The other night, I was having dinner with girlfriends and the topic of choosing a word for the new year came up. I know friends who do this annually, and I even read this helpful guide on how to get started. As a person who has a hard time sticking to resolutions past February, especially anything involving chocolate, I like the streamlined simplicity of this approach: choose one word to manifest and focus on throughout the new year.

To start, instead of deciding on the word itself, I worked backwards and made an inventory of things I’d like to, putting it kindly, improve and change about myself. On my list: my anxiety being numero uno, becoming paralyzed by over thinking, being far too comfortable in my comfort zone, biting my nails (ugh!). It dawned on me as I was writing this list, that the underlying theme of all these issues is fear. But how the heck do you conquer FEAR??? My fear has happily taken up a comfy corner couch and has just renewed it’s Netflix subscription. Fear has got it good, friends, and has no plans of vacating any time this century. So, now what? And then it came to me.

My one word for 2017 is CURIOUS.

Why curious?

Because curiosity is the opposite of fear.

Curiosity, as writer Elizabeth Gilbert eloquently describes it, “is a tiny tap on the shoulder — a little whisper in the ear that says, “Hey, that’s kind of interesting…” She goes on to say that curiosity “teaches us how to become ourselves.”

And in 2017, I want to become more like myself.

I want to pay more attention to myself and the world around me, ask honest questions and listen to my gut more. I want to step out of my comfort zone and take bold, baby steps on unpaved paths. I want to take my hands off the wheel, trust the journey and explore new adventures around each corner. But before any of that is possible, I need to get curious.

And now I’m curious to hear your one word for 2017…

P.S. I want to personally thank each of you for reading and following this creative endeavor of mine. I’m grateful for your support and hope to use my curiosity in the coming year to bring you fresh, fun and interesting content, and continue to grow this amazing community! Peace & Joy in 2017, friends!

(Photo by Everlane)