"Resolution" is such a concrete, hard and fast word, and while the type A, perfectionist in me loves the idea of setting resolutions, the realistic part of me knows that life sometimes (often) intervenes and that I'll be disappointed in myself if I don't keep my resolutions. I know this about myself, so I only set one "New Year's Resolution" every year: to hold lots of babies. Holding babies makes me happy, so I am sure to keep this one. Ta-Da! Easy, no? (so easy and so successful that it's been my resolution every year for about three years. )
What I do instead is set some intentions for myself each year. These are, basically, things I want to see happen, projects I want to complete, trips I want to take--those types of things. I feel like this allows me to approach my life with a desire to consistently and conciously improve, but not from a place of scarcity. (Does that make sense?) I already have everything I need to be happy. The idea of setting intentions is to direct my energy towards those things that add richness and zest to an already wonderful life. The other thing I like about intentions is that working towards goals in this manner directs the focus on the process and the reasons, rather than the outcome or results. A much healthier mindset for me to embrace (thank you, Jen McGown, for this interpretation of intentions. you said it perfectly and helped inspire this post.)
So, the intentions for 2011 are:To 'put first things first'. Defining my priorities is important to me, and I am constantly asking myself if I'm spending my time (and money and energy) on what really matters.
To focus on healthy living. I try to keep an emphasis on getting enough rest, eating healthy, whole foods and getting plenty of exercise. These things keep me sane, and if they aren't a huge part of each decision I make, they often get left behind.
To find S-P-A-C-E. During the past year, but especially during the past few months, I've felt totally overwhelmed by the sheer amount of commitments that I have. So much so that the idea of a couple of hours without something scheduled makes me giddy. Feeling this obligated makes me really anxious, because one thing I know about myself is that I need time to myself to recharge and re-balance. So I'm setting the intention that I'll open up more space in my life to enjoy my days. To do what I love, and not what I think I should do. To spend time with people I really enjoy rather than those I feel like I need to see. To play. To travel with my girl. To rest.
I'm feeling good about these intentions, and believe they'll help me move in the directions I am seeking for myself and my kiddo. Keeping it short and simple works for me.
2 comments:
i like the way you think.
i have been a bit overwhelmed by
my list of to-dos. and what i find
is i end up sitting on the couch surfing then net, to relax. but what i truly need is quiet, dimmed lights and to meditate. and wow, the exercise has just been absent as well as the good eats. so
with your little nudge and lisa parks today, i am redoing a list
and working to get back into that groove of taking time, slowing down and paying attention.
Thank YOU for the inspiration - specifically on creating space. I think it's a difficult one to acknowledge and act on. Thank you for putting the right words around what thoughts circle around in my head!
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