As I age I am reminded if you don’t define yourself the world will do it for you. I don’t necessarily mean in the form of name calling or being placed in a “box.” What I mean is if you aren’t intentional with your actions and your time and your priorities you will find the world fills those spaces in for you. Once you let go of the steering wheel the car will keep driving but you might not end up where you intend to go. And when the car is moving fast its even easier to fall off the road.

So identify your own values and prioritize them. Then set some boundaries based on honoring them. My days could rapidly fall into a cycle of laundry and dishes without taking time to sit down and really snuggle a baby. I could spend weeks without taking some time to get out by myself or going to meet up with friends without even noticing it. In the summer I could say yes to a bunch of unplanned opportunities in the flower fields but in reality it means I am saying no to time with my kids.

Because of this my word of 2023 is Deliberate. Deliberate; adjective: done consciously and intentionally. Time seems to be lacking in my household so I want to make sure I have the habits and boundaries in place so I am spending it the way that is most important.

Being Deliberate with my time and energy in 2023 is going to require new habits. I downloaded the app Streaks for my Apple Watch and so far it has be an excellent way to stay consistent. I’m a lover of progress reports and checking off todo list so its the perfect reminder to be Deliberate. Check out Streaksapp.com or streaks in the App Store if you’re looking for a little habit forming help.

There are several family traditions I would love to have over the years. One is renting a cabin to celebrate Christmas and time together with our extended family. This year we went to The Bison Ranch near Pingree North Dakota and had a great weekend.