My words for 2022: Resourcing (Your) Resilience

I hope your holidays were filled with love and laughter, and some quiet time to just BE.

We had 12 of our 19 children and grandchildren here, and it was ALL the things: wonderful, challenging, joyful, and full of moments when we got to feel our unmet expectations and chose our response. :-)

My birthday is January 1st; this year was a quiet celebration filled with reflection, nature, and love—and an impromptu outdoor dinner with friends, during which we all laughed ourselves silly.

For the last few weeks I’ve been contemplating my word for 2022. For a decade, each January I choose a word to focus on that year. (Here’s why this works.) On my birthday hike through my favorite woods, the answer came clear as a bell:

Since we moved 4 years ago, I’ve been preparing for difficult times, building our resilience. Each month, I’ve purchased or created something that allows us to be better prepared for natural disasters and other challenges. I’ve also slowly built my mental, emotional and spiritual reserves.

I grew up in a family without the advantages of wealth and status. We didn’t just believe in resilience, it was required of us. I’m the oldest of 7 children and learned many valuable skills from my parents.

In late December 1967, when I was almost 13, my mom got a phone call from a church friend: she and her 10 children were being evicted from their rental, in a blizzard. Of course, my mother invited them to come stay with us until they could find another home. We didn’t have a car that was safe to drive in such deep snow, so Mom sent me down to the corner grocery store 2 miles away with money to buy a ham bone. When I got home, my fingers and cheeks red with cold, the scent of her homemade bread filled our warm kitchen.

About the time that we’d finished preparing split pea soup and set the table, the family arrived, looking worn out. The parents and the older kids (including me!!) sat in the dining room; the younger ones sat around the kitchen table. After the blessing, all was quiet as Mom’s delicious soup and toast filled hungry bellies—and then the conversation and laughter began. After dishes, we played games until it was time to figure out which of their kids would sleep in which of our small bedrooms.

I don’t remember how long they stayed. A week? Two weeks? I do remember sharing my 13th birthday with them. I also remember the friendship that developed between our families after all those moments of connection.

Looking back now, I’m amazed that the only resource my Mom didn’t already have, in order to prepare a wonderful dinner and food for the next several days, was a ham bone. That’s resilience.

And the love and laughter? That’s resilience.

In 2020, I facilitated an online Prep course for the women who’ve emerged from my priestess circles. (A priestess is one who serves her community.) Our #1 takeaway from that event: “A priestess can’t serve others if she’s not resourced.”

This year, 2022, I will continue to deliberately resource my own resilience—and I plan to share my resources with you, my community.

Starting with my ONLY de-cluttering and organizing training for the year, Shine on 2022: Creating Sparkle and Sanctuary at Home.

Enjoying a clutter-free and organized home, in which every item is serving a purpose, in which every room functions and feels optimal is THE #1 FOUNDATIONAL CONTRIBUTION we can make to our own well-being.

This course will be an expansion of the one I taught in 2021, and will include more support for creating sustainable systems so that clutter never piles up in your home or workspace again! I’ll also be offering more support in this course.

You’ll receive an invite to join us soon; please register right away if you want a spot.

Meanwhile, I’d love to hear from you. What is an area of your life that needs to be more resourced? In how many ways would you like to be more resilient for the times ahead of us?

Send me an email and let me know!