breathe
breathe, baby, breathe
For the last several years, at the end of November or the beginning of December, Tamara and I discuss what word will be our spiritual anchor for the upcoming new year. We help each other discern which word and why that one in particular will help us grow in our spiritual and professional lives and in our relationships. Our practice is to remember our word daily or weekly so it can guide us.
In 2025, I chose breathe and instead of a singular term, Tamara chose a phrase.
I selected breathe because in December of 2024, both my physical therapist and my primary doctor told me my diaphragm was too tight. They wanted me to incorporate the breathing methods I use in meditation (mostly diaphragmatic breathing) to alleviate the tension and constricted muscles in my upper back. Breathing in this way would lessen the painful muscle spasms in my upper back, neck, and shoulders. So with breathe as my new motto, in January of 2025, I settled into an adventure of learning to breathe more effectively throughout my day. But then life became complicated and I forgot. Between March and the fall of this year, I’ve packed up the house we lived in for 26 years, sold it in less than three weeks on the market, birthed a book, found our lost son, started selling my book, moved to North Carolina and began the process of setting down roots in a new community.
Obviously, I didn’t totally ignore my breathing, or I wouldn’t be here typing these words, but my breath became shallow again and I forgot my word for the year. About two weeks ago, in a panic, I told Tamara, “I don’t remember my word for this year! I’ve lost it!” She reminded me and I wondered, how could I forget such a simple word? But as I thought about these past months, I forgave myself.
I painted this watercolor on the day Tamara reminded me to breathe. Cosmic Girl is holding the watercolor to prompt me when I sit down at my desk. Because this concept was lost for almost half of 2025, I told Tamara that breathe will be my word again for 2026.
