Creating an Intentional Year
How to set and meet your personal goals
As I write this, it’s two weeks before Christmas and it’s the time of year when many of us are rushing around getting ready for the holidays. It’s also when we start to anticipate the day when we can slow down a little and spend time in reflection of the year that’s just finished and in anticipation (hopefully not dread!) of the year ahead.
I’ve always been resistant to making New Year’s resolutions. We often resolve to get healthier, exercise more, etc., etc., but what inevitably happens is that by the second week of January, and certainly by the end of the month, we’ve disappointed ourselves and have reverted back to the same old routines, the ones that didn’t get us where we want to go.
Why is that? Well, part of the reason is that we’re not specific enough in our goals. What does “exercising more” or “starting yoga” really mean? Our goals aren’t clear. We also set these goals based on our current way of thinking and that thinking is what keeps us stuck where we are. We make a half-hearted effort because we’ve tried this before and it hasn’t worked then so why should it work now? Our brain looks for proof that we’ll fail.
So how can we make real changes, ones that will actually work and that we’ll feel proud of? We can start by slowing down and creating a plan for reaching our goals, one tiny turtle step at a time.
We can start by setting an intention and I have personal evidence that setting intentions works.
Last year, at the end of 2020, I set an intention to meditate, move my body in a physical yoga practice daily, and to write in my journal. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Not really, not when you break it down into smaller, very manageable pieces.
I’m happy to report that even though there were days when I did much less than others, more days than not I met all my goals. I even met most of my intentional goals when I broke my wrist back in April! The key is I didn’t get discouraged when I didn’t quite get there - I just started again the next day or adjusted my practice accordingly.
Here are the steps I took to meet those goals.
I chose a “word of the year” as recommended by several of my teachers and mentors. My word for this year has been possibility and every time I needed a boost to keep myself motivated, I came back to that word and reminded myself that there is possibility everywhere.
I have a deck of cards that has daily intentions and I pull one every day. The card sits on my desk for the day and inspires me constantly. It also gives me something to reflect on in my journal.
I set up a beautiful and personal space where I have my yoga mat, blocks, meditation cushion, and writing supplies (journals, pens, etc.) available and ready all the time. They aren’t tucked away in a closet, but are readily accessible in a space where I love to spend time and I never tire of. I have candles and scented diffusers and soft lighting in this space. It is my sanctuary!
I decided to use a small journal (A5 size, about 3”x5”) for my daily writing. It has paper that is a writer’s dream and my fountain pens glide over it. It’s a delight to write in and I can’t wait to open it every day. Writing in such a small space means that I don’t have to write much and on days when I really don’t want to write much I can fill up the page with washi tape and stickers, or just 5 things I’m grateful for. It doesn’t have to be hard! Remember to make it easy for yourself so that you’ll show up to your practice. Interestingly, on many days once I started writing I didn’t want to stop, so I simply moved the rest of my writing over into a bigger journal.
I’m flexible with the amount of time I spend meditating - it can be as little as 5 minutes or longer if I feel less rushed. Some days I sit down formally on a meditation cushion but more often I will sit at my desk throughout the day and close my eyes for a few minutes. My mindful yoga practice is similar. I often do several short practice sessions a day when I’m busy and chair/desk yoga is my friend. Once I dropped the idea that we need to wear the right outfit and practice for at least an hour, a whole world of possibility opened up!
I’m very happy to report that my little journal is almost full and I’ve written in it every single day - even on days when I wasn’t feeling well and even on the day I broke my wrist! For several months I was unable to put any pressure on my wrist so I adjusted my yoga practice to suit that. Once we start a daily habit that is important to us and we believe is achievable, it’s much easier to keep doing it and we’ll find a way, often no matter what is going on in our lives.
A final note: When faced with adversity and life challenges it’s even more important to come back to your intentions and practices. This old Zen saying sums it up perfectly: “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour”. If we think we’re too busy for our own self-care, that means we need it even more.
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