2023: My Yes Year

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First and foremost, Happy New Year 2023! It's January 1st again. Wow! Can you believe it? How does time just seem to keep flying by? I also realize that the last time I wrote here was about 4 months ago. Yeesh. I do hope that I will have more opportunity to write more frequently this upcoming year because I do have a lot to say (but that's probably old news...haha!). 

In previous years, I have usually written a blog post on December 31st to reflect on the past year and also share what I am looking forward to the upcoming year. This time, I felt obliged to do this a bit differently. Ya know, shake things up a little. A little change never killed anyone, right? Hehe. If you follow me on Instagram (betweenthetalltrees), you will find a post that's a bit of self-reflection in regards to my gratitude for some of things I have experienced as well as lessons learned in 2022. It was actually really nice to be able to list all of those things and really ponder what 2022 has brought for me. I have to say that I am beyond grateful for all of it. 2022 proved to be a challenging and also a tranformational year in my life. I learned so much about life, but I mostly learned so much about myself. I will continue to take those golden nuggets of wisdom with me into 2023 and beyond. 

For the past week or so, I took some time to sit quietly and get in tune with my inner knowing regarding the main theme for my life in 2023. I had been sensing for a little while already that this new year would be amazing, and I simply cannot drop that feeling. I am rollin' with it because I anticipate some amazing things for this year. As I like to say, it's gonna be fuckin' lit! Haha! And I truly DO believe this about my life. I spent much of 2021 and 2022 healing, building a new foundation and really discovering who I am and what I want out of my life. I often asked myself, "What do I want to create?" I mean, if you think about it, that's a pretty powerful question. It speaks to me of endless possibilities and moving ourselves in a direction of manifesting dreams come true. I have often felt like 2022 and the past few years beforehand, I was in a place holding my breath and wondering when I would be able to exhale and finally BREATHE again. I can say with much confidence that 2023 is my year to breathe. And oh how I have much to exhale. I have really gone through it, and sometimes life felt close to unbearable. However, I have been shown by the Universe that I have the inner power to walk through anything. 2022 was surely my year of the Phoenix Arising. 

Now back to my question. During a time of stillness and meditation, I asked Spirit, "What is the key word for 2023?" I heard Spirit reply to me, "2023 is your YES year!" I mean, it was clear as a whistle what I heard. And believe me, just trusting myself that I am truly tapping into my intuition correctly has been a whole journey of growth in and of itself. I really do believe that I heard correctly. It just resonates. I feel an inner peace about it and am also a bit terrified. This is actually a good thing! I mean, if we're not terrified by our dreams in life, are they even worth existing in the first place? Maybe, maybe not. But for me, I am big in my Leo Moon and Sag Rising fiery energy so I guess it's kind of a "go big or go home" mindset. I am cool with that. 

So, you might be asking yourself, "Jess, what exactly are you saying YES to in 2023?" Great question! While I believe that this is an ever -evolving thing to ponder, I do already have somewhat of an idea. Here are some things I am saying YES to this year:

  • I am saying YES to loving myself fully, wholly, fiercely and unconditionally.
  • I am saying YES to believing that the dreams that have been planted and are swirling in my heart will continue to come to fruition.
  • I am saying YES to believing I am worthy of living a life of neverending peace, joy, love, harmony and abundance.
  • I am saying YES to continuing to manifest all that my heart truly desires.
  • I am saying YES to setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in all of my relationships, on all levels. 
  • I am saying YES to doing life with those who are aligned with who I am, where I am at and where I am going.
  • I am saying YES to continuing to love my body unconditionally as well as embracing and celebrating her continual transformation.
  • I am saying YES to continuining on my inner healing journey and fully loving accepting all versions of me: past, present and future. 
  • I am saying YES to getting out of my damn head and reconnecting with my body, staying grounded and learning how to better incorporate rest into my life.
  • I am saying YES to surrendering my need for striving and perfectionism and believing I am enough and have what it takes to be amazing in all of the roles I have in my everyday life.
  • I am saying YES to unraveling all of the parts of me that make me want to run, hide, and/or mask and allowing myself to be seen for who I truly am: in my full authenticity. 
  • I am saying YES to fully allowing LOVE in through all of my relationships and soul connections. 
  • I am saying YES to fun and adventure and exploring the unknown. 
  • I am saying YES to nurturing my inner child, learning more and more to love her ensure her that she is safe and allow myself to be reminded by her that it is okay to be playful. 
  • I am saying YES to seasons/relationships/connections, etc. ending and embracing the unknown, which is leading me into new beginnings.
  • I am saying YES to having lots of fun with my kids and growing in my relationships with them in various ways.
  • I am saying YES to taking risks and truly believing that I am always held and cared for, and that the Universe always has my back. 
  • I am saying YES to coming into full alignment with who I am meant to evolve into in 2023. 
  • I am saying YES to slowing down, taking time for creative endeavors, self-reflection and expressing gratitude. 
  • I am saying YES to being present and just enjoying life to the fullest!
  • I am saying YES to living my life how I see fit and not giving two shits about what others think about it. 
  • All in all, I am saying a resounding YES to me! Zero. Fucks. Given. 

...and I could go on and make this list much longer. However, I think you get the point. And in saying YES to the things I listed above, I could make a whole list of the things that I am saying NO to in 2023. But hey, this is my YES year so that's where my focus is at right now. I think the NO's will probably speak for themselves anyway. 

So yeah, bruh. 2023 is my YES year! I am thrilled and excited to dive into the unknown and be pleasantly surprised by the Universe in ways greater than I could probably ever think, hope or imagine. I am totally okay with that. I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be at the present moment. It's sometimes hard to admit that, but I am learned so much in 2022 and years prior, and now I am taking all of what I have learned and applying it and so much more into this new year. I feel so blessed by who I am, the opportunities being afforded to me, the soul tribe in the midst and so much more. Life has not been easy, but it's been full, abundant and certainly not boring. I am learning more and more to laugh a little more, allow the tears to flow, celebrate the smallest of victories and enjoy the simply moments in life. I am learning to tap more into my feminine energy, no longer hold back on my creative self-expression and to just go with the flow of life. I am learning to dance more, smile more, and just be and not have to do. I am learning to receive more and not feel as though I need to strive and give so much to the point is exhaustion. I am learning that masks are not necessary, and the people who are truly supposed to be in my life will love and embrace me in all of my weirdness and uniqueness. I am learning to just be me and love every single part of my existence, without regret. Wow, I have surely come a long way. I am truly proud of me. I am proud of us. 

I raise a glass with love and gratitude to 2022: to the wins, the losses, the lessons, the successes, the times that I fell and had to pick myself off of the ground again, the dreams that were realized, to those who lended a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on, the growing pains, the healing, the laughter, the mourning, and everything else in between. Thank you to those of you who were in my life in 2022 in any capacity. I see you, I love you, and I appreciate you. 

I do a little dance here and now in 2023! To my beloved soul tribe: I am so blessed to have you amazing humans in my life, and I beyond excited to experience life with you this upcoming year. To the lovers and the haters: thank you for the lessons, for teaching me how to stick to my truth, maintain healthy boundaries and to truly love and believe in myself. 

I am grateful for every moment of my life. I am beyond ecstatic about my YES year. I am wishing every single one of you the self-love, the joy and the courage to embrace 2023 as your YES year. Let this be our year to SHINE. We are ready. We are worthy. It's time to breathe again. Let's do this. 

Much love,
Jess xx
Location: Dordrecht, Netherlands

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