Flow: 2023 Word of the Year
The changing of the calendars to the new year. For some folks this is a big deal, for others not so much. And considering the variety of calendars based on religions, ethnic traditions, the sun and moon, etc, time itself varies, it’s socially constructed.
That being one esoteric musing aside, we arrive in January 2023. Many folks do new year’s resolutions and in fact this is not a new practice. Apparently Babylonians 4,000 years ago started this tradition, ancient Romans participated, people in the early 1800’s and all the way up to today. Read more about it here.
In modern times, people resolve to stop smoking, lose weight, save money or finish a degree. These are goals which certainly can be helpful in personal development. However, I find that intention setting is much more powerful and is a loving touchstone throughout the year. To distill the thoughts, feelings and intentions down to one word is a practice I have been doing for a few years now (to be precise, when I decided to stop drinking)
Previous Words of the Year have included:
Creative (2022)
Presence (2021)
Release (2020)
Focus (2019)
I usually start thinking about the word in December, after meditation / prayer, a card pull from an intention deck and of course journaling. I’ll list several words on the page and then think about them for a few days / weeks. I’ll let them roll around in my brain, body and heart to see what really sticks and resonates. Then, I’ll get a jolt, a confirmation in the form of a flash and BOOM I have my word.
For 2023 my word is FLOW
Flow is all about allowing, not forcing. It’s about motion, a movement in a natural direction without a tightness or grip on the outcome. I can muscle my way into a yoga pose or try to fit one more thing into my social calendar, but is that really the best thing in the moment? Flow isn’t the absence of goals or plans, it means following the natural cycle and what is in alignment. Flow is working with, rather than against, it can be quick or slow, but it’s going in the direction that is most nourishing. Flow is where I want to live and who I want to be.
I am very much looking forward to working with the flow in my life and encouraging others to do the same. As you read this blog post, consider if a word of the year or an intention might be appropriate for you.
Journal prompts / pause for reflection:
Do you have a word of the year?
Do you set an intention each day, month or year?
How does setting an intention rather than a resolution feel in your body? Does this feel aligned?
What do you want to invite into your life? What is a feeling you hope to cultivate?