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For many years, Jill and I have selected 3 words to focus on for the year. We talked a bit about setting a focus for 2024 during our the end of the year podcast episode that was launched Dec 26, 2023 called Lessons Learned for Healthy Living with Chris and Jill.

My three focus words for 2024 are:

1) Connection
2) Declutter
3) Yoga

Connection
When I think of connection, it’s primarily connecting with friends but also a connection with what you call “loose acquaintances.” I consider loose acquaintances the people you see in everyday life at the store, the gym, in line at the bank, and around town. Some people call these “weak ties.”  As more and more of my work becomes digital, it’s the loose acquaintances that seem to disappear.

I realized that’s many of the connections that I’ve really lost following all of the quarantine during the pandemic. During that time I really picked up some new habits of not leaving the house a lot, picking up my groceries ordered online, and just staying closer to my bubble of close relatives. That resulted in loosing some of my natural acquaintances with people. So much so, now when I do see someone, they go on and on about how long it’s been since they saw me. Maybe that doesn’t seem like a big deal,but I feel that I’m missing something.

The other part of connection is connecting my cue’s to my routines and strengthening the habits with rewards. I find habits very strong in my brain, so I’m intentionally trying to connect into good habits.

Declutter
This is an extension of what I’ve been doing for the last six months or so, especially throwing away broken items and giving away things I haven’t worn in a few years or used in a long while. Every day I try to throw away 7 items that have just been sitting around, in boxes, in the back of closets, stuck in the basement or other storage bins.

Funny thing I’ve noticed is that I fill up the space right away with something else. I guess because I’m so used to having the space filled. Now the items are more intentional. Or if they are not more intentional, I throw those away/give away or get rid of them more quickly.

Since my husband and I have lived in this house for more than three decades, it’s too easy to keep too much stuff that I don’t really like or need.

I find it very freeing to declutter. When I open up new areas of my life, it makes room, like a vacuum for new things, new experiences and hopefully, fun new adventures.

Yoga
I selected this word because I’m finding that I’m losing flexibility and balance as I age. My shoulders, back and hip joints feel a bit tighter and less mobile. That is not what I want.

Now that it’s the third week of January, my yoga practice has continued along very well (with the support of good habits!!) and I’m already noticing that my joints tendons and ligaments are moving smoother and getting stronger.

Arthritis is something that runs in my family, and although you can’t totally avoid it, doing movement, especially like a regular yoga practice, provides resistant to trouble.

Did you selected three words to focus on this year?  Leave a message below or tag us on social media (@becomingelli).