I haven’t written here in a while. Life got loud. Heavy. Busy in ways that didn’t leave much room for reflection. But lately, I’ve found myself returning to something simple — and it’s been quietly changing the way I move through my days.
For several years now, I’ve chosen one word to guide my year. This year, my word is NOTICE.
I didn’t choose it because life felt peaceful or clear. I chose it because it didn’t.
Over the past months, stress, uncertainty, and exhaustion have crept in. I noticed myself becoming more negative, more tense, and quicker to feel overwhelmed. Instead of trying to fix everything or rush toward positivity, I felt drawn to something gentler: simply noticing.
So I started a journal.
Not a “dear diary” kind of journal. Not a gratitude list that pressures me to feel thankful when I don’t. But a place to notice — honestly and without judgment — where God is present, where I’m learning, and where life is asking me to slow down.
What surprised me most is how this practice has also reawakened my creativity. Alongside the words, I’ve been drawing, adding color, and letting the pages reflect not just my thoughts, but my mood and imagination too. There’s something healing about slowing down enough to sketch, doodle, or choose colors without an agenda. It feels playful and freeing — like a part of me I didn’t realize had been quiet for too long.
Some days I notice joy.
Some days I notice exhaustion.
Some days I notice laughter, growth, or small moments that would’ve passed me by.
And some days I notice that all I have is enough.
This journal has become a quiet companion. It reminds me that noticing doesn’t require perfection. It doesn’t demand answers. It simply asks for presence.
I’m sharing this not because I have it figured out — but because I don’t. And maybe someone else needs permission to start small too.
You don’t need a fancy notebook.
You don’t need the right words.
You don’t even need consistency.
Just notice one thing today.
That might be where healing begins.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or spiritually tired, maybe your word isn’t “do more” or “be better.”
Maybe it’s simply NOTICE.
