Word of 2025

Well, it’s that time again already. I love the end of the year for the contemplation it encourages. I have spent quite a bit of time over the last few days looking back on 2024, celebrating the highlights, acknowledging the hard times, and deciding how I would like to move forward. Part of this contemplation includes reflecting on my word for 2024 and whether I stayed true to it.

The word I chose to guide me through 2024 was simplicity. I was striving to keep things as uncomplicated as possible in all aspects of my life. I feel like I succeeded quite well in this. Yes, there were times when things got a little crazy (life happens, especially with two kids), but these were unavoidable. The important thing is that I weathered them fairly well because I kept everything else around me as simple as I could during those times.

Did the kids eat chips as a side dish when all I could muster for their dinner was a protein and some raw veggies? Yup. Was pizza on the menu more often than usual in the crazy time of school starting back up? Absolutely. Did I survive on salads with a handful of chick peas on top fairly regularly? You better believe it. The old me would have found this unacceptable and berated myself for not being able to do it all. The new me shrugged and decided simple was better for all of us.

I am quite pleased with my newfound ability to just let some things go – mostly expectations of myself. By honouring my commitment to simplicity I safeguarded my energy for the things that mattered most. I was able to be fully present when school started and I was dealing with two dysregulated children. Normally I only have one who is struggling in September, but this year with my oldest starting high school the adjustment was a bit much for her. With both of them overwhelmed, the household often deteriorated into screaming matches between the two of them. Of course this often happened when I was supposed to be making dinner. All right then, screw the roasted potatoes and let’s have chips again.

I also kept things simple at work by continuing to do the things that are working and not pushing myself to do more just for the sake of doing more. It’s tempting in this world of bigger is better to feel pressured to always be pushing ahead and growing your business. But what if you are doing just fine the way things are? What if you are finding small ways to grow your income without stressing yourself out in the process? Surely this is enough.

For our summer vacation this year we rented a cottage in the middle of nowhere. I was a little concerned that the kids would be bored, but instead of obsessing over keeping them entertained, I decided to bring a few simple games and just let things unfold. It turned out to be an absolutely wonderful week. The kids spent hours fishing with a drop net, using the peddle boat, jumping off the lily pad, and doing things like playing cards and drawing. We even survived a 36 hour long downpour without killing each other. It gave me great pleasure to see my kids enjoying such simple things.

This year I also ended up having to make some major purchases that weren’t in the plan. My car was literally falling apart a piece at a time when it shouldn’t have been given its age. I ended up having to get a new car and I went with the simplest vehicle I could find that met our needs as a family. I didn’t shop around and drive 10 vehicles. I just bought a reliable base model vehicle. One and done. I also ended up needing new appliances. I got the simplest fridge, washer, and dryer with as few features as possible. They’re boring white and that’s just fine with me.

Embracing simplicity has brought a lot of peace to my life. I’ve never been one for fancy stuff but I have tended to expect too much of myself. I’m very glad that I have been able to make a change in this area. Of course I can still be heard muttering to myself to get my shit together at times, but this happens a lot less frequently than it used to.

So 2025, what is your word going to be? After much contemplation I have settled upon the word truth. By this I mean a deep resonant truth, not just what appears to be true on the surface. The truth is often complicated and not as obvious as one might think. We need to dig for it and move aside piles of bullshit that sometimes masquerade as truth. If we succeed in exploring the depths of our own truth then who knows what we will discover? Well, in 2025 I’m committing to finding out.

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