Here’s the thing…
A blog where you’ll find what’s rummaging in my head, pearls of wisdom from thought leaders that got me thinking, life hacks, ideas for self-care, maybe a little nonprofit goodness, and a whole lotta love for you and the genius you put into the world.
I thought I’d get a jump on the whole New Year’s Resolution thing. Only I hate resolutions, you know those things that last as long as there’s peppermint bark in the house. Instead, I call it intention setting. This idea of intention setting offers grace when needed. If things go sideways and my original intention no longer works, I have permission to reset. It’s kind of lovely that way. Those of you entrepreneurs might understand this as the pivot.
Before setting intentions, I schedule my own private annual retreat. It’s a time I set aside on my calendar. A whole day I plan for gratitude, learning, creativity, and planning. I do this around Thanksgiving. Pre-COVID, I would go to The Abby. A quiet place where I was able to meditate, ground myself in holy earth, create and simply be. This year looks a lot different with so many places closed. So, I traveled all the way to my basement for quiet reflection and solitude.
Curious where to begin? Here’s how.
Create Space
Where will you create a quiet thinking space? A place where the vibe is golden and peaceful and where you can get your creative on? Now, have you calendared it? No, seriously, did you block off several hours on your calendar with the “Do not disturb” light on?
Ok picture this. You’ve got your hot tea, or whatever morning poison works for you. You’ve got quiet. Your body is settled. And you sit. If you meditate, begin there. If you don’t but want to, try the Insight Timer app for starters, it’s free. Maybe look for a 10-minute guided meditation on creativity. Then sit and notice what comes up for you.
Reflection
For reflection: What did you accomplish in the midst of the Garage Band* playing in the background of life?
*Definition Garage Band: The sh#! show that has been 2020. It’s the energy suck of COVID, people dying, wildfires, racial injustice, evictions, job loss, food scarcity, polarized politics…all the things. They are this loud, slightly off-key Garage Band that plays constantly in the background of our minds. It’s the energy suck of trying to quiet the Band while we focus on the tasks at hand.
So, 2020. What can you celebrate? What are you grateful for? Write it down. All. Of. It.
Revel in it.
Now consider the learnings of 2020. The stuff that was hard. The things that taught you lessons for which you didn’t ask. Can you find gratitude in those hard-won lessons? Write those down.
Setting your Core Values
Bravo! You reviewed your year. As you consider the year to come, name your values. Can you state your three core values? (Let me know if you can’t and we’ll get to work!) These are not aspirational values. They are the ideas you ping every major decision against. Is it courage? Maybe it’s authenticity. Trust? Loyalty? Creativity? Now, write those at the top of your page.
Setting Intentions
Next, identify your intentions. Maybe it makes sense to break it down by personal and professional intentions. Ask yourself, “What do I need for my mind, my body, my spirit to be well and happy?” What energizes you? What will you create for your business during the next 12-months? For your family? Your key relationships? Picture yourself 12-months from now and describe what you’ll be looking back on in December 2021? Stick with it until all the good stuff is on paper.
And there you go! Now you’ve got your New Year’s Intentions for 2021. The cool part about intentions is that they are editable. Sit with them. Try them on. If they don’t fit, pivot.
And that’s the thing. Happy New Year!