Whew! welcome to 2024! 2023 was an eventful year that saw a huge growth in my business, and I think, the true end to chaos that COVID brought in. My word of the year for 2023 was
✨FIND✨ how did I do? A review…
… I wanted to find less stress in my daily life.
I wanted to find time with Mark and celebrate the {almost} empty nest we have.
I wanted to find the joy in my kids as these grown individuals.- vacationed with each of them this year individually, which I loved. I hope to do it again in 2024!
I want to find the joy in my amazing friends and support system- Hmmm, I don’t know that i did this one, I think because they are all as busy as I am. This is a must for 2024!
I wanted to discover my love of travel again {its been missing since 2020}. Way more trips! Nashville, Punta Cana, Las vegas, trips with the girls! But, I find, I love the trip and am so sad when its done. Not a good blend, I have to find a better blend. I want to add in the 7/7/7 plan {see below}
I want to find a better work/life balance in my head- I do think I took more time for me this year but no enough, I think that’s why 2024 has to be more internal.
But, most of all, I want to find ME. I sometimes feel like I give so much to everything around me, I forget to take the time to just enjoy life, and the things I love. There is this crazy thing that happens when you have children {and yes, a business can feel like a child at times} and when you are starting a marriage, and life. You give all of YOU to that… and then as those children {and businesses} grow, you forget that there is a human in there, who created all this, who needs to be found again. Since Haylee started driving in November, I feel like my life has become mine again for the first time since 2002, and I don’t want to MISS it! I dont want to look back and think “ I should have… I could have”. So, this is the year I move towards ME… to the sort of “older”, I hope “wiser” and in some ways, better me. I am excited for the journey this year, and the amazing people I get to take along with me.
What did I NOT do? Actionable steps… the key to any plan! I didnt define how I would do each of these things! I also didnt get a daily reminder! both things I plan to fix in 2024!
My word for 2024…
This year my word is ✨HARMONY✨ I was watching a CEO last week on TV that was talking about work/life balance and how it doesn’t exist, that you have to find work/life harmony, and that really resonated with me. It’s defined as the quality of forming a more pleasing and consistent whole. I want to add some order at home and in my office. So, I want to work on harmony in all areas of my life. Focusing on that blend of the whole, instead of the either side. I don’t want to be busy and then stagnate, I want to find the harmony between the two and learn to stay there. Harmony with my family, and my life. Harmony with my mind, body and spirit. harmony with physical activities, and finding peace in that as well. Harmony between the “hurry up” and the stagnant. Less chaos, more order and peace. While some may say that’s balance, to me, balance feels like it has to be “equal” on both sides and like it should be measured. That sounds like work! Harmony means responding to what I need as it comes and fulfills me. Some days you just plain have to give more to one side, harmony means I allow myself the grace to do that, and then find a way back to the harmony I need.
Here are the steps I am taking to create more harmony in my life:
De-clutter– Having a clean space makes you just plain feel better and more at ease, and if you could see my desk… SEND HELP! So, my goal is to spend 15 mins a day working on the clutter areas of my house to make sure they are cleared!
Systems– the way to function in life and business is with systems. I want to refine both of those in work and life. Make a meal plan, actually do laundry and PUT IT AWAY so that it doesn’t get carried in to the next week.
Self care– this job is demanding, and rough on my body, so I am adding in more self care. While I do yoga each day, I want to add more meditation, time to just breath. I want to wash my face, add in massages, and make time for just me. I want to add in more time with friends, and family, and be present in that.
Joy– I want to focus on that feeling of peace and harmony, and less on happiness. I am learning happiness is fleeting. Peace and joy are what fill me, and allow me to come back to work rejuvenated.
Time– I want to work on using my time more efficiently. Getting up earlier, and starting my day {harder with that puppy, LOL}, and make a to do list that doesn’t have 100 things per day. I want to work on finding peace in what I HAVE completed, instead of what I have NOT, and make a plan for each day.
Gratefulness– I think one of the keys to having life harmony is being grateful in the moment. I have read at least a 100x that writing each day something you are grateful for makes you more content.
7/7/7 – I read about the 7/7/7 rule for dating your spouse and hope to add this. What does it mean? A date with mark every 7 days. A weekend getaway every 7 weeks. Grand adventure every 7 months.
My season in life is changing. From parenting children, to now parenting adults. Watching the beginning of the end of things like swim, and high school and college. I don’t want to wake up in 2025, when both kids graduate and realize its all done. From a marriage based on kids and activities and being in the busy stage of their needs, to finding out how to be a married couple and enjoy the next stages we have together. Luckily Mark and I have always focused on that, but I do see the changes coming as we work to find harmony in this next stage of life. I have to create new music in this season of life and work on the harmony with my job, life, my marriage and family.
Whats my daily reminder? The Little Words Project is my my key! I am having a bracelet made with my word, and I am doing last years word so I don’t forget! I am so excited to order it!
Whew looks like I have some work to do this year and I am so thankful for the chance to have a fresh start, a reset on my life plan.
So, whats your word? What do you hope to bring in to 2024, and leave in 2023? I know I hope to settle in and enjoy some of my lasts! With one kid a junior in college and one a junior in high school, i want to find harmony in the season of theirs as well, and enjoy that. Happy New Year! And especially to my class of 2024 KHP crew! I am so excited for you ALL! Its your year, I am so lucky to be a part of the CELEBRATION!
