What's Your Word of the Year?

This past year, my word was BUTTERFLY. All of my words over the past 11 years have been verbs or nouns that are not physical, like trust, freedom, shine, joy, and miracles. This is the first time I've chosen a physical thing that you can see and touch—not to mention an animal that goes through a total transformation during its lifetime. As my therapist, Sally, says, "Once you become the butterfly, you can never go back to being the caterpillar."

A caterpillar literally eats the foundation it crawls on, turns into a liquid soup in its chrysalis, and then emerges as a totally different animal, becoming the butterfly. You have watched Joyia Jewelry physically transform over the past few months as we spread our wings in a new, beautiful storefront and expand our product line. My personal transformation has been more difficult to share.

Looking back on 2024, I can see that I asked a lot of myself and my village when I chose butterfly as my word. I can also pinpoint each of the three major transitions over the past year.

The Caterpillar: For the past 12 years, our cozy 220-square-foot space has been the perfect home. It’s where our journey began, and it holds so many cherished memories. Across the street, tucked behind the pink building, our workshop has been buzzing with creativity for the last nine years. About two years ago, I began dreaming of moving the gallery over to that same building. Then, the stars aligned. With the help of my friend and property manager, Carmen, everything fell into place. My five-year lease on our original gallery was coming to an end just as the pink building became available. Graciously, Carmen held the space for us to plan and prepare for the big move into the new, bigger gallery! 

The Chrysalis: In order to expand the store and become something larger externally, I needed to become larger internally. It may be surprising to know that, while I'm an extrovert and not afraid to share my life publicly, I still have issues with my self-worth. I also have limiting beliefs when it comes to money. I grew up in a working-class family living paycheck to paycheck, which, for me, created a fear that money wouldn't always be there and that I constantly have to work hard to have it.

I took a six-month course on how to change my financial limiting beliefs called Sovereign Money with Kathrin Zenkina, aka Manifestation Babe. I also attended an in-person retreat, Creative Force of Nature, about creative expansion. The more I opened myself up to this internal transformation, the more messages the Universe kept sending me that I was on the right path. Physical butterflies would show up when I needed reassurance. When I needed money for the expansion, it showed up as a refinanced mortgage or in chunks to get me to the next phase.

The Butterfly: When I was 8 years old, Santa brought me a rock tumbler for Christmas. The stones looked like gravel, and after tumbling in the garage for months, they came out as beautifully polished, colored stones. I glued some of those stones onto findings for charms, and the first Joyia jewels were born 41 years ago.

In October, Carlo and I flew to Florida to shop at a gemstone warehouse that brings crystals in from Brazil and Uruguay, including amethyst wings. I brought one of those tumbled stones from Santa with me and carried it in my pocket as we shopped the warehouse. It was a full-circle moment for me, and I cried as I chose the largest pair of amethyst wings they had for our store. My internal wings literally manifested as physical crystal wings for all to see. My inner 8-year-old self was overcome with joy.

Now, it brings me great love to watch people hug those wings and take their picture with them in the gallery. The energy in our new space is palpable and transformative!

I hope, as you reflect on this past year, you see your transformative "butterfly" moments. I also hope that you remember to dream big and not give up. Thank you for continuing on this beautiful and joyous journey with me. I'm looking forward to hearing about your journey this past year and the word that you are choosing for 2025. I'll share my new word with you on the 17th.

Let's transform together this coming year... we rise by sharing our dreams and supporting one another as they come to fruition.

Cheers!

Contest starts Today, Jan 2nd - 17th

Share your word on our blog during this time and you will be entered to win a 14k GOLD square charm ($350 value) with your word engraved on it.