Greetings and Happy New Year!

I wanted to take a moment to appreciate you as we leave 2023 behind and welcome a new year. It’s been my pleasure to send you health related updates throughout the year, and I truly appreciate the time you take to read them.

As we embark on this new year, I thought I’d share one of my annual traditions with you – Word for The Year. Which is exactly what it sounds like. I pick a word that I want to represent the year ahead.

In the case of last year, the word chose me. At the end of church service, an usher was waiting at the exit with a basket of words for the year. It was nicely pasted on a star cut-out. Without peeking, I chose the word “HARMONY.”

It’s not a word I would have picked for myself, but I learned a long time ago that God and the Universe often have plans different from mine. So, I accepted the word with a sense of curiosity. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I could use more harmony in my life.

Here’s what I’ve learned about having a word for the year. Sometimes I choose the word, and sometimes, like on Star Sunday, the word chooses me. Either way, the mystery from January 1st through December 31st remains the same. The word always seems to have a slow start – like planting a seed in Spring and then waiting for the plant to poke its head out of the soil. I begin to see glimmers of the word filter into my life as we head into Summer. Then, as Fall rolls around, it blooms in all its glory. Often in ways I could never have imagined.

With 2023 being the year of HARMONY, I was able to watch so many wonderful things unfold.
• I noticed when I was pushing myself too hard and added in breaks throughout the day that kept me from feeling burned out.
• The Duo Lingo app I use to learn French created a musical feature. I started playing with it and can now recognize notes from C through G. It’s really fun!
• My relationship with my husband became more harmonious when I started asking him if he wanted to know what I thought instead of just telling him. One of my most flippant comments used to be, “you know people pay me for this information.” No more. He’s a grown man who can make his own decisions. This change has benefited me the most. I don’t stress as much about his health (occupational hazard), he seems to be making better choices, and he’s genuinely grateful that I’m minding my own business.

In the spirit of this magical tradition, I encourage you to choose your own word. Tape it to a mirror or the refrigerator door so you’re reminded throughout the year of your own Star Word journey.

Need help? Let me know and I’ll send you a list of words I’ve compiled that you can choose from. Or I’m happy to randomly pick one for you and send it back.

I hope your word brings you lots of joy and wonder as you watch it unfold throughout 2024. I’d love to know what you chose if you’re open to sharing. Please write it in the comment section below.

Wishing you health & happiness throughout the new year

Kat