in the bathroom, maybe what we are discovering is that people are actually seeking privacy. In busy, loud houses with kids, dogs, and commotion… the bathroom is just the place that symbolizes “I need to be alone.”

In the study, the author concluded that bathroom alone time is most popular in families with young children and the percentages drastically drop as children age or people live alone. Single people and empty nesters are not escaping to the bathroom. These people find privacy elsewhere.

I understand wanting privacy. I like my alone time. It gives me a chance to decompress, recharge, and hear myself think. I work on some projects better alone. I focus better. I am more productive. I can evaluate situations better. I only use the bathroom as a silent sanctuary occasionally. Instead, I often find myself driving in silence, or waking up early just to have a moment to myself. Those are my places of comfort and quiet more so than sneaking into the bathroom.

So if you are one who finds solace in the bathroom, know you are not alone. Make it your place… claim it. If you have another place… where is it?