A manifesto for 2023
In 2023, prioritise the things that make you feel alive. Move your body, watch the sunrise, spend time with the people who make you feel like the best version of you. Write a list of all of the things that energise and inspire you, and try to do one of those things every single day.
Be grateful for the goodness you already have in your life, instead of always striving for more. Once upon a time you dreamed of having the things you have now - so slow down and appreciate them.
Make less plans, but create more space for joy. Remember that joy lives in the small spontaneous moments - the dance party in your kitchen, the funny thing your kid says, the evenings in the garden when time passes by in the blink of an eye. Be present for those moments.
Be motivated by joy rather than shame. Do things because they make you feel good, rather than because you want to avoid feeling bad. Open yourself up to all of the pleasure available to you, let yourself enjoy life with abundance. Don’t ration the magic.
Buy the flowers, go to the gig, say I love you. We tend to regret the things we didn’t do, rather than the things we did.
Give yourself permission to want whatever it is you truly want this year. No one else has to live your life but you - so do it in a way that lights you up. Trying to impress other people won’t bring you satisfaction - it will only take you further away from the life you’re supposed to lead.
Find joy in the midweek, in the most average of average everydays. Holidays, weekends and special occasions make up such a small part of our lives, so don’t save all of the fun for then. Instead, build a life that allows you to feel good even on a drizzly Tuesday in March.
Don’t let yourself become resigned to the negative narrative that our news cycle continues to push. Remember that every single day, babies are born, people fall in love, the sun rises and sets, people laugh and hug and connect all over the globe. Joy continues, in spite of it all.
Remember that joyful living isn’t about being positive all of the time - instead, it’s about learning to give the good parts of your life as much attention as you do the bad. Strive to do this everyday, and notice how much better you feel as a result.
Let go of the illusion of control. Life can be random and chaotic - there is more peace to be found in surrendering to the curveballs than in trying to resist them.
Prioritise experiences over things. You’ll remember that trip you took with your best friend for the rest of your life, but that new dress will be relegated to the back of your wardrobe within a couple of months.
See your body as a vehicle for joy, rather than an object that needs to be preened and controlled. Thank it for all of the adventures it has allowed you to have, move it and nourish it in a way that honours just how special it is.
Work on setting yourself free - from other people’s opinions, from expectations that don’t serve you, from the cruel comments our brains can offer up. Journal, reflect, spend time alone - you will never regret making an investment in yourself.
When joy arises, seize it. Allow yourself to sit with that warm rush of love for however long it lasts.
Know that you don’t need to change in any way. You don’t need to give something up, you don’t need to adopt a new habit, you don’t need to contort yourself in some way to become more palatable. You are exactly right, just as you are.
And remember, time is fleeting. You will never again be this young, you will never again have this moment right in front of you. We only get one life - so commit to squeezing as much joy out of it as you possibly can.