Such a bravely, beautiful letter. I usually read your letters, but today I listened and I'm so pleased I did, even if your quietly emotional reading of it made me cry, more than a little 🤍
I love your choice of word for this year, and even though your aesthetic feels the embodiment of femininity, I can relate to your feelings of having, of needing to have adopted a more masculine energy in order to survive. Kirsty Gallagher has spoken about the rise of the feminine this year, about recognising and trusting intuition and belief, curiosity and uncertainty.
I feel I'm walking into this year with a fearful, hopeful excitement about all the possibilities that might be. I'm embracing the not knowing, the uncertainty. And my word for this year, Trust.
Lovely reflection on your word choice for this year; I can really see you embodying some of that goddess energy reflection in the 'divine feminine'! Can't wait to see where it leads you :) After your great word of the year workshop, I was surprised by my own responses to the journal prompts, which led me towards the word "Nourish". I feel that after a few knocks in 2023, I really want to lean into nourishing myself in 2024; feeding both my body and mind with the quality I deserve, especially my creativity, whether that be the information I consume, the relationships I invest in, the projects I follow, or the food I consume.
Love that for you. You’ve got a home now that has brought you connection, and creating a new life in Paris. Now you get to take inspiration from that new life to find more happiness within and if this is the year to find someone to love & love you then it’s all a continuation of this new life.
For those days I want to love myself and want someone to love me I listen to music (highly recommend Sabrina Claudio if you want divine music that seriously is sexy and empowering)
I actually took inspiration from your word last year but added a twist on it - my word is DISconnect.
I felt I needed time away from a community I was part of. It started feeling toxic and too much. I’ve now done that already this year. So, my year will just disconnect from bad things. Like too much screen time, switch off my phone or put it in another room. If work is stressing me out then I’m taking a break (I’ve let my manager know this!)
I’m hoping I can just get away from things I’m TOO connected to!!
A wonderful piece, Jess 💕 Thank you for sharing your word and what it means to you. After your workshop I didn’t have a word... which is usual for me! But I’m flitting between Simplicity and Discover. I’m seeing which one lands in the next month x
This is wonderfully vulnerable and authentic Jessica. I love it. I too have questioned the feminine power and I’m embracing this too as part of my trauma healing.
A lot of what you wrote resonates with me. I’ll share this on my blog about our whole family healing if that ok as this is moving and I’m sure it’ll help to support others too ❤️🩹
When you spoke of how you wanted to wake up on your first morning, going through the list, my face and heart crumpled into tears of meaning. The depth of it all. How I also relate to your own journey. The determination, the strength to carry it through, to get on and do what needs doing. The relief. The joy. All that no one else gets to see.
My word this year, that came to me during the workshop, is openness. It’s presence is already gently guiding. When it came to me at first, I was scared as well as curious. The scared bit shows me it’s the right one.. Here’s to us all as we step forward with our word as our guiding light, may we evolve even more into the ever unfolding truth of who we are.
Amazing writing and so amazing to see the story being your word! I've decided on words of the year for a few years now but this year, I have committed to keeping my word close throughout the year. I've chosen the word Flow (or maybe it chose me). I already have 6 different angles to the word that I've identified but in reading your piece, I've realized that the flow of energy through my cycle is yet another facet to this word.
Hi it’s really a nice expression of something we as women experience on a daily basis...I find myself mostly in the masculine because I always had to figure things out by myself, manage life and business by myself, even surrounded by boyfriends, loved ones, I am usually the leader, helper and problem solver, so it’s my natural way of being, but the balance shifting on the feminine side will occur when there is a stronger masculine presence, allowing surrendering and providing support and help...and love ❤️and loving kindness [that is my word for the year]
I love your word. I'm 62 and I'm sure there have been times in my life when I've been girlie, but feminine? I'm not so sure. There is so much of what I was raised to be that I've had to unlearn and heal from. It has all served me, in some fashion, though. I think there is incredible strength in the feminine. I also think it scares a large segment of the male population. I look forward to seeing how you embody your word in 2024. I think your new home in Paris is the ideal place in which to explore it and unfurl like the petals of a beautiful flower. Because you asked, my word is Festina Lente. It's a Latin phrase meaning Make haste, slowly. I want very much to unhitch myself from hustle culture and the pressure to perform. I want to slow down and be present in my life, living with intention and attention to those things I say matter most to me.
