New Year, Best Me

Happy New Year! I was in bed by 9:30pm PST and woke up without so much as a twinge of a headache. Very different from previous New Year's Day mornings when I would wake up unsettled, possibly with a slight hangover, and feeling like I was on the perpetual hamster wheel, with not a whole lot changing and just stuck in that survival mode mindset. 

This morning, I am a little anxious about my new job starting tomorrow, but excited about the potential to enjoy my career more than I have over the past few years, and work with a team and company that values culture and growth. I would say 2023 saw the most growth physically and emotionally for me in my adult life so far. I woke up this morning in a body that feels more like mine than it has in years, and with a clear head and goals. I woke up this morning with a focus on living this year with purpose, passion, and authenticity. I woke up this morning super grateful for my life, and that's a big change for sure. I've always loved my kids, but there's a newfound sense of gratitude for the life I get to live alongside a partner that I truly value, rather than resenting him for the life that I am "stuck in" and just really looking forward to whatever this year has in store for me professionally and personally. 

As I head into 2024 with my word of AUTHENTICITY, I want to focus on being the best version of me. Not a new version as the old saying goes "new year, new me" but the BEST me. Here are a few ways that I plan to do that:

1. Be authentically me in words and action. If I don't want to go somewhere or do something, I'm going to say it and be ok with whatever reaction others have to that decision. 

2. Embrace new challenges in my career, and be open to new doors opening or, on the flip side, no open doors and contentment with right where I'm at. 

3. Reading, learning, and listening to sober podcasts, quit lit, and the stories of others in their recovery journey. 

4. Work on my own written story. 

5. Move my body every single day. Exercise is a focus for 2024 like it never has been before. My journey post-RNY surgery calls for movement in order to continue working towards my health goals, and now that I've gotten the eating part down and all of the changes that the surgery brought to me in that regard, it's time to focus on the movement aspect of getting my body back to where it should be. 

6. Sleep - this is a big one. Some people view sleeping 9 hours a night as lazy. I view it as self-care. My body, my mind, my soul work best when I have at least 9 hours of sleep, so I'm embracing that as one of my goals for 2024. 

7. Show up for my people. This is something I feel like I've done really well as a mom in physical showing up. This year, I plan to show up with my whole self as much as possible. Not just physically present but mentally and emotionally present for my people as well. 

How do you plan to make 2024 your best year yet? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments! 

My people. Showing up for them is my priority. 

My face looks clearer in this photo than it has been in years. Sure, I have bags under my eyes, it was raining and I see flaws that I'd previously have focused so much on that I wouldn't have shared this photo. But look at the pure joy behind Jaxon's smile. Look at my smile. We are happy. We are free. We are living our best lives on New Year's Eve, even with soaking wet feet in the rain at Knott's Berry Farm. This is exactly how I want to show up every day. 

New Year's Eve dinner with my little boys and Nick. Our big kids were working and snowboarding but they are always on my mind. Again, I look tired and my cheeks are rosy from the hot coffee I had at 6pm to warm me up, but I look authentically happy. My eyes are brighter than they've been in years!