It’s that time of year again where some people announce their resolutions, some simply set new goals, and most make new promises to themselves for the new year. For the past few years, this has come in the form of nudge words for me, and I was all ready to go, and then I saw it… my post from last year. I realized I was ready with the same nudge word as last year. Whoops.

My word for this last year was “thriving”. I had it in my head that it was something different, and I’m not sure why. I looked back on my year and convinced myself that I didn’t thrive as I thought I would, but that’s simply not true. I came into last year having completed a 6000-mile road trip ending with two moves in 3 months, trusting the Universe that I had made the right decisions and was on the right path. As the new year began, I had accepted a great job and felt that things were looking up.

I ended up moving again that March- not to a new state or city, but finally into a home that fit me and more of what I was looking for. That move took a toll on me I had never experienced before. After 45 of them, I guess it was bound to happen, but I wasn’t prepared for it. It depleted me emotionally, physically, and financially. For a solid month after that move, I could feel a consistent current of anxiety coursing through me that I couldn’t explain. It took me a while to recognize that my nervous system was just shot. My body was holding onto 20 pounds of extra weight I had gained through the summer from the road trip and all the moving. My bank account was in the negative with a hole I would have to dig out of. It’s easy to see why I would feel that I didn’t spend the year thriving.

However, I did dig out of that hole. I live in a home where I am really happy. I have a solid job that I’m not dying to escape from. I’ve built new friendships and taken great trips including fulfilling my bucket list trip to New York City at the beginning of December. I lost 26 pounds and am healthier than I’ve been in years. I’m not sure there’s a better word than thriving for how it’s all turned out. I just had to look at it from a different perspective.

So, obviously I had to reconsider this year’s word. For a minute I thought of “settle” meaning to finally settle into a life after years of uprooting and starting over. But I don’t think that’s it. Yes, I have every intention of continuing to build a beautiful life here, but I think now my intention is to love it. Love every experience that brought me to this point in my life- the good and the bad. Focus on loving myself, loving the progress I’ve made and continuing forward, not becoming complacent. Fill my life with love and joy any chance I can. And not allow anything less into my life. Loving. That’s it.