My goals and word for the year

This year choosing a word was harder than it’s ever been.

2023 was full of growth and accomplishments, but also some surprises and disappointments.

I felt confident at times, humbled in others, and overwhelmingly grateful for all the gifts in my life. Adding to that, I have a milestone birthday this year, which reminds me to celebrate everything behind us and ahead — a true ruby jubilee. It also reminds me to stay humble, knowing that we are never promised another day, and to be grateful for my hard-earned wisdom and much-appreciated health. A balance of life already lived and days ahead still just dreamed.

So looking ahead at a new year, more than anything I wanted to enjoy what I have.

In the spirit of celebration, goal ideas came pretty easily:

Invest in experiences - Continuing a theme of travel and time with people I love that dominated 2023 and brought some of the best memories and most expansive moments of last year. My kids are more independent, we’re all more adventurous, and we’re ready to use our income and flexibility to savor this golden season. For us this year, this includes 1-1 birthday trips with each child, a bigger trip for my husband and me to celebrate my birthday, and a family resort trip for sunshine later in the year. I might schedule some retreats to myself, for wellness and planning in solitude. This goal also includes showing up in a big way for smaller moments. Camping in the backyard, building fires, playing games, trying new things together. Investing our time, money, energy, and full attention in shared experiences.

Cultivate creativity - In 2023 I devoted tremendous mental and emotional resources to my professional life. Many hours of intensive work, prioritization, and difficult decisions were taxing. This year, I want to balance my left brain with more right brain agility. For me this means reading fiction again, for the first time in ages. Writing more blog posts (like this one!) and journaling. Cooking and baking to try and create new recipes. Planting flowers and arranging my space in a way that inspires me. Practicing piano and listening to music regularly. It’s all about what feels fun, energizing, and… looser. More like play.

Renew my health - A year of living it up and working hard altered my habits, and not always in the best way. While I’m grateful for my overall health, there are lifestyle habits I want to adjust this year. Bringing back favorite forms of exercise, more vegetables in my diet (and working with my beloved nutritionist), staying consistent with water and vitamins that make me feel my best, cutting back on alcohol. All of these steps will help me feel more invigorated heading into another decade of life.

Hone my leadership style - I’ve taken on more professional challenges recently, including substantive projects, direct management, and positional authority through a promotion this year, and navigating major changes in the business I support and the teams I lead or work closely with. There was a lot of recalibration along the way, a lot of figuring it out, and a lot of buckle-up-and-GSD. This year I want to bring more attention to my leadership style in order to grow my confidence and impact as a leader. I also want to mentor others in my circle of influence, including growing my coaching work, community presence and teaching, and mentoring more junior lawyers and team members. I’ve always believed in a creative leadership style that harnesses diverse skills, authenticity, and ruthless prioritization for maximum impact. My hope is that with more consistency, this will create even better results and more opportunities in the years to come.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how these 4 goals will look for me in the year ahead, spanning across the calendar without getting too full. It’s always a delicate balance to go for big things and not overcrowd yourself. Knowing my core intention - to enjoy it, to be grateful, to revel in all that is good. I wrestled with the right word— if there was one— to capture the feeling I want to create across all the seasons. I considered wellness, renew, revel, savor, confident, all pieces of the puzzle but none summing it up succinctly.

Then a friend said it: It sounds like you want to be present.

Yes.

Present.

SHOWING UP.

For big things. For little things. In my body. Mindful and heart-forward.

Investing in experiences, cultivating creativity, renewing my health, and honing my leadership style.

I’m HERE for it.

Present in 2024.