I wrote in my first post of the year about how the primary J for my “year of Js” actually means less blogging and publicly sharing and more private JOURNALING. Read on to discover the other three themes for this year of J.

JOY: I seriously considered making this my word of the year, but it seemed a bit higher key than what my Powersheets actually led me to realize I need this year. Still, I wanted there to be some focus on Joy- on finding joy, on gratitude for the things and people that bring me joy, on how joy is a little more complex than happiness or pure pleasure. I am really looking forward to exploring this theme this year and it seems like exactly what I need in the wake of feeling a bit burned out and tentative about writing right now.

Java: How did I not pick COFFEE as one of my themes for the letter C?! I’m planning on giving myself some time in lovely local coffee shops. In fact, one of my favorite posts I wrote for Phoenix Moms last year was about local coffee houses.  I told my husband I think I might be on a mission to break up with Starbucks. Of course, I’m not planning on having us go broke on my java habit… there is plenty of home brew in my future. I’m planning on revisiting a prior practice of Coffee and Jesus and spending more time this year getting back to morning prayer and Bible study as I enjoy my morning coffee- I am rebranding this time Java and Jesus! and I’m really looking forward to it and hoping it will set the right tone for my days.

My Jar love runs deep… we even used them as table decor at our wedding. Might actually revive this project at some point this year because it brings me so much joy.

My final themes for 2023 is “Jar Life” and it was based in thinking back on how this blog started and how during the early years of writing I had a weekly goal I was going to blog about and check in on. My year of “B”s included attempting “42 baking projects in 52 weeks” and while I am not in a place to attempt 42 of almost anything this year, I did want one of my themes to go back to being a super tangible project. I found that I was drawn to the idea of projects involving mason jars (or other recycled glass jars, but I love mason jars). I think this theme will be really fun and allow for a good amount of variety. I am not setting a specific number goal here, but I am hoping to find something new most months (even if I don’t write about individual projects each month). Lots of ideas here and hoping I have fun executing some of them. I have high hopes to revive some aspirational Pinterest boards thanks to this theme.

In the meantime… I want to hear from you!

What brings you JOY?! How do you revive joy when it seems illusive or the world seems heavy? What makes the perfect coffee shop to you?! Let me know.