Every year about this time I choose a theme for the coming year. I call it theme living, and it’s defined as choosing a word or short phrase to focus on starting January 1 and lasting for the next 365 days. Some years have been fun, like 1998, “The Year of No!” And some years were super challenging, like 2011, “No Soda, No Sass.” (For the record, giving up the soda that year was easier than giving up my sarcastic remarks in social settings. My friends who relish the sass asked that I never do that again!)

Last year’s theme was “Try New Things,” and looking back, it was great fun. I really did make an effort to try things I’d never done before, everything from using a table saw for the first time to watching the Buffalo Round up in South Dakota. (On a side note, did you know you can substitute mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes? Who are they trying to fool with that one?!)

Now that we’re heading into the new year, it’s time to pick a new theme for 2022. Sometimes they present themselves easily, and other years I have to think for a while about what I want my theme to be. Before I tell you what I landed on, let me tell you how I got there.

Earlier this year, I was honored to be inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame (new to me!), a recognition only a select few in my industry ever receive. I gave a short speech accepting the honor, and as my remarks drew to a close, I shared how the concept of “more,” so prevalent in business-more clients, more money, more, more, more-really started to cause me stress a few years ago. It’s a lot of pressure to live up to! However, when I replaced the word “more” with the word “enough,” a lot of things changed for me. My priorities shifted into focus and I felt more comfortable with every decision I made.

Since then, many people have commented to me about that part of my speech and how much it meant to them. While listening to others share their personal thoughts regarding my comments, it became clear that this is a concept worth exploring further. And so, here it is, my theme for 2022 is:

“Enough: what does it mean?”

This topic is not new, and plenty of others have written about it before me. But I think it is possible to contemplate and discuss the concept from a different angle, one that’s more personal and focuses creating enough in our lives in a way that makes them better.

That said, will you please give some thought to what enough means to you? I may just reach out with a request to interview you and learn more!

As we head toward the close of another year, may I take this time to thank you again for be interested “enough” to open the emails, watch the videos, and stay connected with me? I appreciate you and look forward to seeing what 2022 has in store for us all.