Many moons ago, I sort of gave up on the idea of New Year's Resolutions. It wasn't because I didn't see the value in them. I do. I just also believe that you don't need to wait until a new year to try something new. So I resolved to just make life changes as they come to me. 

BUT, that being said, in 2016, I adopted the idea of a one word focus for the year. I liked the idea of having something to center myself on when it felt like maybe I wasn't accomplishing things or just generally felt a little bit lost. I've always tried to find words that focused on family but also accomplishments (as you can tell, this is a theme in my Type-A life - gotta have those accomplishments there too!)! Words of years past included: 

2016: Thrive

2017: Count

2018: Flourish

2019: Intentional

2020: Connect (ha! virtually, maybe!) 

And so in 2021, as we get closer to our new baby arriving, as we become a family of five, as we (hopefully!) get back to spending REAL IN PERSON TIME with family and friends again, as my business is what it is because of the wonderful customers turned friends who support me, the word of the year for 2021 is:

Cherish!

I went back and forth between words many times before landing on this one, but ultimately this is what I kept landing on. I want to cherish these moments with Henry and Harrison before their new brother is born. I want to cherish those moments with our newborn when he gets here, even if I'm sleep deprived and it feels hard. I want to cherish the moments of being a family of five - something we've never been before. I want to cherish the moments with our family and friends and not take it for granted when we can see each other safely again. I want to cherish the quiet moments with a cup of hot coffee and a book and a warm couch to snuggle on. I want to cherish the messages and connections with my customers when they tell me we found the exact perfect piece of jewelry that tells their story or a bag they're obsessed with or skincare that's revolutionized their lives. I want to cherish the big moments and the little moments and every moment in between. I want to cherish it all. All of it. 

So when things start to feel out of control in 2021 (as at some point they surely will), I'm going to refocus on cherish - holding dear, keeping and cultivating with care and affection. <3 

Word of the Year 2020: Connect

Somehow, we're already on the verge of 2020, and I kind of can't believe that. For whatever reason, it feels like it's still September, and I can't seem to wrap my head around a new year. But alas, time is ticking away, and all the magic and promise of a new year is upon us. 

I LOVE a good, fresh start. I love the idea of renewing and beginning again. What I never really loved were resolutions. I rarely kept them, and then I'd be more discouraged when I failed at whatever I'd set out to do. 

So the past several years, I've focused on a one word theme. It's something to keep me focused and grounded, and it's something I can come back to over and over again when I feel like I'm not accomplishing enough. Am I still working on my word? Then I'm doing okay! 

When I started thinking about what I wanted my word for this year to be, I knew it needed to be people focused. Pretty much the best thing in life are the relationships we have with others, right? And I want to focus there. 

So in 2020, my word is connect. 

I debated a whole host of other words first. I thought vision would be cute and clever since it's 20/20, but I tabled it when it felt like I wasn't sure where to go with it. I also loved the idea of celebrate, but it didn't focus enough on relationships for me. 

And thus, I landed on connect. Because the connections are the best things about this life. I LOVE hearing other people's stories, and I want to continue to hear those in 2020. I want to help connect other women with a business they might fall in love with just like I have in KEEP Collective. I want to connect more with my family and friends and make that quality time together count. 

And if I'm being really 100% honest, I want to make sure I'm disconnecting enough to connect. I've spent FAR too much time on my phone in the last four months - often legitimately for work - but sometimes as a way to zone out and distract too. And it's been just WAY. TOO. MUCH. So as much as I want to connect, I also want to DISconnect to focus more on relationships and quality time. 

So there's my 2020 word, friends. Are you word of the year people? What word are YOU focusing on in 2020? 

My past words of the year: 
2019: Intentional
2018: Flourish
2017: Count
2016: Thrive

Word of the year 2019: Intentional

You may have noticed a bit of a blogging absence lately, and you'd be correct. Life, man. Between buying our new home, selling our old home, planning a first birthday party, having two incredibly busy months with KEEP, and the holidays, I just plain tapped out on what I could do with my time, and blogging fell to the wayside. But, like everything in life, seasons ebb and flow, and I'm hoping THIS will be a season I can get back to blogging, intentionally. 

That's the thing about blogging - I want it to be intentional! I could have written several different blogs over the past few months, but they felt forced and rushed. I thought about doing a holiday gift guide, but when it came time to put fingers to keyboard, I just didn't feel passionate about it. And I was going to blog about Harrison's first birthday, but to be honest with you, I'm happy to let that day live in my memories (and what sweet memories they are!). I didn't want to blog unless it was something I was passionate about. 

And of course, this leads me here. To the last day of the year. To the last chapter in 2018. And I want to close it by looking forward. 

Years ago, I decided to pass on New Year's resolutions. I never stuck with anything for an entire year, and it seemed silly to start something for just a brief time. BUT, what I DID embrace was the idea of a word of the year: A one word mantra that could guide me throughout the year and in my every day life. 

2016: Thrive
2017: Count
2018: Flourish

Four years later, and I still really like how it's working... and this year, the word is Intentional. 

I want to be more intentional in everything that I do this year...
How I spend my time
Where I give my energy
The way I interact with my children
The attention I give to my husband
The hours I put into my team and my business
The things we choose to purchase for our home
The things we choose to keep in our home 
The way I connect with my faith
The amount of time I spend on my phone
The words I say to myself 
The reactions to things I can't control
...and so much more. 

And thus, 2019 will be the year I intentionally look at all the pieces in this puzzle that makes up our family life. I'm so excited to take this on (and also, selfishly, because it means less time wasted and more productivity, and I'm ALL about that!)! 

So I would LOVE to know, friends - What is YOUR focus for 2019?