Seeing as we have just finished the first week of 2012, it seems fitting to address that whole resolution topic. In general, I am pretty gung-ho for any excuse to reset, take stock, set goals and track progress, but even so, I don’t have a tried and true ritual as it relates to New Year resolutions. Some years, I do them in naggingly specific detail, and other years, I take a more laid back approach.
This year is a hybrid of those approaches, and I am essentially orbiting all goals, thoughts, wishes, and the like around one central theme. For the last couple of years, I have seen several folks in the blogosphere begin the year with one word that will define the coming 365 days, and every time I’ve thought I could never do that. But this year, very organically, a word stood out to me loud and clear.
That word is:
And so, while I’m not necessarily laying out a very specific list of goals to track against this year, I am challenging myself to place intention at the heart of everything. That might look different from day to day and month to month, but hopefully will help me achieve an overall shift toward center, toward a sense of balance that is different than the elusive (and frankly, fairy tale) sentiment so many of us spend so much time (and energy) chasing. I don’t believe we can “have it all” at the very same time, but I do believe we can take charge of what commands our focus, our energy, and our time each day.
I am not limiting myself or my activities, I am just giving them a filter. When I really stop to think about it, there are just way too many things --- from eating to spending to organizing and accepting responsibilities --- that I do without really thinking. Just status quo. Almost automated. I think this subtle shift is going to go a long way toward the bigger picture and end goal of living more mindfully. It won’t happen all the time or be anywhere near perfect, but over time, small changes can add up to big impact, and I think (hope) that might be the case here.
So, specifically, what might this mean for 2012? In no particular order:
- More books, less TV (yes, I will still watch TV. I love TV. I just don’t need to watch every new show that debuts, and honestly, there are a few in my current line-up that I could easily delete.)
- More writing/creating, less mindless interweb browsing (This one is HUGE. I lose hours falling down the rabbit hole the internet creates. I need to be much more intentional with my time in this space, and shift the ratio of creating/consuming more toward creating in 2012.)
- More water, less every other liquid (I am working so very hard on this one. Baby C is the primary driver behind this motivation, but it’s something I’ve needed to work on for a long time, and this is going to be my year.) (Erin, can I get an AMEN?!)
- More moving, less complaining (I am done with elaborate fitness related goals and plans. Move more. Eat less crap. It’s pretty much that simple. Since I’ll be doing a lot of expanding this year (ha), I’m very realistic that 2012 isn’t likely to be the year of my leanest self, but I want it to be the start of the healthiest me I can be, relevant circumstances accounted for.)
- More intentional kindness (I like to think I’m a kind person by nature, but I too often default to the electronic way these days, and I need to be better about this. I want to write more letters, send more birthday cards, make more phone calls to those I love, etc.)
- More mindful spending/less spontaneous buying (This is the year to really embrace financial planning. There are major things in store for us that are adding to the urgency --- having a child, buying a home, etc --- but I also just feel so much better when the financial ship is sailing smoothly, and there is no reason why it shouldn’t.)
- More walks, more sunsets, more deep breaths, less sweating the small stuff and worrying about things beyond my control and about the actions and reactions of others. That is their business, not mine. (‘Nuff said, amirite?!)
- More date nights with Husband, more play time with fur babes
- More self-confidence, assurance, and giving myself a break (at work, at home, as I work to accomplish these shifts, as I embrace Motherhood --- when I love and care for me, I am better at loving and caring for everything, and everyone, else, period.)
- More church (this one is for you, Mom. Kidding! I’m still a very faithful person, but I’ve let the regular practice of it slip in recent years, and – especially as we welcome a little one into our home and our hearts – I’d like to get back into a better groove spiritually.)
I am interested to see how this exercise impacts my daily routine (and state of mind) as well as the longer term. Here’s to living with intention in 2012 and beyond.
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