At the beginning of each year, I have a little tradition: I invite a word.
Not one I consciously choose, but more like an inner knowing, an intuition about a quality I'm ready to lean into and embody more fully.
This year, my word is INTIMACY, a deeper intimacy with myself and with life itself.
Redefining Intimacy
We often associate intimacy with romantic or sexual relationships, but at its core, intimacy is simply closeness. It's presence. It's honesty.
It's seeing and knowing something, (or someone), fully, truly, and without imposition.
But we rarely see things clearly and as they truly are.
We perceive life through the lens of our past experiences and conditioning, through the filter of our minds.
The courage to see clearly
Intimacy requires surrender.
It requires us to let go of, and challenge our conditioning and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and how things are.
But letting go is vulnerable. Our beliefs give us a false sense of certainty, and it can feel unsettling to loosen our grip and say, "Maybe there's another way to see this?"
What if, instead of accepting every thought as truth, what if we took a step back and got more curious?
More curious about the stories we tell ourselves.
More curious in general.
What if we sat in the observer's seat more often, rather than getting caught in the mental loops our minds create when left unchecked?
My Intention
I want to sit in that observer's seat more. I want to challenge my assumptions and beliefs, my reactivity, and my limited view of the world.
I want to feel more and think less. I want to trust my intuition and inner knowing over the endless chatter of my mind.
I want to develop more discernment - to trust the sensations in my body. To be aware of and check in with myself more often, so that can discern when something is right or when I'm off track.
I want to slow down.
To be present.
So this is my wish and prayer for this year: To live with more intimacy.
To stop missing life by overthinking, reacting, worrying, or trying to control.
Life is precious. It's fleeting.
And I don't want to be anywhere else but here, wide awake to all of it.