My word for the year 2022 is “intuition.”

I didn’t choose a word last year because waving hands around 2021. But this year, for whatever reason, this word came to me as one to focus on. I had read somewhere about someone’s goal in 2021 as doing things that gave them joy. While I like that guidance, some things just aren’t that joyful. So instead, I’m going with intuition.

I don’t listen to my gut or intuition often enough. The logical side of my brain often wins, weighing the pros against cons, writing out enormous to-do lists. I don’t pause and think “Do I actually want to do this?”. Instead, I’ll push past the warning signs of burnout or tell myself I don’t really need to do my nightly stretch routine. Of course, I’d pay for it later with difficulty sleeping, a fuzzier brain the next day, and/or general feelings of despair.

So this year, I’d like to listen to my intuition more. I’d like to choose the projects, both professional and personal, that give me joy. I would like my anxiety and imposter syndrome to calm down a little more and stop getting in the way of potential success. I also want to be more organized, be better at maintaining my friendships, and generally give more priority to my self-care routines.

I am feeling marginally better going into 2022 than when I went into 2021, so that’s a plus right there.