10 days into the new year and I’ve purposefully been holding off on putting my new 2018 word into the universe. I had some trouble choosing a word this year, with all that 2017 had to offer and throw at us, it was a little daunting looking into 2018. Then on the cold morning of January 1st as I was walking the dogs back inside, I asked myself what I wanted more of in my life. We’d already set monthly goals instead of resolutions, and those were mostly about “taking” stuff away – no beer in January, no staying up late during the week, sticking to a healthy eating plan and meal prepping so no more eating out in January – and even though all that is great and good, it can be heavy. Then it hit me, I wanted some peace. Peace in the news, peace with friends, peace with family, peace entering a new family in 25(!) days, peace with Jake when we have things we don’t agree on, peace between our dogs, our neighbors, at work, in finances, everywhere. I just wanted a little less conflict, not that there necessarily was some in all of these areas, my wish was just that things could seem a little easier, less harsh. For me, for everyone in my life, and even all of those that aren’t (I know, I sound like a pageant contestant). I was a little burnt out with going, going, going and striving for every single goal in a new city, in a new job, in a new decade (hello, 30), and taking things so seriously when sometimes my best laid plans didn’t pan out exactly how I’d pictured. I’m a perfectionist at heart, and man, do I take that stuff seriously. I take everything right to my heart. Jake has literally been a godsend for my type-A lifestyle of being unnecessarily hard on myself, as he’s constantly teaching me about all the things I don’t have to carry around. But the truth is I do, because I’m a Libra and a people pleaser and an extrovert and that’s just me sometimes. I wasn’t fully sold on the word “peace” as my one word for 2018, though. So I toggled through some others and what I was wanting my new year and first year of marriage to look and feel like, and it came to me: HARMONY.

And let me tell you, I’ve been ruminating in that harmony since the 1st and it. is. glorious. CONNECT was a great action word to get me out of my comfort zones, meet new friends, start a new job, get engaged, make some crazy meaningful connections and strengthen my bonds, but after those connections are made, what needs to happen? They need to be nurtured and live in harmony. For ten days now I’ve meditated on harmony every morning, I’ve set “harmony” as my intention at every yoga practice, I’ve thought about it with every healthy meal I’ve made trying to rid my body of whatever cold virus is stuck around Seattle right now (I am so, so, so over coughing). I’ve thought about harmony when I’ve felt stressed and let things slide off of me, and I’ve even created wedding playlists around it and can’t wait to harmonize on the dance floor, singing at the top of my lungs with all of our nearest and dearest. I feel happier in harmony than I have in a while. Harmony is a good word. And I’m glad it found me. It was time.

Here’s to harmonizing the shit out of 2018, it’s going to be a good one!