I gave up making New Year’s resolutions of the “loose 10 pounds” and “call your mother on Sunday” variety many years ago. But the start of a new year still inspires me to think about what is working in my life, and what attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, if changed, would help me enjoy the next trip around the sun even more. Last year, rather than writing New Year’s resolutions, I wrote intentions for how I wanted to live in 2011. It turned out to be such a useful experience I decided to do it again for 2012.
Some of my intentions, like “release what I no longer needs and what no longer serves me” are continued from last year. I got a good start on that one, but there’s more to do. My “be kind” and “see” intentions are two of my “Three Commandments.” (Ten are entirely too many.) My other 2012 intentions emerged while journaling about what was the best and worst of 2011 for me.
MY 2012 INTENTIONS
- Create new adventures.
- Approach life and everything in it as an adventure.
- Be alive to and say yes to possibilities.
- Be kind.
- Cultivate joy.
- Release what I no longer need and what no longer serves me.
- Cherish this body.
- Remember that time is a teacher.
- Expect positive outcomes.
- Develop ease and comfort with performing.
- Laugh at myself and at life’s strangenesses.
- Recognize love in all the ways it comes to me.
- See.
A major challenge in living out my intentions is remembering them each and every day. Then I “just” have to find the courage and strength to do the work and make the daily decisions that will support my commitments to my body, mind, heart and spirit.
My SoulCollage cards have helped me find hidden courage and gain clarity about so many situations. Who better than my Committee members and Council guides to help me remember and live according to my intentions? My SoulCollage box held at least one card that resonated with each of my 2012 intentions. Using ribbon, sticky wall hooks, and bulldog clips, I created a prayer flag of SoulCollage cards in my bedroom. They now greet me when I wake up in the morning, and they are the last things I see when I turn out my light at night.
Here’s the bigger version of two of my prayer flag cards that will be accompanying me this year as I live my intentions.
The woman in my “Joyful Woman” card finds joy and contentment in who she is, in what she has, and in what she does. She will remind me that joy is always available, and that I can find joy anywhere I choose to look for it.
My musician card is the perfect ally to help me develop ease and comfort with performing. She exudes the confidence I want to feel when I play my harp or my recorders for any audience, large or small.
Each of my intentions requires specific actions on my part in order to come to life in the coming year. To develop ease and comfort with performing, I know I have to set aside time and create situations where I can practice performing. I need to test out some pre-performance activities and rituals to find out what will desensitize the hair-trigger on my adrenal glands. I have to practice focusing on the sound of my music as I am playing, instead of listening to my distracting internal chatter. Every morning and evening, my musician card will remind me of the actions I need to take, as well as the ease, comfort and confidence that awaits me.
How do you note and honor the start of another year? Have you created resolutions, or goals, or intentions for 2012? I’d love to read them – and I hope you’ll share them or leave a link to them in a comment on this post.
Heart To Harp 
I love this post for so many reasons, Janet, but particularly the depth and breadth of your self awareness. For the decades that I coached executives across the north american continent, my strongest message: “Know Thyself”. This is the greatest challenge for any individual and it is a lifetime journey for we should constantly evolve. We can choose to be that driver of that bus or simply a passenger on the journey. You are in the driver’s seat! BTW my start for 2012 was a lovely new journal, black leather with “I know what you’re thinking” embossed on the cover to pair up with my favourite Christmas Gift – the shiney black fountain pen.
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Cheryl- Thank you so much for your comment and kind words. Sometimes I think I’d like a little of that ignorance that is supposed to be bliss, but self awareness seems to be my path. Your Christmas gifts sound lovely, and I know you’ll put them to good use. Isn’t it just delicious to write on nice paper with a fountain pen!?! You’ve inspired me to fill one of my fountain pens and use it this year for my journal. Janet
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You are a such a beautiful person! You’re intentions are so well thought out and I think you’ll achieved each and everyone . . . something tells me these are just continuations of what you already do!
I love the idea of a Soul Collage. I’m thinking about doing a new Dream Board this year and I might just follow your lead!
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Thank you! Your comment just made my day! We’ll see how the year rolls out – it’s all an ongoing process. I did my first Dream Board last year. It helped me remember and focus on what I wanted to bring into my life in 2011. I liked it so much that I’ve now added it to my journal. I hope you’ll post a pic of your new Dream Board once you have it finished. Happy New Year! Janet
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I am not normally a resolution type…they sort of evolve and continue. But a recent one was to be less self critical and to stop throwing hissy fits! Shocking but true. I’m not a very patient person and that is something I really need to cultivate. I really resonate with the Peanuts cartoon where Lucy says, “I was praying for greater patience and understanding but I quite because it was taking too long”. My other thoughts are ones concerning gratitude and living more in the moment. I love your soul collage cards. By the way…that musician one looks like Kondonassis by the harp…is it?
By the way, I’m grateful for your blog writings!
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Thanks for your comment, Nanci! I think your self-criticism fast was a wonderful example of intentions that evolve and continue. I relate to the need to cultivate patience. It almost made the list this year – I shifted it to the one about remembering time is a teacher, which I hope will help me be less impatient with myself. And yes, that is Yolanda on my SoulCollage card. I love the confidence she exudes!
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