2021 Word of the Year: JOY

My 2021 word of the year is JOY! I first hear of 'word of the year' while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Acadames. Last year my word was boundaries (see previous blog post) and this year it's joy. It's been a difficult year for all of us, many have lost their loved ones, jobs, security, and routine. Too many have lost their lives. All of this led me to spend some time reflecting on my life and my choices. Am I making the most of my life? Am I choosing joy?

The truth is, I wasn't. Like many others I felt I had fallen into a routine that didn't leave much time for quiet contemplating and intentionality. The break I took over winter, a true break, allowed me space to think deeply about why I spent so little time doing the things that brought me joy and so much time doing the things that didn't bring my any joy. To some extent, we'll always have to do things that don't spark joy (as Marie Kondo would say) -- every day at work and in life can't be rainbows and sunshine (if you've ever formatted a manuscript for a journal you know what I'm talking about)...But, shouldn't the good outweigh the bad? I recognize the immense place of privilege that I'm speaking from and I know that the reality is that unfortunately not everyone can afford the luxury of reprioritizing. However, I think many of us could refocus if we wanted to but too often we don't because life gets in the way. 

This year I'm choosing joy. I'm making an intentional effort to reprioritize; focusing on what truly matters to me, what inspires me, motivates me, and brings me fulfillment. Maybe that means collaborating on a project outside of my comfort zone, spending more time with my family, or even saying no to opportunities that don't serve me even if they seem enticing. 

 If there’s one thing last year showed us, it’s that life is too short— too short to wait for your life to start, too short not to take care of yourself, & too short not to be happy with the one life you’ve got!

Questions? Thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

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