At the end of each year I sit down and select a word for the upcoming year. Before I started doing this a few years ago, I'd make standard resolutions but I always felt like I'd failed by the end of the year. For some reason though, a word of the year has worked for me time and time again.
Last year my word was Believe, and it was the year that I took the step of launching my travel business, despite COVID changing the landscape of how we explore the world. I chose to see the moment as an opportunity, to believe in my abilities to get it off the ground, and to move forward with something I'd been planning but putting off for years. Using "Believe" as a mantra during the times I felt unsure or scared was a beacon for me throughout 2021.
This year my word is Lighter.
Last year felt heavy. I became more aware of how burdened I feel by many of my belongings. I, like many people during lockdown, gained some weight. And I felt a heaviness in my heart that wasn't typical of me. So this year, I want to begin the process of living lighter - in lighter relationship with my belongings, in lighter relationship with the planet, and in lighter relationship with myself.
With the word Lighter being my guiding principal for 2022, I've decided to focus on three things - simple food, simple home, and simple living.
SIMPLE FOOD
This will take the form of switching to a (mostly) whole foods, plant based diet. I've been vegan for three years now, but I have to admit I've been a fairly unhealthy one. I love simple carbs and quick frozen dinners, not only because they taste great (ummm...noodles are the best thing ever, am I right?), but because many evenings I feel time poor, and simple carbs are generally quick and simple to prepare. Switching to a more whole foods diet will make a huge difference in how I eat and, hopefully, how I feel but it will definitely be a challenge for me! It will require a lot of planning on my part, finding recipes that are quick and easy, and sitting with myself to figure out my patterns and needs.SIMPLE HOME
In a bit of a continuation of last year, this will take the form of decluttering and embarking on a low-buy year. My hope is that I'll reset my current shopping mindset, and learn to be more thankful for the things I already have. I also want to shift my buying habits towards things and companies that are better for the planet. I have a lot of plans for this and I've already created my rules for the low-buy, which I'll share in another post.SIMPLE LIVING
This means so many things to me, but I'd like to slow down a bit and take time to do more of what I love - particularly photography. It's a practice I haven't been deeply engaged with for the last couple of years. Most of my favorite photography in the past was from my travels, which of course wasn't an option in 2020 and to a degree 2021. But I also feel that it's important to document daily life and not leave its longevity up to the impermanence and mercurial nature of social media.There are moments and places I think back on that I wish I'd taken more pictures of, if only to be able to look back on them with a kind of fascination with what life was like. I don't think I have the time to commit to a daily practice of any kind, but my plan is to consistently take photos of everyday life and print mini photo albums featuring my favorites from each season of the year.
All of these things are connected and the best part is that Simple Food and Simple Home will naturally lead to and support Simple Lifestyle. I'm looking forward to making some shifts in the right direction this year, and though I know it will be challenging, I'm excited to embark on this journey and share it with you!
Do you have a word or resolutions for 2022?
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