My Word for 2025

As the year comes to a close, I reflect on the possibilities that the new year holds. I begin this thoughtful process by selecting a personal word for the year, which helps me consider the journey ahead. I realize I can't enter the new year without acknowledging my journey over the past year. My word for 2024 was “Stable,” serving as a guiding principle as I navigate the challenges posed by my Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and other health issues. This past year marked my first full year of retirement, offering me many opportunities to create my schedule. I traveled to Texas three times at the beginning of the year to capture the eclipse, go to a wedding, and visit a friend. We ventured to Europe to explore the charming streets of Salzburg while enjoying a memorable river cruise. I’ve had a trip to admire the vibrant fall colors on my bucket list for years, and that trip became a reality in 2024. As the year wraps up, I look forward to a family getaway planned for Puerto Vallarta. I aim to continue traveling for as long as my health allows. This year took me back to my old house in New York, where I tried to recall aspects of my childhood between the ages of 7 and 11. The late sixties were a significant time, filled with so much happening in our world. That’s all I can remember now, but it was a vital part of my life and fueled my desire to serve others, so I want to understand and give a voice to that part of me. I’m reflecting on this time and the people who impacted me the most. Looking back, I realize that my word for 2025 is part of this process as I revisit those formative years.

My word for the year is “Solace.” This word means to comfort - to ease grief or distress. Other similar words include comfort, assure, reassure, soothe, cheer, console, uplift, calm, elevate, and boost. The word solace is something I hope will move me towards, reassure me of the calling God has placed in me, and give me peace as I think of my future.

Although my passion for photography remains vibrant, I have dedicated more time to assisting others through Grief Recovery. Helping individuals find completion with what they wish had been different, better, or more by using the tools I’ve acquired on this journey brings me profound meaning. Over the past year, I expanded my one-on-one interactions via Zoom, hoping more individuals will take advantage of the opportunity to engage in person during our group sessions. The work I do with Grief Recovery is kept discreet. It takes great courage to undertake the challenging work of Grief Recovery, and my referrals come from individuals who may or may not be willing to discuss it. I have several Grief Recovery groups starting in 2025 and am available via Zoom for one-on-one.

I appreciate your unwavering support this year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I pray you find the words to encourage and give you hope for 2025!

My Word for 2024

In the quiet of the day today, I began thinking about the year's end and my word for 2024. This year has not been precisely what I thought it would be, with my word for this year being "Inspire." My primary reason for choosing this word was that after launching my Grief Recovery in-person groups, I wanted to inspire others to process loss through the Grief Recovery Method. I was able to host three groups in 2023 and help so many folks with their losses. It was a great blessing. Seeing some of the folks who've gone through my groups and the transformation I see in them has been amazing. That is inspiring for me. Yet, in the meanwhile, some other things transpired in my personal life that left me feeling a bit defeated. I'm never sure what the results of my word for the year will be, but I always intend to be the encourager. 

In July of this year, after a kidney biopsy, I was given a diagnosis of Fibrillary Glomerulonephritis https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/fibrillary-glomerulonephritis/

It's a long story, but this was after months of tests, which finally resulted in a biopsy in June and a diagnosis in July after confirmation from the Mayo Clinic. With this in mind and a little research, I've stumbled across my word for 2024. Since July, I've been working with my doctor and a few other clinicians to get to a place of stability with my health. For me, this is a good thing. This disease is progressive with no cure, so stability is good. I've had a lot of emotions I've carried for the last year, much of it just in the previous six months. Recently, I didn't realize how much I was carrying until I had a massage, which left me in tears and exhausted from some of what I was holding. Some of what I was holding is the weight of this disease. Some of what I'm holding is cumulative grief that feels heavier during the holidays. Some of what I carry is just life, which doesn't always feel good. Part of my training in Grief Recovery is to be present. Sit with what makes my heart sad and, in time, give it a voice. I'm still processing all of it. 

So, with that, my word for 2024 is stable-not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support, foundation, etc.; firm; steady. Able or likely to continue or last; firmly established; enduring or permanent. I'm praying for my health to continue to be stable. I also hope to continue to lend my expertise and training to other grievers to help them process their losses in the new year. If it's time to process your loss, please reach out so we can chat. I have groups starting in January.

 https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/grms/dawn-kincade

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Just Waiting

I started this year with the word "Inspire." Initially, I believed that the year ahead looked so hopeful as I began to help people with their losses and, in turn, reinforced for me the calling I felt to help others and be an excellent listener—a heart with ears. Things seemed to be going along great with me starting my Grief Recovery Groups. I felt that I could share the process with people and, in turn, help others as I continued to hone my skills as a guide and inspire others with undelivered emotional communications.

In early February, I went in for routine bloodwork, and the results of those tests started my care team to look at reasons for some discrepancy; they proceeded to schedule several scopes and other things to figure out the cause. Most of those tests returned negative, which is positive, but I still didn't have a diagnosis. In early March, I was diagnosed with CKD, Chronic Kidney Disease.CKD I am at stage 3, and after many attempts to stabilize my blood pressure, I'm moving toward the numbers I need to be at with medication and some lifestyle changes. In many instances, patients can maintain for a long while in stage 3 just by correct medicines and healthy lifestyle changes. One of the most challenging things impacted by this is that my energy and strength were at an all-time low. I don’t let much get me down or stop me from doing anything if you know me. I’m a doer. This diagnosis has been overwhelming as I just finished having cancer in 2020, and now, to have another diagnosis with such long-term effects has been challenging for me. Even with all of this, my bloodwork has still not bounced back, and in the next week, I'll have a kidney biopsy to get more specific answers as to why my kidneys aren't functioning correctly.

During the last year, I've learned much about how grief and loss affect us emotionally and physically. There are podcasts I've listened to and books I've read that talk specifically about how our body keeps the score regarding grief and loss. As you might guess, this journey with my health has been emotional for me. Health losses can be hard to process as so much information comes at you; sometimes, it's too much. Much of what I help people with in Grief Recovery are the things in our lives and relationships we wish had been different, better, or more, and our hopes, dreams, and expectations as we all have them. It's in these places that we find the most heartache and brokenness. I'm looking to process my health losses using my training in Grief Recovery. I can tell you that this was not how I planned to go into this new year, with my health leading in all my decisions. As you might guess, this has caused great apprehension in me. I appreciate any prayers as I wait for answers.