2023 - Word of the Year

If I’m a bit late with my Word of the Year, that’s because I wasn’t going to choose one. It just felt like it was time to do things differently, and frankly, I was struggling to find a single word that could sum up my hopes for 2023.

But then I thought about how quiet my inbox has been since mid-December. It’s almost as if everyone decided to give themselves permission to spend extra time with family and friends now that COVID restrictions are finally a thing of the past – even if the virus isn’t.

Navigating almost three years of pandemic-induced chaos has challenged all of us. Many people started working from home for the first time. Our kids suffered through virtual school. Loved ones were separated by travel restrictions. Social circles shrank, and friends disappeared. We adjusted, and got used to living in relative isolation.

Over the past few years, I’ve worked on countless articles about how individuals and organizations survived and often thrived under immense pressure, and what we might expect as we emerge into our ‘new normal.’

Through it all, one thing has become clear to me. While technology may allow us to work and socialize remotely, it is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Which brings me to my word of the year:

(RE)CONNECTION

This year, I hope we all make an extra effort to reconnect with people we may not have seen, or even spoken to, since March 2020. I hope we show compassion to those who may have simply been too overwhelmed by circumstances to reach out, or who – like me – just hate socializing over Zoom. I hope we realize that life is about more than sitting in front of a screen, even if those screens have become an indispensable tool.

I hope to make 2023 a year of connection, and reconnection.

I’ll let you know how it goes. And if we haven’t spoken for a while, drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you! 

Nicole Laidler is a freelance reporter, copywriter and content creator, serving clients in London, Toronto and throughout Southwestern Ontario. She helps people grow their success, one word at a time.