New Year's intentions

Every year, I spend an hour or so on New Year's Eve writing down everything I'm proud of myself for doing over the course of the year. It's a brilliant habit that helps me leave the year on a high, no matter what's happened.

Then, I write a list of intentions for the year ahead. General themes that I'd like to bubble away in my subconscious, rather than strict resolutions that I'll feel like I've failed by February.

Here are some of mine for this year.?

New Year’s Intention #1: Do less, better

There are so many things that I want to do, experience, learn and achieve, and this means my attention is constantly being pulled in different directions. Then I don’t do any of it justice, which makes me feel bad.?

So, this is about prioritising. And being more intentional with how I spend my time and energy.?

In practice, it means choosing quarterly focuses. One thing I’d like to learn about, deeply. One work project I’d like to get off the ground, successfully. One personal challenge that will bring me a sense of achievement.?

New Year’s Intention #2: Prioritise instinct over external information

From social media and the 24 hour news cycle to our pocket search engines, we have so much information at our fingertips that can be hard to resist.?

But the more external information we consume, the less we trust our own instincts. And the less we trust our instincts, the more we seek external information - leaving us in a vicious circle of depleting self-trust. And that can lead us to crave external validation more than is healthy, too.?

My focus here is around building in space to check in with myself about what I think and how I feel about any given topic before I reach for a book, blog or podcast. And getting rid of my Google habit, once and for all!?

New Year’s Intention #3: Hold things lightly and let go easily?

A killer combination of passion and perfectionism means I often really want things to work out exactly as envisaged. It’s a strength that drives me forward and helps me to achieve. But it’s also a weakness because I really feel it - and can hold onto it - when things don’t work out how I would have liked.

For me, this is about being more mindful and living in the present moment instead of getting too wrapped up in the future or trapped in the past.

Practically, it means a continuation of my Headspace habit (78 day streak and going strong!), post it note reminders in my journal and exploring new ways of getting out of my head and into my body.?

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I’d love to hear your New Year’s intentions, or any ideas you have around how I can work towards mine!?