2014 Intentions

Well, it's that time of year again.  The time where we set new goals for ourselves-most call these New Years resolutions.  This year an acquaintance made a good point about these "resolutions".  The fact is, most resolutions are short lived as they are focusing on a past behavior, time, or shortcoming.  With intentions, we are looking to a future goal [whether short or long term].  This is the year of intentions!

For years, I have set resolutions.  Many of the time not completely following through or finding more disappointments than goal achieving.  Resolutions often set one up for failure and we then tend to find ourselves in a downward spiral.  What I have realized is that many of the resolutions we seek or set are things that may not be something to fix.  Yes, we make mistakes.  There are times in life where we are enough.  We don't need fixing or counseling or business. . .sometimes there are NO answers!  We find ourselves in situations and by trying to resolve them year after year [failing over and over] keeps us exactly where we are trying to get away from.  I think resolutions have a very pessimistic outlook to setting goals.

Twenty-thirteen was a year of learning and growing for me.  I mean the significant, noticeable kind of year.  I am not going to press the details, but I have realized I am often stuck in the past.  New Years resolutions have kept me there among other negative habits.  I had a eureka moment only days before 2014 and thus has started my intentions year.  A year of positive growth.  This year I am setting myself free and learning to let go.  Here are a few of my intentions and positive starters:

• start a happiness jar:  For me, I was constantly seeing the bad in situations-in people[good people]  So each day, i will write on a little sheet of paper a happiness that happened on that day and place it into the jar.  This will [hopefully] in turn help my muddled pessimistic brain to change its behavior.  The intention is to have less worry, less bad thoughts, and enjoy life more fully!  At the end of the year, I'll read all my happy moments!
• take care of yourself:  For me, part of my personality is that I love to help people.  I love to be the person that people can rely on without fail.  The problem with this is I have other joys and loves in my life that is often put on the back burner trying to fix, hold, and be everything for every one else.  Finding balance can be hard.  Bitter sweet is that I am single and I don't have any children which means I don't have anyone that honestly relies on me [except my lovable cat, Otis].  I know I cannot fix every one's problems.  I know that most everyone has at least one other person they can lean on and expecting me to do it 110% of the time is just ludicrous.  Allow yourself to say "NO" once in awhile.  Set healthy boundaries.  Stick to your morals & beliefs.  Most of all treat yourself once in awhile.  The intention is to reconnect with my inner child and femininity with yoga, opera, girls' nights, museums, take chances, and just about anything that gets my creative juices flowing.
• spiritual connection:  Each of us has our own connection to another energy.  Take time to develop it.  The intention is to go back to mass and learn things like praying the rosary or stations of the cross and doing a soul retreat.  For me, these are where I feel the most in tune with me. . .my safe haven.

These are just a few of my 2014 intentions.  I am looking forward to building a new future instead of living in resolutions.  I am realizing I am enough and there are so many opportunities to better ourselves today and tomorrow-never yesterday!  Keep moving forward and the right people will be able to walk with you and you with them.  Never compromise your morals/beliefs to appease someone else's.  Here is to positive growth and the new adventures to come.  If you let positivity in, positivity will sure follow.