In a recent blog post, Darcy asked the question, “How would you describe you in 2020?”
I have to admit, I didn’t love my answer. The words that came to mind included: frazzled, scattered, last-minute, jumpy, all over the place.
If others would describe me, they probably wouldn’t use those words. I pride myself on being like a duck… calm on the surface, but crazy underneath. I was happy with what I accomplished last year, but oh boy, was I all over the place. That didn’t feel good.
It’d be easy to blame the pandemic. But as with most things, the pandemic just heightened what was already there. The reality is, my nervous energy and constant juggling a dozen things at once (and dropping a lot of balls) was to blame.
Doing things differently in 2021
In the past I’ve set goals that typically fall into the “do more” category. Read more, journal more, exercise more, clean more, eat more vegetables… to name just a few. Inevitably, I never did “enough” and then I’d feel guilty. Doing more always ended up feeling like a chore. I hate chores.
So this year I decided to take on Darcy’s challenge of setting an intention. After reflecting on my past year, my intention for 2021 is FOUNDATION.
When thinking about Darcy’s question of “What’s the energy you want?” I realize I want to feel grounded. Not like a teenager who missed curfew, rather more confident and sure of myself. I want my energy to feel focused instead of a roller coaster of emotions.
Getting clear on the to do’s and to don’ts
My theory for 2021 is if I can set a strong foundation, I can create that grounded feeling. It’s not about doing more, but instead nurturing that energy I’m craving.
What’s a strong foundation? I’m not sure yet. That’s my experiment for the year. What I’ve been focused on so far is getting clear on my to do’s and to don’ts. Instead of trying to keep track of everything in my head, I’m writing them down. Not simply for work and errands, but also for self-care.
This will include what I’m choosing not to do as well. I’m finding I feel better when I commit to not work on a task until tomorrow—not because of procrastination—but because something else takes priority. It immediately opens up brain space for what I want to work on.
One-Minute Thoughtfully Fit Workout
We’ve heard from a lot of people in our Thoughtfully Fit community about their intentions for the year. Take a look at the graphic above for some ideas. Here’s a one-minute workout to get you thinking about your intention in 2021.
Pause. Take a breath. Get present to this moment right now.
Think. What energy do you want to nurture in 2021? How do you want to feel at the start and end of the day?
Act. Commit to an intention. (If you decide you don’t like it, you can always change it!)
Keeping your intention front of mind
Once you’ve decided on your intention for the year, consider if there’s a symbol or structure that’ll keep it front of mind. It can be as simple as a sticky note with your intention written on it in a space you see every day. Or a picture on your computer or phone wallpaper. (I have a little hammer on my desk to remind me that I’m building a foundation.)
There’s no wrong way to do this! Do whatever you need to do to keep your intention front of mind.
Thoughtfully,
