A few years ago, my beloved Amy began a tradition of choosing a word for the year. "And" was last year's pick, a couple of years ago it was "bananas," and just yesterday, she unveiled the word for 2024! Are you ready for me to share it with you?! Are you excited yet?! This year's Amy-word is… Collaboration.

I'm intrigued by this word, and so I'm adopting it as my word this year too! The truth is, part of me loves collaboration, and part of me hates it.

On one hand, I'm a well-practiced, efficient do-it-yourselfer. My DIY side insists I can handle things more effectively and quickly alone. No need for lengthy meetings or putting my trust in someone else's hands; I can bounce ideas off myself and get the job done my way. When it comes to bringing something into the world, my DIYer usually takes charge.

But, on the flip side, there is a part of me that is absolutely in love with, even craves, the idea of folks uniting, combining their ideas, resources, and energy to reach a shared goal. I mean, my vision for Village Wellness is all about collaboration and the community coming together to support one another. But ultimately, it's “my vision,” not “our vision.”

So this year, I am committing to continuing to courageously trust more and step more powerfully into collaboration. Over the past few months, against the resistance of my DIYer side, I jumped into collaboration with 2 other amazing folks to co-create a special apprenticeship program.(Which, by the way, I can't wait to tell you more about when the time is right!)

In this collaborative journey so far, a significant lesson has emerged, which may seem obvious to you, but was profound for me. I've learned that collaboration isn't about sacrificing my individuality; instead, trusting others in co-creation empowers each of us to channel our strengths more effectively. When all three of us lean into this mutual trust, it not only fosters personal growth but also more powerfully contributes to the evolution of a shared vision.

So, I'm excited to have "collaboration" as my word and practice this year! I'm curious to see what else shows up as I navigate the balance between self-sufficiency and communal synergy. And I look forward to courageously embracing collaboration, where the sum is greater than its parts, and together, we write the narrative of "our vision."

Do you have a word of the year? (Email be back and let me know!)

See you around the village!

Lots of love,

Lance Isakov

Village Builder, Acupuncturist, Shamanic Medicine Practitioner