I truly do think that you can be soft and feminine and strong and divine all at the same time. My feminine nature makes me appropriately soft in the areas I need to be, to be nurturing, to be loving, but my divine nature makes me strong and proud of who I am and to know that I come from a divine source who loves me and holds me in great regard and that makes me feel valued and loved even when there is not a significant other in my life. It makes me not sell myself short or to allow others to demean me or any other feminine strength that I see in others as well. I appreciate your thoughts and the thread of thinking they inspire in me.
My word of the year is 'movement'. I see it in the physical sense - sport, walking, enjoying the things my body can do and letting it learn new things - but it looks like there will be changes in my career and I want to be optimistic about that. I think it's time to move on from my current organisation. Thank you, Jessica, for those gentle words, which always remind me of what's important to me.
This was so lovely, Jessica, especially lovely to hear you reading it!
There clearly is strength in softness because I can see it in you!
I admire your strength and determination you have had for building your life in Paris, finding an apartment and everything else that came with it. And it is beautiful to see that despite everything you have been through, you seem to be in a place of peace, not without struggles, but nonetheless peace. It has been beautiful to watch. Best wishes for the new year!
My guiding word for this new year is "letting go".
Wow, you really got me when you wrote that you were ready to let someone love you again. As a fellow trauma sufferer (of a different kind), I felt this deeply: have I been shielding myself from this kind of vulnerability as a protective mechanism? Something for me to think and pray a lot about I think.
I'm going to have a watch of your workshop this evening, when my husband is at work and the baby is in bed! The words I'm currently playing with are 'simple, beautiful, joyful', for this season of early motherhood. I'm manifesting this (so far!) with a beautiful new mug, candles aplenty, and painted nails!
Joy is the word for me this year. We spend most of our time chasing something and expect happiness to result. I've come to learn that happiness and joy can be accessed in the now if you're present.
Such a bravely, beautiful letter. I usually read your letters, but today I listened and I'm so pleased I did, even if your quietly emotional reading of it made me cry, more than a little 🤍
I love your choice of word for this year, and even though your aesthetic feels the embodiment of femininity, I can relate to your feelings of having, of needing to have adopted a more masculine energy in order to survive. Kirsty Gallagher has spoken about the rise of the feminine this year, about recognising and trusting intuition and belief, curiosity and uncertainty.
I feel I'm walking into this year with a fearful, hopeful excitement about all the possibilities that might be. I'm embracing the not knowing, the uncertainty. And my word for this year, Trust.
Have a lovely lovely day.
Lovely reflection on your word choice for this year; I can really see you embodying some of that goddess energy reflection in the 'divine feminine'! Can't wait to see where it leads you :) After your great word of the year workshop, I was surprised by my own responses to the journal prompts, which led me towards the word "Nourish". I feel that after a few knocks in 2023, I really want to lean into nourishing myself in 2024; feeding both my body and mind with the quality I deserve, especially my creativity, whether that be the information I consume, the relationships I invest in, the projects I follow, or the food I consume.
Nourish was my Word, one year. It was one of my favourites.
Love that for you. You’ve got a home now that has brought you connection, and creating a new life in Paris. Now you get to take inspiration from that new life to find more happiness within and if this is the year to find someone to love & love you then it’s all a continuation of this new life.
For those days I want to love myself and want someone to love me I listen to music (highly recommend Sabrina Claudio if you want divine music that seriously is sexy and empowering)
I actually took inspiration from your word last year but added a twist on it - my word is DISconnect.
I felt I needed time away from a community I was part of. It started feeling toxic and too much. I’ve now done that already this year. So, my year will just disconnect from bad things. Like too much screen time, switch off my phone or put it in another room. If work is stressing me out then I’m taking a break (I’ve let my manager know this!)
I’m hoping I can just get away from things I’m TOO connected to!!
A wonderful piece, Jess 💕 Thank you for sharing your word and what it means to you. After your workshop I didn’t have a word... which is usual for me! But I’m flitting between Simplicity and Discover. I’m seeing which one lands in the next month x
My partner chose the word simplicity this year! I love the word discover too. Why not work with both?
Ooh yes I could do that, couldn’t I?! Thanks Amber 🙏
This is wonderfully vulnerable and authentic Jessica. I love it. I too have questioned the feminine power and I’m embracing this too as part of my trauma healing.
