Happy New Year and Hello 2023. After exercising deliberate rest during winter break, coming back to work and the new year can only bring welcomed surprises. Last term as been one of the best I’ve had teaching in higher education. My role changed, thus my approach to teaching and my work shifted and transformed.

I feel so lucky to transition into a new way of being. Change is always scary at first and sometimes the lesson is more about letting go and embracing what’s next. Last year, my #OneWord2022 was COMMIT. When I chose that one-word, my intention was primarily focused on work. I wanted to “commit” to research.

For years after leaving K-12 teaching, I spent much of my time finding myself, sprinkling ideas here and there, and trying different things in education. I thought if I could “commit” to research, I could further advance in my career in higher education. I published papers, worked on research projects, and got coaching.

I’m realizing that my big lofty intentions will take time and patience. Shifting my job also helped, but I was also committed to creating a life here in Prince George with my daughter. Living with her has been going very well so far. What I did learn is, by the end of the year what I was really committing to was myself. Humbled.

So, you may have an intention at first when choosing one-word, but over time it can manifest different outcomes that are unexpected and in my case, wonderful. I’ve been practicing One-Word for about 10-years. I do like it much more than New Year’s Resolutions and I can always lean on my word for solace and insight.

My #OneWord2023 is READ. It’s not just about reading articles and books, which can lend to my personal and professional learning. But I am also thinking about reading the room, reading human behaviour, and reading my feelings and intuition. I’m not sure how READ will unravel in 2023, but I’m open to how it will manifest.