2023! -My "Word of the Year"

…and my word is…

I am just going to start with my word of the year. Instead of saving it for the end because why not? I want to start off with a bang! I chose “CONQUER” as my word for 2023. It’s pretty powerful and I wasn’t sure if I was worthy of such a word. However, the more I thought about it the more I liked it and felt that it encompasses everything I want to do in 2023.

Flexing my Viking strength in Bergen Norway

So how did I choose this word?

On New Year’s Eve, Evan and I went to a good friends home to celebrate with a small group. She always puts on a great party and this was no exception. We ate tons of food and played games. But the part that I really enjoyed was a kit for personalized bracelets she had found. The kit came with metal discs and a set of letters that you can hammer your word into the metal. My turn was coming up and I had no idea what to pick. I had to choose it quickly and suddenly “conquer” came into my mind. I just went with it and grew to really love it. I keep it on my wrist as a reminder.

What does “CONQUER” mean to me?

When I first thought of the word I immediately thought of the Romans, William the Conquerer, the Moors, the Conquistadors, and others. Then I dialed it back and thought, “ok, thats a bit much.” I imagined myself continually stepping out beyond my immediate business area and expanding (my word for 2022) my business into other markets such as NYC and LA. I’ve thought a lot about whether or not I should spell out my actual desires and put them into print for the world to see for fear of failure, but if I don’t then I won’t really commit.

(Above- a couple of projects from last year. Left- Main Line Philadelphia; Center - Upper East Side of Manhattan; Right- Los Angeles with LeGrande Studios)

Conquer also means to conquer my fear of failure, my feeling of not being good enough. When I see other artists on instagram I often compare my work to theirs and wonder why I don’t get jobs like theirs. But I need to constantly remind myself that the universe will give me exactly what I can handle, and frankly, I’ve handled a lot.

Finally I am in the process of conquering my recovery from shoulder surgery! I am feeling great and making steady progress each day. I hope to be back on the wall soon.

If you missed my 2022 recap feel free to take a look.

Do you have a word for 2023? I would love to hear it and what it means to you.


LET’S WORK TOGETHER IN 2023!


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