My one-word theme of 2023🪴

If I can keep my plants alive, I can do better for myself. 👏

I couldn’t sleep last night, so instead of just staring at the ceiling, I gave some thought to something I’ve done at the year’s end, for the past few years now: choosing my one-word theme of the year.

It’s a concept that was introduced to me by a friend, who heard it on Gretchen Rubin’s podcast, Happier. It’s a way of summarizing a way of being, perhaps the culmination of many goals. It has offered me a general focus for how I move through the world.

Two years ago, I chose blooming, a one-word metaphor for a concept in an Anaïs Nin quote: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” I could feel myself growing in painful ways, and didn’t want to run away from it.

Last year, it was ripples. I had this sense that, with the launch of my book, I would never know the full impact of my words, nor any of the other actions or projects that I put out into the world. I wanted to trust that the ripples would reach people.

I thought my way through various words last night. I thought of a chrysalis or butterfly, to embody the processes that take time. I thought of a seed or a tree to represent that slow growth. Nothing was sticking. Then, this morning I thought of a concept — self-love — but couldn’t initially find a visual metaphor for it. Then, just now, I found it: a potted plant.🪴

Photo by Lisa Fotios via Pexels.

Each week, usually on Sunday, I water the plants in my house. I move them around the house seasonally according to the sunshine coming in. Occasionally, I prune them back or clip them for propagation. I wouldn’t call myself a green thumb (I certainly don’t follow the instructions that come on the plant labels). But I care for them. I look out for them. I watch for wilting, drying or yellowing.

I care for my plants better than I care for myself sometimes.

Field Notes 📒 is a newsletter about navigating a life lived off the beaten track in the outdoors, travelling, parenting and passion-fuelled projects. You can trust me to take you on some adventures, to write about entrepreneurship and more. But in the past two years I’ve noticed I’m often drawn to write about my personal journey, mindfulness, navigating the unknowns, overcoming hardships, and more. I see these things connected to the rest: if we’re not taking care of ourselves we can’t be living life to the fullest, nor be a force for good in this world.

So, as I turn the calendar over to 2023, my chosen word (ok, two) is self-love, which for me looks like the following:

• closing the computer earlier and shortening my workdays

• exercising four days a week and being mindful of nourishing my body

• resting when I feel tired

• listening to my body more than my mind

• setting boundaries with my energy, which includes people, commitments, projects, and my areas of responsibility

• getting outside even more

I’ve had a recent shift in my responsibilities and have some adjusting to do. But life is too short to get bogged down with the little things that don’t ultimately matter. I recently heard this idea of “zooming out” when we’re feeling overwhelmed (I think it was the author of The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer, speaking on a podcast). You picture yourself standing in your kitchen or sitting at your desk, wherever you are, then zooming out to the roof of your house, your house on the street, your town, your country, the Earth, the galaxy, and beyond. You instantly realize just how small you are in the grand scheme of things.

Your problems or struggles might be very real. You might be dealing with the loss of a loved one or another source of grief. I’m not talking about those things. I’m talking about the things that can feel monumental but don’t really matter. We can still face them with professionalism and care, but keep in mind that the world probably won’t even notice if things are imperfect, or even absent.

I turn 40 next year, and I’m putting it out there that when I reach that milestone, I want to be more in my body than ever before. I want to be living with intuitive awareness, better boundaries, and more vibrant health.

So I’m going to tend to myself like I’m one of my potted plants.

How about you? Have you chosen a one-word theme of the year? I’d love to hear about it.

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What’s caught my attention lately… ✨

I’d love to flip this question around this time and ask YOU. You can comment below or send me a message at meghan@meghanjoyward.com! What are you reading these days? Have any articles grabbed your attention? Podcasts?

What should I add to my reading or listening list for 2023? 💖

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