A lot of what you wrote resonates with me. I’ll share this on my blog about our whole family healing if that ok as this is moving and I’m sure it’ll help to support others too ❤️🩹
When you spoke of how you wanted to wake up on your first morning, going through the list, my face and heart crumpled into tears of meaning. The depth of it all. How I also relate to your own journey. The determination, the strength to carry it through, to get on and do what needs doing. The relief. The joy. All that no one else gets to see.
My word this year, that came to me during the workshop, is openness. It’s presence is already gently guiding. When it came to me at first, I was scared as well as curious. The scared bit shows me it’s the right one.. Here’s to us all as we step forward with our word as our guiding light, may we evolve even more into the ever unfolding truth of who we are.
Amazing writing and so amazing to see the story being your word! I've decided on words of the year for a few years now but this year, I have committed to keeping my word close throughout the year. I've chosen the word Flow (or maybe it chose me). I already have 6 different angles to the word that I've identified but in reading your piece, I've realized that the flow of energy through my cycle is yet another facet to this word.
Hi it’s really a nice expression of something we as women experience on a daily basis...I find myself mostly in the masculine because I always had to figure things out by myself, manage life and business by myself, even surrounded by boyfriends, loved ones, I am usually the leader, helper and problem solver, so it’s my natural way of being, but the balance shifting on the feminine side will occur when there is a stronger masculine presence, allowing surrendering and providing support and help...and love ❤️and loving kindness [that is my word for the year]
I love your word. I'm 62 and I'm sure there have been times in my life when I've been girlie, but feminine? I'm not so sure. There is so much of what I was raised to be that I've had to unlearn and heal from. It has all served me, in some fashion, though. I think there is incredible strength in the feminine. I also think it scares a large segment of the male population. I look forward to seeing how you embody your word in 2024. I think your new home in Paris is the ideal place in which to explore it and unfurl like the petals of a beautiful flower. Because you asked, my word is Festina Lente. It's a Latin phrase meaning Make haste, slowly. I want very much to unhitch myself from hustle culture and the pressure to perform. I want to slow down and be present in my life, living with intention and attention to those things I say matter most to me.
I truly do think that you can be soft and feminine and strong and divine all at the same time. My feminine nature makes me appropriately soft in the areas I need to be, to be nurturing, to be loving, but my divine nature makes me strong and proud of who I am and to know that I come from a divine source who loves me and holds me in great regard and that makes me feel valued and loved even when there is not a significant other in my life. It makes me not sell myself short or to allow others to demean me or any other feminine strength that I see in others as well. I appreciate your thoughts and the thread of thinking they inspire in me.
I hear and feel you!
My past words have included Pleasure, Soft, love.
This year it’s ALLOW. I’m done struggling, controlling and carrying. I’m allowing. ❤️
My word of the year is 'movement'. I see it in the physical sense - sport, walking, enjoying the things my body can do and letting it learn new things - but it looks like there will be changes in my career and I want to be optimistic about that. I think it's time to move on from my current organisation. Thank you, Jessica, for those gentle words, which always remind me of what's important to me.
This was so lovely, Jessica, especially lovely to hear you reading it!
There clearly is strength in softness because I can see it in you!
I admire your strength and determination you have had for building your life in Paris, finding an apartment and everything else that came with it. And it is beautiful to see that despite everything you have been through, you seem to be in a place of peace, not without struggles, but nonetheless peace. It has been beautiful to watch. Best wishes for the new year!
My guiding word for this new year is "letting go".
Beautifully written Jess & I absolutely resonate with masculine energy taking dominance for large chunks of my life.
I have also just moved to France & for this huge shift in life, my word of the year is "Evolve"
I am becoming the person I imagined I would be but instead of pushing, rushing, I am taking my time to find the yin to my yang energy.
Best wishes in your beautiful new apartment & for finding love
Wow, you really got me when you wrote that you were ready to let someone love you again. As a fellow trauma sufferer (of a different kind), I felt this deeply: have I been shielding myself from this kind of vulnerability as a protective mechanism? Something for me to think and pray a lot about I think.
I'm going to have a watch of your workshop this evening, when my husband is at work and the baby is in bed! The words I'm currently playing with are 'simple, beautiful, joyful', for this season of early motherhood. I'm manifesting this (so far!) with a beautiful new mug, candles aplenty, and painted nails!
Joy is the word for me this year. We spend most of our time chasing something and expect happiness to result. I've come to learn that happiness and joy can be accessed in the now if you're present.