Fearless.

“Bet on yourself.” Those words were the first star to appear in the dark sky of potential of my word of the year for 2025.

As per usual, it’s when I least expect it… When I’m not doing any sort of intentional reflection or dreaming the first spark of inspiration appears. Likening it to the first star in a night sky feels like a welcome analogy knowing what first emerges is just the first star to be revealed in what will inevitably form the constellation that reveals my word of the year.

2024 was the year of “abundance” and it served me beautifully throughout the year (read my short New Years Day reflection HERE). In particular, it was most evident in moments where I would continually remind myself to ‘use the good tea’, to ‘say yes!’ to opportunities as they arose, to intentionally cultivate what is most important, and to truly realize the beauty right in front of me. When I reflect on 2024, I see how abundance framed my year and allowed me to live a truly aligned and beautiful life.

As “bet on yourself” emerged seemingly ‘out of no where’, I knew I could name it for what it really was (what it tends to often be)-- the subtle nudge of the Spirit offering me this starlight to look towards as I navigated my way into 2025 during moments of quiet contemplation.

A second star emerged as the word “Joy” (which I absolutely loved learning more about in preparation for Advent offerings specifically through ‘Atlas of the Heart’ by Brené Brown) shone bright anytime I considered lessons from 2024 and the potential of 2025…

Working through Aligned & Designed At Home, the main characteristics I wanted to be this year were as follows:

🥰 Joyful.

💫 Creative.

☀️ Opportunistic.

🪩 Bold.

🌌 Wonder-Filled.

I considered the idea of worthiness as the constellation being formed by these words that stood out most prominently… Do I consider myself worthy of good and beautiful things? Is there (unfortunately) spiritual and religious unpacking to still do around the idea of worthiness? As I explored in the pages of my journal, I realized that I often lean into these things often after a win or success, in the moments of doing what makes my soul come alive. In those moments, joy, creativity, boldness, and saying yes are natural outpourings. 

My scribbled writing goes on..

“It’s this idea of believing in myself, leaning into who you, God, made me to be. Honouring that. When I honour who I am made to be and live authentically, that’s when I see joy and creativity, that’s when I act opportunistic and bold.”

I let the page rest…

The ocean beckoned an adventure.

Chips and guac by the pool were waiting.

The page would lay empty without a resolve but with more starlight emerging…

As I tried to lay my head to rest in a hotel bed I opened my notes on my phone and wrote:

“I am worthy of good and beautiful things.
If I want to bet on myself this year I have to believe I’m worthy of doing so… once I know I’m worthy I need to honour that and act on it. It’s one thing to acknowledge your worthiness, it’s another to honour that truth by living from it and not stuffing it down.
To live a life of joy, creativity, being bold and opportunistic I have to believe I am worthy of good and beautiful things… and more than that, I have to honour the truth and live from it.
To believe oneself as worthy but dishonour the truth is a waste and leads to an unfulfilled life. 
To live my life with honour…”

Was honour the word?

To be honest with you, I didn’t like it.

It still felt incomplete…

To wear the word ‘honour’ for the year didn’t feel empowering or remind me of the initial words that stood out.

It felt like a puzzle piece, a star that needed to be revealed, but the constellation was yet to be discovered.

I opened the same note a week a half ago and continued on…

“But today, a week later, I find myself coming back to living life with boldness. To live with honour and integrity will require me to be BOLD.
Joy is the most vulnerable emotion— that takes being bold.
Creativity is the same; vulnerable— to express is bold.
Being opportunistic requires stepping in and being bold.
I think bold is the word…
Bold.
Brave.
Courageous.
Daring.
Fearless.”

Fearless.

The word, sung in the style of Taylor Swift, rang through my ears and reverberated in my chest as I mouthed the words as if I was singing it.
(Watch Taylor sing it at the Era’s Tour)

The discovery had been made.

The stars slowly illuminating throughout the weeks felt aligned.

The way they sparkle and shine when I named ‘Fearless’ felt the same way it feels to go out at night, look up at the sky, and firs spot Orion’s belt, then the shape of the body, and then the rest of the constellation.

As I sat with ‘Fearless’ for a few days, I wanted to see what it was like. I tend to ‘try on my word’ before committing, spinning it around in my head and in my life before making my bracelet to wear for the year. Then the day came to get out my materials, put on the playlist, and begin creating my bracelet.

The playful colours of this year's Aligned & Designed At Home bead kit were giving me all the ‘era’s tour vibes’, which also is totally my vibe. And as I strung each golden bead onto the elastic cord after laying out the pattern I liked, I imagined that each golden bead was a golden moment I’ll get to experience while living fearlessly this year.

I slipped my bracelet on, placed my palms to my chest, and took a moment with my word. 
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Tears formed in my eyes.
In the practice of spiritual direction, we often say to follow the tears, knowing the release is significant and not to be brushed over lightly. As someone who never used to cry much, I notice tears as a response to spirit-filled moments. So I listened to what the tears were telling me; this is it. Those three words were a balm to the moment of calm.

As I’ve lived with my bracelet on for the past week, I’ve noticed where being fearless comes naturally, where I need to invite it in, and where I am too timid to be bold….

For example;
💗 I am fearless most naturally when declaring God’s great love for you, in writing words like these that feel like a natural outpouring of my soul, in showing up for friends.
🤲 I intentionally chose to be fearless when taking on a last-minute yoga class for an unfamiliar group (trust me, the fearlessness was needed as I felt hesitant to be me and let what I do shine while filling in at the last minute for a well-loved and well-known instructor).
🫥 I am often too timid to be bold when declaring views, thoughts, or ideas where I know what I have to say is the minority.

And so, we return to the beginning.
To bet on myself.

That sure will take living fearlessly in the face of opposition, in the discomfort and difficulties guaranteed to arise, and to continue to believe in who God made me to be and what I have to offer day in and day out.

And the byproduct of that fearless living?
Joy. Creativity. New opportunities. A boldness unlike before. And a life that leaves me full of wonder.

——-

If you’d like to discover your word of the year, Aligned & Designed At Home is still available to purchase! Click the link to get your kit that comes with a workbook to guide you through reflecting on 2024, dreaming of 2025, and settling on your word for the year. The workbook also comes with instructions on how to make your very own bracelet that has your word of the year on it! Aligned & Designed At Home also comes with your beautiful bead kit, a bonus printable version of the workbook, a gather guide, and a playlist to listen to while reflecting and creating! Learn more HERE.