When I was doing my annual planning for 2023 I wasn’t sure I wanted to choose words for the year. What I ended up going with was choosing 4 adjectives that captured how I wanted to feel all year.

Happy. Healthy. Loved. Fulfilled.

These words will be my guideposts. They will determine what I do and don’t do; how I proceed. If a goal, task or action does not align with these words in some way then it will not be a priority.

I thought that would be enough, but then some of the challenges that I was facing toward the end of 2022 continue to play out even now. It feels like my faith is constantly being tested, and so had a thought last night. This phase of my life is a test of my faith.

Which led me to the following three sentences:

Practice faith. Be present. Surrender to the unknown.

It’s still early—we’re only 10 days in—but I already feel like these words/sentiments may hold some value as guiding sentiments for this year. Even if I relinquish them in the coming months, for now they’re very valuable. And that is enough.