Strong wasn’t the only word I found myself feeling resistance to. After having come across the word ‘fearless’ I realized that my thirty-year-old self had tried to manifest her way into a life without hardship. The only problem with that is that there is no such life.

What I have learned during this past decade is that fear is my companion and a warning system I better pay attention to. Sometimes its warnings are red flags for me to instantly act upon. Other times the warnings are merely a whisper to tread lightly, to be cautious because I am trying new things. Either way, its warnings are always worth listening to. The important part is to not always react with fight, flight or freeze, but to ponder the situation and find out what the fear is trying to tell me.

As I scrolled Instagram a week ago I came across a video with Elizabeth Gilbert, where she speaks about leading her life with curiosity. The word ‘curiosity’ stayed with me for several days, and I realized it’s the answer to most situations. It’s the clue to resolving unwanted feelings, to arguments and conflicts, and it’s definitely the key to unlocking the fear of a blank page. I realized that I had not only found a new word to put into my jar of beads, but I had also found the word I want to guide me in 2025.

At first I felt that I had found the secret code to life, but as days passed, I realized it won’t be easy at all. Curiosity demands openness. It demands vulnerability. It demands to look at the difficult situation head on, and not to hold grudges (which I am a master of). I don’t know if I am ready for a life guided by curiosity, but I know I came across it for a reason.

To close this year, I let go of old words and ideas, and I welcome curiosity into my life.

Happy New Year,

Johanna