2023 – THE FEELING

KINDNESS AT OUR CORE
February 6, 2023
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
March 6, 2023

How do you want to feel in 2023?

That was the question posed to a number of us at our very first community/connect session held yesterday.

What I found interesting, was how easy it is to say what you need or want, but it doesn’t necessarily translate automatically to the feeling you are after. One of my colleagues, the wise Ellen Schneider, asked “What do you ache for?”

I have had my cataracts removed so my vision is clearer than before, and I want to translate that to the rest of my life. No more dithering, or ‘blurriness’ of thought. So I see this year, no pun intended, as one of clarity. I sit between thinking and feeling on personality tests so making decisions has always been difficult for me. My head tells me one thing, only to be contradicted by my heart the next day. That’s why I chose ‘maybe’ as my word for the year. To give me breathing space.

However, it didn’t address the how I wanted to feel question.

I spent this morning pondering on it, trying to feel different emotions within myself and try them on for size.

My first attempt was excitement. This is one I am used to – and so is everyone around me! Most get fed up with my going on and on about whatever it is I have discovered, am about to do, a book I’ve read, or someone I’ve met etc etc. To be excited on a permanent basis would be exhausting. So, I dropped it.

The second was joy. If I’m joyful all the time, I wouldn’t be sad, miserable, down, angry. Normal emotions we live with to feel to be balanced (a boring word if there ever was one, but an important one all the same).

Ellen’s word was buoyant. I tried that on, but it didn’t resonate. However, progressing the feeling into enlightenment felt good. Powerful, all-knowing, blissful even.

Then it came to me. I want to feel SATISFIED.

Looking up its definition gave me these: contentconvincedfulfilledhappypleasedappeasedcompensatedfilledgratifiedpaidquenchedrequitedsatedsatiatedsuppliedcertainpositive

It could be considered mundane but I loved the smugness of it and I’m going to work with it. It provides me with the space to not OVER do something. Having a slightly addictive personality means I can get caught up with things that don’t always give me what I want or need in the long run. To be satisfied means I don’t have the urge to purchase new clothes, eat too much, do anyone else’s bidding (unless I choose to), because I have all I require already.

So, how do you want to feel for the next 11 months?

Please let us know.

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4 Comments

  1. Sue, a beautiful encapsulation of our conversation yesterday! Thank you so much for posting it!

  2. Dawn says:

    The word that came to me was ‘balance’. As well as wanting it, it something I need .
    Balance in my work-life mostly! The stress I have in my work has been making me ill, I need to have more me time to balance that out.
    A better balance of foods that I consume. A better balance in how I spend my spare time, such as it is.
    The more I think about it, the more areas of my life need balance. So this will be my word this year.

    • Sue Donnelly says:

      I think Balance is a very underrated word, so good for you for going with it. Ellen gave me something that might help you too. She said if you’re not sure about something, ask yourself whether you are being pulled (i.e. like a magnet) or being pushed (i.e. by something/someone) into your selection. We really want the pull, not the push – right? Maybe that will help. Good luck Dawn