Happy New Year! I’m back lovely readers!! Sold, moved, settled and so very grateful to be ALIVE! Literally and figuratively. And now to 2021…

How exciting to have a whole new one to continue entertaining our Covid19 lockdown intentions? Mine included shedding a few kilos, exercising daily, sorting storage, becoming conversationally adept at French, writing, baking bread, and more. Reality? Donned the covid jacket, incapacitated myself via a squat, moved the stored stuff from A to B, learned precisely six new French words, and wrote a random blog or two. Oh! And proudly held aloft the complimentary sourdough loaf that came with the brew at my fave coffee shop (the only one open during lockdown), squealing, ‘look what I made!!’. 

Sooooo! This year there’ll be no lofty goals. Instead, I’ve simply adopted a one-word mantra — a power word.  

‘ALIVE!’ 

My power word forces me to consciously:

• Don the face mask – it’s contributing to keeping us all alive
• Make time to hang with my fave people – they make me feel so alive
• Contort into that Yogic pretzel – an awkward reminder that I’m definitely alive
• Hit the footpath for a morning walk – keeping the body active and alive
• Lift my face to a rain shower or breathe in the beach – negative ions for vitality
• Listen to inspirational podcasts – appreciating the guidance of others
• Examine the neighbourhood  –  so buzzing and vibrant
• Jot thoughts into the daily gratitude journal – how lucky to be ALIVE!

Of course, life isn’t always beer and skittles. When I find myself grumbling into my beer, desperately wanting to poke someone in the eye or sulking (in which I hold a masters), my power word starts hollering. ‘Suck it up, princess – be thankful your ALIVE!’ 

If you were to choose your power word, what would it be?