I didn’t think I was going to choose a word for this year, especially because past ones still were calling to me. But just a few days before 2025, the word came to me all at once and it feels like it is meant to be. I am excited to focus this year on the word: STRONG

Physically Strong — Outer Strength

Of course, the first obvious thought when seeing this word is goals towards physical strength. And that is one of my goals. I want to be stronger, to move my body and hold my bodyweight effortlessly. I hope to get to a point this year where my upper body can handle challenges like a minute-long handstand, 10 pull-ups, running for over a mile, and other strengthening feats.

Mentally & Emotionally Strong — A Firm Mind & Inner Strength

What initially brought me to this theme was reading the word “firm mind” in Moroni during my scripture study. It leapt off the page and all the ideas came swirling in. Because that phrase is somewhat limiting, it evolved to “strong” to encapsulate other aspects of my overall goal for 2025. But a firm mind embodies exactly how I want to grow this year. The mental fortitude to not allow negative thoughts to spiral me into an emotional instability. For me, mental and emotional goals go hand-in-hand because my decisions and actions feel directly linked between the both of them.

An example is how my thoughts take me to a space where I start to resent the people I love most without them doing a single thing different or new. I allow Satan to take over my thoughts and I’ll dwell on things that only make me angrier inside. An inner strength to me means an inner peace. I want to put up stronger “force fields” or “fences” that will help me recognize the negative thoughts for what they are, toss them aside, and get back to the productive thinking that will not overwhelm or a detriment to my relationships.

Socially Strong — Hold my Boundaries in Parenting

When it comes to my goals that involve my “social life”, my main focus is my family and parenting. And something I currently lack is the ability to hold to a boundary or rule. I give in so quickly and I can tell that holding strong and not letting my children’s moods effect my level of commitment to a certain boundary I provided.

For example, I gave up on “nagging” my daughter to wear a helmet because it would end in tears and frustration because of the way it felt on her head. I finally put my foot down and discussed why it has to be a strong rule we must follow (because they are getting onto pump tracks with bigger bikes now). She had a very hard time the first few days but now she has no problem putting on her helmet and has made the realization that the longer she wears something uncomfortable, the more she gets used to it. This is a huge step forward in my highly sensitive child who doesn’t wear underwear, let adults comb her hair, or put lotion on her skin because of her sensitivity to touch. So long story short, I want to hold strong to help build resilience in both me and my children because not knowing what rules and expectations will hold or fall is helping no one.

Spiritual Strong — Deeply Rooted & Offering Strength

When I think of being spiritually strong, I think of a massive tree. It doesn’t allow the wind to bend it over. The foundation has been set and the roots hold on steadily underneath the surface. I feel like my spiritual foundation the past few years has been laid and now my goal to become spiritually strong involves providing space for others to find rest and shelter. To be spiritually strong is a sense of confidence and unabashedly bold in my conversations when it comes to religion. I shy away from many topics that come up and I am ready to rid of that tendency to hold back for the sake of embarrassment, ridicule, etc. I look forward to strengthening my relationship with Christ by doing the smallest of things that eventually build my trunk wide that holds my family safely to our Foundation.