My Word for 2025...

The intention-setting exercise I do every year instead of resolutions.

As the final days of 2024 draw to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past year’s guiding word: EXCEPTIONAL. It feels like the universe conspired to align experiences that echoed that mantra. Dare | Scotland in May is a perfect example of an EXCEPTIONAL Detour with some amazing, adventurous women. In fact, our time together exploring the Scottish Highlands was so exceptional, that I returned to Scotland in October and drove the North Coast 500 in a Defender 110 with my friends Harriet and Steve. Confidently taking any side road and single track in my dream vehicle in its "natural habitat", and laughing almost constantly with friends is an experience I will hold close for a long while. And Dare | Montana was one for the books, with the most exceptional Dare crew and group of Darlings who showed up fully for themselves and each other in profound ways. It truly was the best Detour at the ranch, ever.

But with the horizon of a new year dawns the promise of transformation, evolution, and a fresh intention. Each year I choose a word that serves to guide me as I make decisions personally and professionally and for 2025, my guiding word is VIBRANT.

The journey toward vibrancy is akin to rediscovering playfulness. This seemingly elusive essence tends to slip through the cracks of responsibility and the mundane especially as the years go by. Over the years, like many of us, I feel like I've lost some of the ease of joy and spontaneity. So this year, I want to make a concerted effort to reclaim it. For example, I started taking pickleball lessons. It’s these sprinkles of play that are so necessary and I hope it kickstarts many more.

Embracing vibrancy also means focusing on my health and well-being as a non-negotiable. (Especially as I navigate the post-menopausal journey..!) Unlike the more visible transitions of pregnancy and birth where you circle back to familiar shores with your body, this experience is a slow, transformative drip, quietly shifting every part of you. With perseverance, I’m embracing the opportunity to relearn and explore who I am in my body now. The success of improving my bone density has ignited a resolve to revisit my thyroid levels, glucose markers, and A1C. More protein and strength training is also on the agenda!

For 2025, I’m inviting a lighter heart into my relationships, intentionally catching myself when I'm too serious. Vibrancy thrives in balance. Just as I need to fill my cup with self-care and solitude, I also need to refresh it with laughter and light. Stepping back from mindless social media scrolling is also a part of this goal, and instead hoping to spend my time on my device with more intention—especially in those sacred morning moments before 9 am.

I'm setting my compass toward vibrancy, hoping to take mindful, baby steps to light the path. Each decision and every interaction in our next 365 days is an opportunity to color the world more brightly, with connection and care.

If this is something that intrigues you, I'm inviting you to embark on this practice of selecting a word too — and share it with me! I personally love doing this more than setting traditional resolutions. Choose a theme that resonates and let it gently guide you. I promise it will be so fun to look back at how it shaped you and your journey in the coming year.

Happy holidays,
Sheryl

Things I'm loving:

1. Christmas tacos and ranch margaritas (I celebrated the holidays a bit early at the ranch with the Kelsey family ❤️🌮)

2. Feast of the Seven Fishes at Campione in Livingston, Montana. This is a special Christmas dinner that has become a holiday tradition.

3. Conscious Horsemanship Collective, a new boarding and riding facility in Belgrade, Montana, managed by our own Sydney Condrashoff in partnership with Savanah McCarty.

4. Skate skiing at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center ❄️☃️

5. My Grandma Grace's Whiskey Sours. Here's the recipe:
   
   Frozen Whiskey Sours

   1 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate

   2 12 oz cans of bourbon whiskey

   3 12 oz cans of water

   2 tbsp frozen orange concentrate

   Maraschino Cherries
   
   Combine all ingredients except cherries, mix well, and freeze overnight. When ready to serve, scoop out the desired amount in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with maraschino cherries and spoon over a little of their marinade. I serve with a straw for sipping. Cheers!

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The best stocking stuffer? A Dare to Detour gift card!

(Gift any amount starting at $100)