Intentions for a new year….
Hello 2014.
A new year is always so juicy with promise. Even though we get a new, juicy chance every day, flipping the calendar to January 1 seems to open up a big ribbon of straight, open highway to us.
So, how about setting some intentions for the coming year. I don’t care for the term resolutions; it seems too concrete and life is too fluid to set anything in stone on the first day of a new year. Because if you forget or just flat-out change your mind, it feels like a failure and who needs that.
I’d like to listen to my intuition a little more. It rarely steers me wrong, but there are times when I not only ignore that little tickle of intuitive insight, I stuff it into a ziplock bag and shove it into the deep freeze. Intuition should not be stored or frozen; it requires immediate attention and inspection, preferably under a very bright light and a steady, open gaze.
In order to accomplish this, I need to slow down. To arrest my tendency to jump to conclusions. That requires breathing, instead of acting. When a problem or challenge arises, I like to act; to DO SOMETHING. You, too? Okay, so let’s be honest. More than half of the time, I wish I’d not done what I did. Or should that be did what I did…done. You understand what I’m getting at.
Acting rashly to try and alleviate the pain and suffering of an irritating problem usually only makes it worse and then we have to back track. Had I just taken a few breaths, allowed my intuition to guide me and let this problem fully present itself and unfold in it’s problematic beauty, I would realize there is probably a better solution than just ‘doing something…anything.’ You know who you are. Let’s work on this together.
I’d like to be more compassionate. With myself. Period. The late night psychic beatings need to stop. I have a very comfortable Tempurpedic and it is for sleeping, not emotional self-flaggellation over …well, pretty much everything that I may have handled badly. Or imagined that I handled badly. Ever notice how our imaginations kick into high gear after 1 a.m.?
So, there are two intentions. A good start. Let’s not over-burden our imperfect selves with too much improvement. We have 365 days ahead of us. Start slowly. Finish your coffee, change out of your jammies, eat the last of the Christmas cookies and THEN set your intentions.
Carry on.
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Who is Jane London?
I’m a retired morning radio host, turned a serial communicator:)
Some topics that I like to explore are astrology, spirituality, growing older, growing wiser, pop culture, not-so-pop culture and the human condition.
My husband, two dogs and two cats currently live in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, but that could change anytime as I tend to get restless.
I would love it if you’d sign up below for e mail alerts, pass along my blog to your friends and please comment on the posts; maybe it’ll lead to some great ideas for future posts.
Thanks to all of you who have signed up and have shared my posts. I really appreciate it.
Present Tense 
Happy New Year, Jane! A number of years ago I made the decision to be as nice to, and understanding of, myself as I tend to be with my friends. I cannot imagine myself berating one of my friends for a small infraction that will not have lasting consequences, but I used to do that to myself all of the time. It took a while, but I am so much more calm and content now than I was. Of course, each of us is an unfinished project and the process does have its setbacks. 2013 spiraled downward into some of those, despite so many blessings.
Here’s to a year with mojo and bits of smooth road after the bumps and potholes. I am sending you good thoughts and prayers that the next piece of your journey contains joy and peace.
No, I am not changing out of my Jammies at all today. Sometimes I think better with them on. I have some areas to enhance. I have goals that I want to achieve professionally that are sitting there for the taking. I have big ideas about programs to help youth and their families and given how things have gone thus far initially, there is no reason it cannot be expanded. I vow to take more Fridays off this summer and hit the cottage. I am going to think healthier in all the choices that I make. No set goal, just think healthier. I am going to do a better job of avoiding those that thrive on drama and waste valuable time with nonsense. I will graduate and feel very proud about that. I will thank those that helped me along the way. I may even find another pup this year.
Great words Jane my football buddy! Often we do not reflect on where or why we are going. We just keep crashing ahead and wonder when we wake at 2:00 am why we hurt from hitting these barriers over and over. Would be a good time to put some thought into how we are doing this. Keep pressing ahead but maybe dart thoughtfully around these barriers and avoid some of the bruises. Thank you for your friendship and your words of wisdom.
Jane, I have used the excuse for many years that I inherited many habits from my parents. Not a completely misdirected conception, because my Mother did teach me to be thrifty (not cheap) and my Dad taught me how to work with my hands. In both situations I can work on my house without paying somebody else an arm and a leg. Two traits I have inherited are worrying about everything (Mom) and anger (Dad). Therapy has opened my eyes to the roots of my anger (child abuse), however I still struggle with sleeping with my eyes wide open. I admire your gift of putting everything in perspective Jane, and my goal this year (not resolution) is to think more positvely and to remeber the words of Dale Carnegie – “Think what is the worst thing that can happen.” Amen – taking deep breaths.