'January is a month of deep rest.'
I love this time of year for the quiet and peace that unfolds at home. The Midwest snow has blanketed the outside world, and I'm tucked snugly inside. My energy is focused inward. I’m moving slower and with intention. I’m clearing. Organizing. Making space for new ideas and more flow.
I'm quietly looking back. What were the takeaways, the lessons, the highs and the lows this past year?
I'm quietly generating new beginnings. How do I want this new year to feel?
Highlights from 2023:
✨ It was a year of truly, finally, choosing myself. The biggest piece of this was making the decision to leave my part-time (but full energy) university job and spend that energy on Pure Luxe Apothecary instead. The benefits have far outweighed my fears and the financial risk. I feel more free, in control of my own life, and there’s space to breathe and grow.
✨ Another meaningful part of the year was being part of women’s circle. If this is new to you, it’s essentially ‘sacred space’ to come together once a month, around clear rules, to share what’s going on in our hearts and minds. A space for celebration and support. The connections really blossomed this year, and the practice made a huge difference in our lives. Knowing you’re not alone and both listening and being listened to by a group of like-minded, like-hearted women is such a gift.
✨ I was at 16 in-person markets throughout the Midwest! Being able to talk with people face to face, hear their stories, chat and connect...that’s the best. I love being part of this community of friends, customers, makers and artisans. And I had some great help too!
✨ Looking at the stats both from markets and online sales was so interesting! Your Top 5 Favorites, by number of bottles purchased, were:
✨ Online orders were delivered to 23 different states across the US. Top destinations were Iowa, Washington, California, Texas, and New York. I’m grateful for all of you who are choosing clean products and holistic health! Thank you! ❤️
Looking Ahead at 2024:
✨ My words for the year are: Freedom, Abundance, and Love. There’s a lot to unpack in each one of these, both for personal life and business life. But they feel spot on for me.
✨ The mantras and intentions I settled on to shape my mindset and energy are:
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I am living a rich, meaningful life.
I already am, even as I continue to create it.
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I am vibrant, healthy, and strong.
My choices for mind, body, and spirit support this each day.
Prioritizing a few key practices will help support these intentions:
✨ Continuing to choose myself, especially with small, daily practices. They snowball into big progress over time, just like compound interest. The blog post I wrote previously about my three commitments still holds true. I’m showing up, creating energy, and choosing courage.
✨ Creating more ease through visual planning, better organizational tools, and weekly time-blocking. Marketing and content creation is one of the biggest puzzle pieces of my (any?) small business, and it’s the one I find most challenging. Pushing myself to improve this piece will invite more freedom and abundance.
✨ Creating a 4-day work week. Part of the joy of running my own business is setting my own schedule. I get to create a rhythm that actually feels healthy, instead of trying to keep pace with our current toxic cultural ‘norms.’ A meaningful schedule for me includes time for mind-body wellness, cooking, friends and family, personal development, nature, explorations, creativity, and fun!
I’ll be thinking more about how I want my year to feel in the coming weeks. It’s a work in progress - one that will expand and evolve - and I’m looking forward to doing the work! In the meantime:
How do you want your year to feel?
What’s most important to you?
Cheers to good health, always!
