Entering 2022 with Conversation

I like to do a review at the end of each year, probably like a lot of people, and get myself prepared for the year ahead. The two processes I do are goal-setting, and choosing a Word of the Year.

2021 Review - Rejuvenate
My word for 2021 was Rejuvenate. I wanted to focus on re-establishing my habits and getting back in touch with how I wanted to live my life before 2020 blew a lot of that to pieces. My goals were very centred around this too:

• re-establishing habits for self-care and the household
• regular exercise activities of cycling, yoga, and hiking
• connecting with my loved ones
• reducing my consumption of physical waste and digital content

I struggled to get going during the first part of the year, but once I got into some rhythms I managed to do a fairly good job of rejuvenating my life. That's not to say there weren't some crap times and I backslid on things, but overall I ended up ahead and happy with most of the goals I set. 

2022 Goals
I read James Clear's Atomic Habits several years ago and so much of that is still with me, I highly recommend the book. I really should read it again this year and take notes this time! One of the strongest takeaways for me is that you fall to the quality of your systems and environments. So I have two habit focused goals this year to continue improving these areas!
All my goals are really continuations of focus on things I value and want to spend my time and energy on improving: taking care of myself mentally and physically, nurturing my relationships, and practicing caring for nature. Ooh, possibly a word for a future year - practice.

Here is a snapshot of this year's goals:

• Solidify existing positive habits (ones I worked on last year for me and the household)
• Embed new habits (focused on me and my relationships)
• 100 kilometre bicycle ride (my physical health challenge for the year!)
• Relationships (focusing this year on love languages and asking people how I can best support and love them)
• Reducing consumption (waste and phone use again, adding food and drink and project lists!)

I feel ready for change this year and am keen to gain some momentum to develop further now that I've mostly returned to where I was in the COVID before-times. 

2022 Word of the Year - Conversation
It is going to be a big year indeed with the conversations I plan on having. And really, the conversations I've already had in January. This word makes me think of me communicating outward, and more importantly, me actively listening and taking on board what I'm receiving. I want to work on the quality of my conversations and connections with the people around me.
 
When you come right to it, most of my goals connect with a conversation of some kind:

• conversations with myself
• how I can listen to nature and care for it better
• learning from my loved ones the kind of relationship they want with me

Despite how the year has started with the continuing pandemic, I'm really looking forward to finding out what 2022 will bring.