After visiting a friend’s ranch near Florissant, I have a fresh perspective on my 2025 theme: “Be open.”

While snowshoeing, my friend told me she “says yes to opportunity” in her life. I wondered how often I say yes to opportunity and if this lens might support my intention to be open this year.

I met this friend while shadowing at a physical therapy clinic last summer. We clicked, and she gave me her card. By giving me her card, she said yes to opportunity. I emailed her inviting her to hike with me last fall in North Cheyenne Canon Park.

By inviting her to go hiking, I said yes to opportunity. She then invited me to visit her ranch. By going out to her ranch, I said yes to opportunity.

So, it looks like I have said yes to opportunity. I know I can’t say yes to every opportunity, so I need to choose the ones that are meaningful for me and that go with being open.

My husband recently read the book “How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Decisions” by Annie Duke. After discussing Duke’s book with my husband and listening to a podcast interview with Duke, I came up with some questions — inspired by Duke and my husband — to help guide me as I decide what to say yes to this year.

1. How will this decision affect me next week, month, or year?

2. What’s the potential upside and downside of saying yes?

3. What’s the potential upside and downside of saying no?

4. What choice would most align with my values, goals, and intention of being open this year?

Listening to Duke’s interview and talking with my husband helped me to understand that we need more time to make decisions that have a lasting impact. Conversely, in low-risk situations, it’s safe to make quick decisions.

I can get stuck when making low-risk decisions. Reminding myself that those decisions have little downside will hopefully help me to move forward more easily.

For instance, I’ve been mulling over a low-risk decision — deciding which group exercise classes to try at UCCS. The potential upside is I find a class and instructor I like and get a good workout that I don’t have to craft on my own. The downside is I could spend an hour in a class I don’t like. There isn’t an upside to not going, but the downside to not trying a class is I would miss out on a potentially good experience that I already paid for. Going to a class aligns with my value of movement, my goal to take a weekly group exercise class, and my intention to be open this year. I’m excited to read Duke’s book and to try using these questions as I explore new opportunities, one decision at a time.

Joanna Zaremba is a writer, yoga teacher, and movement and mindset coach. She helps her clients to trust themselves and their bodies. Joanna has lived in the Pikes Peak Region since 2011 and can be reached at joannazaremba@gmail.com.