2023, a year to grow in more ways than one.

Musings from my week - 7th January 2023.

Photo by Sourabh Panari on Unsplash

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope the first week of 2023 has treated you well.

I’m enjoying a slow start to the year. The schools don’t start again until Tuesday so I’m making the most of these slow days, relishing in the cosiness and the lack of any plans.

I typically like to start my year gently. I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t buy into the narrative that we need to change or better ourselves just because there’s a different number on the calendar. I understand the clean slate, fresh start mentality, but for me I much prefer to ease into January, honouring my body’s natural call for rest and hibernation, before emerging, re-energised in the spring time. I do have goals, ambitions and things I want to achieve, I’m just not putting myself under pressure to have it all figured out just yet.

A year to grow.

For the last few years I’ve jumped on the bandwagon of setting a word for the year. My 2022 word was patience. I’ll be sharing a series over on my blog called “Lessons from the Garden” and my first post will be about learning the art of patience, both in and out of the garden.

For 2023 I’ve chosen the word GROW.

I feel like 2022 was a year of change and shift, particularly in my direction as a business owner. I did a lot of letting go in the later part of the year, which has freed up space for me to follow my heart and my passions in a new direction. And whilst I’m a huge advocate of being gentle with myself, I’ve come to realise there’s a fine line between not putting my mind and body under unnecessary stress, and actually not truly living my life to the full.

I’ve set some intentions around the word grow. Some personal and some related to my business. The word somehow feels bolder than words I’ve used in the past few years. Maybe that’s exactly what I needed after the pandemic and the years of uncertainty that followed, but now it feels like it’s time to put on my big girl pants, step out of my comfort zone and take some big bold leaps in the direction I know is right for me.

Here are some of the ways I want to GROW in 2023…

- in confidence. Imposter syndrome has hit me hard in the last couple of years. It’s so difficult not to feel inferior when everyone else is displaying highlight reels of their lives. But for this year I intend to focus on my own path and trust there is space in the world for me and my dreams.

- my connections. I realised in lockdown just how much of an introvert I am. I’m content in my own company and crave time alone to recharge my energy. But I’m also realising that if I truly want to grow then I can’t do it on my own. I need to connect with others so I can learn, share and feel supported. And I want to connect with others so I can do the same in return. A little personal goal of mine for this year is to hike more and improve my hill walking fitness so I’m currently looking to join a hiking group.

- my dream job. After a year of floundering and feeling lost and uncertain in my business, the very end of 2022 gave me the clarity I was looking for. In 2023 Musings and Mondays will be going in a whole new direction. My focus will be on writing about supporting wellbeing through gardening and nature. I’ll be sticking around on Instagram for the foreseeable future, but most of my energy will be spent on my blog and on nurturing a community here on Substack.

- my garden. Of course. I have a couple of bigger projects in mind for the garden, a new border to wrap around a cosy morning seating area, a secret door and height, lots of height!

Although I have lots to be excited about this year, I’m not quite raring to go just yet. It’s only the first week of the new year and my top priority right now is to ease myself back into my routines and trust the rest will come in good time. It’s rather fitting as I look out over the garden, a perfect reminder that rest comes before growth.

Wishing you love, peace, health and joy in 2023. I’m honoured to share it with you.

Claire x