Hi Folks,

Last weekend, I found myself rushing through NYC’s Grand Central Station and passed the spot where, in a former life, I used to stop for a quick but transformative ritual: getting my boots shined. As the kind gentleman worked his magic, my scuffed boots were reinvigorated, gleaming and vibrant once again. This process felt like a metaphor for restoring vitality—bringing out the shine that’s always been there but sometimes gets dulled by life’s wear and tear.

This year, DRIVEN’s Word of the Year (WOTY) is Vitality for an important reason. Not only will I focus on reinvigorating my current Vitality, but I’ll also explore how to prolong it for my future wiser self. My goal is to reinforce a foundation for a life of equanimity—balancing energy and inner calm so that Vitality becomes a lifelong companion.

But first, I must ask myself: What’s been marring my Vitality? What’s been usurping my life force?

For me, the first obvious answer lies in emotional energy. I’ve realized how much mental real estate I give to worry—anxiety, catastrophizing, and imagining worst-case scenarios. I know I’m not alone in this. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in a world full of uncertainties, from planetary crises to everyday stressors like traffic jams, financial headaches and health hiccups (at the very least).

To reclaim this energy, I’ve started noticing when I catastrophize, labeling it for what it is, and reframing it. Pico Iyer’s work introduced me to the idea of looking at challenges as small parts of a larger canvas, and zooming out to see how our worries fit into a broader context. This reminded me of an article I wrote about a simple exercise using a sticky note and a single dot to visualize perspective.

In the spirit of fun—and because humor is essential for emotional equilibrium—I’m keeping an actual sticky note tally of how many times I can catch myself spiraling into negativity each day. It’s a lighthearted reminder to stay mindful and reclaim my vitality.

Want to play along? Grab a sticky pad, track your thoughts, and let’s start 2025 by reinvigorating our current vitality, laying the groundwork for lifelong equanimity, and reflecting more energy and shine into the world!

Cheers!

-Deborah Goldstein