2014 Intentions

“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.”

~Vern McLellan

Each year when January rolls around, I set aside some time to reflect and set my intentions (a sweeter, gentler word for resolutions) for the New Year.

Usually I am excited for a fresh start, but this year  I am finding the start of  2014 to be bittersweet.  For example,  last year at this time I was very excited about the beginning of 2013 for so many reasons ~ one of the biggest was the fact that 13 is my lucky number! Does that sound juvenile? Well, maybe, but in my heart I believed it!   I “put it out there in the universe” that it was going to be a good year for me, and in fact it was an incredible year.   I guess you could say I am sad that 2013 is over!  However, my very wise daughter Emily tells me that 2013 was just the precursor to an even better year in 2014.  I have decided to embrace her optimism!

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So how do I go about setting my intentions for the year ahead? Years ago, my tradition was developed with a dear friend. We made a ritual out of recording our goals sealing them in an envelope only to be opened and reviewed the following year at lunch.  We then advanced to journaling our intentions, choosing 3 words that we had made into charms that we wore around our necks to remind us daily of our journey that year. As you can see I have been at this Goal Setting for years…

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I have read many many blogs about one word intentions, ranging from words such as  authenticity to focus to happiness ~ all worthy goals that I strive for daily. However I have come to set my intentions for the year by category:

Personal

Professional

Community Service

Financial

Art

Technical

Health

Home

Under each of these categories I note specific areas to improve on AND most importantly, a plan of action to get me there!  It doesn’t really matter what I record in my journal if I don’t have an action plan to get me there, does it?  I also plan a meeting with an “Intention Buddy” to review these goals every 3 months with honesty and renewed commitment.

Additionally, under each category are sub-categories. For example, the Health category might include:

a)   Increase visits to the gym from 3x a week to 4.  Achieve this by adding a weekend class

b)   Eat more healthy foods, cut down on post dinner snacks~ keep fresh fruit nearby to eat while relaxing

c)   Make all doctor visits within 1 month (this week)

d)   Etc.

TIP: Throughout the year as I write in my journal I use the right side only so that during each 3 month review I can record my progress (or lack thereof) on the left side of page.

Do I sound like I am a little OCD? Well maybe, but I do get a lot accomplished and always have ;-).

Of course, I sometimes do get distracted from my Intentions because life does interfere.  However, I find if I  record my goals and review them periodically I can easily  pick up again and start fresh.  I hope that by sharing my “system” for my Intentions I may have inspired you in some small way as we start a new year!

“Write in your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

xo,

Pamela

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