Adjectives of 2022

Instead of Objectives, why not think about the 3-4 Adjectives as your focus of the year?

My little sharing here may help you re-prioritise what is important to you in 2022.

At the start of 2021, I have set myself three adjectives for the year. There have been ups and downs in life, yet these adjectives, or what some may call ‘intentions’, have not changed for me.

As I reflect now at the end of 2021, I am proud of the little steps I have taken.

Be Curious:

• I have been very curious to learn about coaching, and what my personality could bring to my future career. I have learnt to follow my heart a bit more and to not go against the grain. Leaving a job is not the end, it's the start of something bigger.

• This year I have read perhaps more than what I have read in the past 4 years put together. Being a mum is a full time job and I have to remind myself that it's ok to pick a habit up again after a hiatus.

• I have treasured walks in nature, and challenged myself to look at nature through the eyes of a child. Not being able to travel outside the UK has meant that I started looking for gems at my doorstep.

“Leaving a job is not the end, it's the start of something bigger.”

Be Consistent:

• I have set up an exercise routine to go to a class or the gym at least twice a week (apart from the Christmas weeks…). This may not mean much to an athlete, but it meant a lot as I do this on autopilot. It also made me realise that it's fine to take time to develop a routine that you love.

• I have embraced my morning quiet times more, which helped me find space to hear God and allowed me to be more sensitive to others naturally as I prayed for them - also knowing that I could just be still.

Be Creative:

• I have written songs before, but never consistently. This year I wrote 5 songs for the sake of expression. I have only published one - arrangement is the toughest part for me, yet I am seeing the value of writing for myself.

• I am loving the learning to interweave creativity into what I do as a coach and in church. It's like splashing colours onto a monotone canvas, and it's exciting.

So what does 2022 mean?

4R's came to mind, in place of the 3C's last year:

Be Repetitive: My wish is that by practice, and repeating a healthy pattern on coaching and being coached, that I could master the skill of coaching.

Be Resilient: This year has not been easy. There is a need to keep my faith in life's valleys. My wish is that I can find joy both in little things in life and in times of trouble.

Be Reflective: I would like to take more time to evaluate and improve on what I'm doing. I would accept challenges and feedback with grace. Moreover, I want to be more aware of how I could impact people around me and our planet.

Be Refreshed: I will challenge myself to read more, which will help me to see things from new perspectives. Moreover, I will explore how I can maximise impact and define success of my career in my own terms.

Boom! There is a lot to strive for, a lot to learn. As James Clear puts it in his book Atomic Habits, setting up systems is better than setting up a goal - as I’m setting up my own systems to support these 4R’s, let’s see where all this leads.

What are your 3-4 adjectives for 2022?