Intentions and sh*t
It's the first week of January, have you set your goals yet?
How’s the first week of January been treating everyone so far? Here in SoCal we’ve had not one, but two earthquakes this week! Fun times!
My son is still off from school and I’m still unemployed, so for the first time in a long time, I’ve got to enjoy this first week of January instead of being in the back-to-work-stress-cycle. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have a paycheck again, but getting to focus primarily on my son and my own wellness for a change has been really, really nice. I think part of the reason I got so burned out last year was it felt like I was multi-tasking constantly. I can hold a lot of things at once, but every once in awhile, it’s so nice to have just one thing to focus on and be.
Typically, this week is the one we all set intentions and resolutions and goals for the upcoming year. Whether that’s your jam or not, I personally love to assess and set a theme for the year. Last year’s theme was “Share my Light with the World,” which I didn’t even really know what I meant by that until halfway through the year. I decided this year’s theme is “The Year of Peaceful Power and Abundance.”
“Peaceful Power” came to me during NYE, which was honestly perfect thanks to my good friend who hosted a sleepover in the Palisades for a few women. We ate delicious food, we drank tequila and champagne, and we rubbed oil on ourselves and burned what we were letting go of the previous year, and set intentions for the new one. And then after the clock struck midnight, my friend and I went into the ocean to wash away the year and welcome the new one. Will this be a new tradition? Who knows, but man, was it a great way to wrap up the year that was 2023. Plus, the pictures are very cinematic.
“Abundance” is something that I’ve always craved, but have never directly asked for. After years of settling for scraps, or not even knowing what I want, except to be seen and respected, I want it all: money, career opportunities, love, friendship. Give it all to me, baby. I deserve it. You do too. As Christine Baranski pointed out, the world is going to hell in a handbag, so you do you.
I still haven’t set concrete goals for the year yet, but between the theme, vision board, and intentions, I feel like I have a good roadmap. I’ve meditated and worked out every day this week, putting my own needs above anything else. I had my follow-up with my psychiatrist this week, and she literally clapped when I told her some of what’s been going on. What a difference from a year ago when I first saw her and felt near-hopelessness. I’ve also committed to doing a 30-day yoga practice, which I’ve actually completed every day this week. My apple watch is like: who is this person who spent the past month primarily in bed like a Victorian spinster?!
I feel clarity and hope in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. Is this naive and misguided? Probably. Will it last much longer? Probably not. But, just like jumping into the ocean at midnight on Jan 1, I’ll let the tide guide me.
If you’d like to set some intentions, here’s some tips:
-Give yourself at least 30 minutes of quiet and start by clearing your head with a quick meditation. I love the calm app and their guided body scan is fantastic for rooting me in place.
-Think about what you want your life to look like this year. Intentions aren’t goals, per se… there’s an optimistic quality of asking “what if?” What if I was more mindful in my day-to-day. What if I set out to write every day? What if I finally let go of that thing that’s been holding me back? That sort of thing.
-Don’t overthink it! The first thing that comes to mind is usually the first thing for a reason. You can have one intention or several. It’s just whatever feels right. And remember, there’s no rule that you can’t add to it.
-If you’re more of a visual person, or just want some visual inspiration, starting with a vision board may be the way to go. This is my favorite and was recommended by my therapist, but you can use anything.
-If you write it down on a piece of paper, I like to keep the paper in my journal or in my wallet so it’s accessible, but not in plain sight. (Alternatively with my vision board, I tape to the top of my desk so I can see it every day.)
-There’s no right or wrong way to do it, so just have fun!
Happy 1st week of January. Grateful for you all!
Hello paid subscribers! Thank you for being here! Here’s some of my favorite things from this past week:
I can’t get “Murder on the Dance Floor” out of my head since I saw Saltburn. Don’t know what that says about me.
Yoga with Adrienne is doing a 30-day Yoga challenge and it’s been amazing. My son asked who my favorite youtuber was, and she was it.
The Color Purple was amazing. Seriously, all the leads need all the flowers. I was also super impressed at how it felt like an adaptation of the book, original movie, and musical.
I made this brown butter feta pasta and can’t wait to make it again. I also made this feta and honey treat that is so good, it should be illegal. I also need to get more feta.
Kid playdates! My son gets to spend time running around with his pals, and I get to have adult conversations and discover some parenting hacks.