At the end of 2020, I ran a free three-day Life Design workshop for our community, based on my book.

A collection of 100 Good Humans gathered to reflect on what happened in 2020, who they became, what was hard that needed healing, and what was good that needed celebrating.

Together, we reflected, released and redesigned for 2021.

Since 2010, as part of my Life Design process, I’ve picked a word for the year to help me focus on what matters most {here’s a post from way back then on how to select a word for the year}.

The word I choose helps me stay aligned with my values and connected to my intentions without becoming overwhelmed with ambitious goals and distracted by grand to-do lists.

This year, my word is Delight. Originally, I picked Joy. But, at the end of 2020, I was feeling burdened and bone-deep tired. A friend asked me how I wanted to feel instead. “I want to be f*cking delighted by life again” was my response. And, well, Delight stuck.

Here is the question I’m using to make decisions in 2021:

Will this add to my Delight or to drain it?

Here’s the question I’m starting my day with:

Today, I will live in alignment with Delight by _____________.

Here’s the question I’m ending my day with:

I experienced Delight today when _________________.

Life design can be complex with detailed plans or it can be as simple as three questions asked repeatedly throughout the year.

Often, with life design, we’re encouraged and rewarded for sliding into hustle and grind. But if we’re not careful, burnout comes along for the ride too {not to mention, missing out on what matters most}. Distraction, busyness, and multitasking are alluring and can be difficult to resist when we feel pressure to be, do and have all the things.

When we pile our lives up with too much doing, there’s no space for being … for fully living.

I’ve decided to opt-out of a robust plan for the year.

There’s no stack of ambitious goals or big checklists of things I’m racing to accomplish.

Instead, I am creating a relationship with the Suns that sparks delight in their eyes, a business I’m delighted to wake up to everyday, a relationship with myself {and others} that feels like delight in my whole being.

I want to notice, see, listen, touch, feel, taste, witness, experience … delight.

I’m ready to take in all the delights me – even the hard stuff, because I know it leads to the {de}light stuff.

Allowing delight to soften me into my full humanity as I unravel from the pressure of 2020 is on my to-do list.

Valuing every single drop of delight is on my agenda.

In 2021, here are the moments of delight I’ve already placed my attention on.

💛 sunlight illuminating the sparkling crystals in the snow and marvelling at how every snowflake is, indeed, different.

💛 captivation in the Suns eyes during story time {currently reading Eragon}

💛 heart emojis my mama responds with when I send her a text

💛 my breath returning to the bottom of my lungs when I remember to breathe

💛 finding a slice of untouched powder on the mountain

Mary Oliver tells us, “attention is the beginning of devotion.”
Simon Weil tells us “attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
Maharishi Mahesh tells us “whatever we put our attention on will grow stronger in our life.”

You want to live a life you love?
Place your attention on what matters most.