Hi friends!
Happy new year to you all. I’m hoping that you have had some time to rest, relax, and enjoy the holidays to unwind with your loved ones. December has been an eventful month for me, and I was extremely lucky to have part of many celebrations with my beloved people, from birthdays to weddings.
The end of the year reminds me of how beautiful an ending of a chapter can be; without no end, there is no beginning. While the calendar year is just an arbitrary measure of a period of time, I’m grateful that it can serve as a checkpoint for us to check-in with ourselves and the people around us and use it as motivation to restart or jumpstart our desires.
Today’s Story
As the new year approached, I had a growing nag to set resolutions and goals. I’m not one to usually do so and I feel very on-the-fence about setting these goals. On one hand, it seems very sensible to do. Set SMART goals, write out KPIs, go out and achieve them. Yet it feels very superficial and mechanical to do so.
So instead of writing out goals, I wrote out my intentions for the year. To me, writing out intentions provides a cushion of flexibility that goals don’t. Goals assume that we are static and that there’s only one way or path to achieve something. Goals can also put a limit onto what we can achieve e.g. I may set a goal that I want to run 10km in 1 hour but I can actually run 10k in 45 minutes. Intentions, on the other hand, feels more internally driven and more malleable upon my conditions and changes. My intentions are set in my beliefs and values, and are rooted in my everyday actions. They are not so tangible, but they are wholly within my control. They are commitments that I choose. They are attitudes that make me feel alive and empowered.
Here are my intentions for 2023:
Being present and aware of the now and of the breath
Loving with openness, kindness, and understanding
Crafting and doing work that feeds into my rich life (both purpose and financial wise)
Being vocal and demanding of my needs, my dreams, and my goals
Believing in myself and that I am worthy of all good things in life
Feeling all emotions without judgment, releasing unnecessary suffering, prioritizing lightness
Living in knowing that life is not too short and not too long
Control things I can control (my own thoughts, feelings, actions) and let go of things I cannot control (others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions)
Taking more risks and trying things that may not work out
Holding myself accountable and having integrity
The Writing Prompt
Take 3 deep breaths and envision the upcoming year for you. What words come up? What images pops up? Expand on these words or images and write out your intentions or aims for the new year. If nothing is coming up, try checking out this fun word search from wetheurban.
While the near year is a great time to set our intentions and goals (the peer pressure is definitely there), I’m also reminded by Sarita Walsh that we do not have to wait for a certain time to create our new beginnings. Every moment can be a fresh start. You can choose the 8th of January or the 23rd of March or 15th of June to write out a new set of intentions and goals for yourself. There is no calendar time for you to start over or turn a new page.
With freshness and love,
Fair
I love #4, that's my lifelong practice too. To persistently *ask* from life, world and people what I most deeply need and want. To show up for the ask, and receive whatever comes back.
I'll share mine soon. Its still cooking 😊