Hello, virtual world. It seems like it has been a lifetime since I last penned any words to this blog. In fact, I don’t think I have penned any words anywhere in quite some time. Thankfully I know you don’t judge my lack of appearances here on Three is My Happy Place! With that being said, Happy New Year. I cannot believe it is the year 2020. I feel trapped somewhere between the 1990s and the first decade of the 2000s. Whether we like it or not, here we are in a new decade. The new roaring 20’s! Sounds pretty darn fun to me. If you say it out loud 2020 just sounds like it is going to be a great year. Even if it turns out not to be so, at least it still sounds cool.

Anyways, remember back in 2018 when I coined the word “balance” to be my word of the year. I can’t say I nailed that one, but I did try and continue to try to balance my whole world. Work-life balance. Wife-mom balance. Daughter-friend balance. I am not nailing any of those, exactly, but I am trying. I am trying to take advantage of slower times at work and be home more. I am trying to be a good wife and a good mom. Not putting one of those before the other. I am trying to remember I do have friends. It is a good thing most of them are also moms and understand you are simply just trying to survive most days! I am trying to remember my momma and remember that I was first her daughter. I call her at least once a week. We try to see them more often than not. The point is, I coined the word and I tried. I won’t say I failed and I won’t say I succeeded. I will just say I did better than I did at the start of 2018 and I will continue to try! For me, that is a win. 

Then in 2019, I coined the word “present.” Again, actively trying to remember to be present. Be in the moment. I will say I did better with this one than I did the balancing act of 2018. But I only say I did better because I learned from the year prior. I tried to put my phone away- which also resulted in less captured moments. You win some you lose some, I guess. I may not have the pictures to flood our walls or your Facebook wall but I do have them in my heart. I will continue to try to be more present. And not just with Jackson, but with all of you. I am a multitasker through and through. I can’t stand just doing one thing at a time. Why do one thing at a time when you can do more than one and get more done in the same amount of time? Well… that isn’t exactly a great way to live your life. I am trying to do less at one time and focus more on being present in the single task that I am doing. Have I mastered it? No. Will I ever? Probably not. But I am ok with that. I am a work in progress. And the moment I stop trying, learning, growing, will probably be the day the Lord calls me home! We are created to keep learning, changing, growing, being the best versions of ourselves. This brings me to my 2020 word…. 

SELF 

As in mySELF. Before you go thinking I am all into myself and only focus on myself. Let me tell you it is about time I start focusing on myself. I cannot and I can probably guess most cannot be a good mom, wife, friend, daughter, person to anyone else unless we start to learn how to put ourselves first.  2020 is going to be about me. 2020 is going to be about finding time for myself and here is the catcher and NOT FEELING GUILTY about it. (watch for my post about guilt) 2002 is going to be about putting my wants and needs ahead of everyone else’s. No, I am not going to stop being a wife, mom, friend, worker, etc., but I am going to try to be the best version of myself, which will require a little more focus on, you guessed it, me! 

2020 is going to be about 

SELF-awareness

SELF-assurance

SELF-belief 

SELF-care

SELF-control

SELF-confidence

SELF-determination 

SELF-esteem

Self-fulfillment

SELF-gratification 

SELF-help

SELF-improvement

SELF-justification

SELF-kindness

SELF-love

SELF-motivation 

SELF-nurturing 

SELF-oriented

SELF-preservation

SELF-perception

SELF-reliance

SELF-sufficiency 

SELF-therapy

SELF-understanding 

SELF-validation

SELF-worth 

And I am not going to feel bad about it. In fact, I will probably feel good about it. I want to encourage you to do the same. Take time for yourself this year. Take time for self-care, self-improvement, self-preservation, self-love, self-kindness. What is the worst that can happen? You become a better version of yourself. I see nothing wrong with that. In fact, that is exactly what I want to become! I am hoping you do too! Here is to 2020 and making it the best year yet! And if you are lucky, a little more writing from this end of the world.

XOXO – Jessica