Intent
A mantra that I’ve sworn by for the last 2 years has been to ‘Live with good intent’. It’s a multi-faceted phrase that can be applied to almost everything, limitlessly. When I first came across the saying (and my apologies, because I simply can’t remember where or how I did!), I applied it to personal behavior. To do the best I can whatever the situation and to mindfully consider those around me. It completely changed the way I approached menial tasks and everyday events: could I tidy up a little extra after myself to make things easier for my family? Do I really need that 12th white T-shirt in my bedroom or could it be donated? Should I condition my hair even when no-one will notice if I don’t?Intent. I’ve come to embrace this concept in more ways today. Picking up the phone to contact somebody not just to mindlessly scroll through Facebook. Eating with the intent of providing my body with nutrition and to reduce my carbon footprint on the globe. Working to support ethical businesses and help empower women. Supporting fellow bloggers whether they want to simply grow their readership (I’ll hit that follow button, you cuties!) or pursue it full-time (I can and will click all of your affiliate links, girl). Waking up 10 minutes earlier to pour my boyfriend a glass of milk and make sure his phone is charged… It’s simply about thinking ahead to the after-effects of my actions and being just a touch more conscientious because everybody has room to improve, every day.
Gratitude
Back in 2012 or 2013, you might remember that I jumped on the Project Jar bandwagon. Every day for 365 days, I wrote about one thing that I was grateful for that day and popped it in my jar. At the end of the year, I could reflect on 365 (and more!) great moments. This year, I’d like to do the same as well as actively promote gratitude. Of course I say thank you and all of that good stuff, but I’m going to be more proactive in paying back the favour to people; to my parents, my siblings, my boyfriend, my friends, you guys.I’m hoping to document 2 good things from everyday in a notebook that I can keep and read back when I’m feeling low or have too much time on my hands. It isn’t just a 2017 thing: gratitude is a brilliant trait to have and practice.
Focus
My final word for the year is focus. It’ll come as no surprise, I’m sure, that I’m a girl of many interests. As a freelancer, I work on several things at one time and as a human, I find several things of huge interest. Consequently, in recent years I’ve failed to keep up with certain things: with fitness, with reading, even with things like watching TV shows. There’s no real greatness in romanticising being a busy person. I was signed off in 2013 for acute stress, for God’s sake. I’d like to focus this year on tasks as I take them, one thing at a time, one hobby each evening. I’ve mentioned already that I’ll be taking Daisybutter a touch more seriously this year - evenings for me will still include blogging once in a while, but they’ll also be dedicated to working out, a night for reading, one for a ‘phones off’ evening with my boyfriend, another for learning and nailing a new recipe.I’m hoping it’ll also lend me a little time to concentrate on my career and focus on each and every client and project with a little more vigour. Once one pool of my life is tackled gently, every else tends to slot into its rightful position leaving me feeling oh so content, so I suppose a stronger element of focus will give strength to that feeling every time it arises.
What are your words for the year, if any?
3 Words for 2017
16.1.17 So we’re two weeks into the year and I think the novelty of setting goals and all of that fun business is beginning to wear thin, right? Right. In recent years, I’ve noted fellow bloggers selecting words to prematurely define their year ahead, words over resolutions and goals. And so in the spirit of, um, January, I thought I’d finally share mine - after many an evening spent mulling it over in the shower. 2017, for me, will be about intent, gratitude and focus.Intent
A mantra that I’ve sworn by for the last 2 years has been to ‘Live with good intent’. It’s a multi-faceted phrase that can be applied to almost everything, limitlessly. When I first came across the saying (and my apologies, because I simply can’t remember where or how I did!), I applied it to personal behavior. To do the best I can whatever the situation and to mindfully consider those around me. It completely changed the way I approached menial tasks and everyday events: could I tidy up a little extra after myself to make things easier for my family? Do I really need that 12th white T-shirt in my bedroom or could it be donated? Should I condition my hair even when no-one will notice if I don’t?Intent. I’ve come to embrace this concept in more ways today. Picking up the phone to contact somebody not just to mindlessly scroll through Facebook. Eating with the intent of providing my body with nutrition and to reduce my carbon footprint on the globe. Working to support ethical businesses and help empower women. Supporting fellow bloggers whether they want to simply grow their readership (I’ll hit that follow button, you cuties!) or pursue it full-time (I can and will click all of your affiliate links, girl). Waking up 10 minutes earlier to pour my boyfriend a glass of milk and make sure his phone is charged… It’s simply about thinking ahead to the after-effects of my actions and being just a touch more conscientious because everybody has room to improve, every day.
Gratitude
Back in 2012 or 2013, you might remember that I jumped on the Project Jar bandwagon. Every day for 365 days, I wrote about one thing that I was grateful for that day and popped it in my jar. At the end of the year, I could reflect on 365 (and more!) great moments. This year, I’d like to do the same as well as actively promote gratitude. Of course I say thank you and all of that good stuff, but I’m going to be more proactive in paying back the favour to people; to my parents, my siblings, my boyfriend, my friends, you guys.I’m hoping to document 2 good things from everyday in a notebook that I can keep and read back when I’m feeling low or have too much time on my hands. It isn’t just a 2017 thing: gratitude is a brilliant trait to have and practice.
Focus
My final word for the year is focus. It’ll come as no surprise, I’m sure, that I’m a girl of many interests. As a freelancer, I work on several things at one time and as a human, I find several things of huge interest. Consequently, in recent years I’ve failed to keep up with certain things: with fitness, with reading, even with things like watching TV shows. There’s no real greatness in romanticising being a busy person. I was signed off in 2013 for acute stress, for God’s sake. I’d like to focus this year on tasks as I take them, one thing at a time, one hobby each evening. I’ve mentioned already that I’ll be taking Daisybutter a touch more seriously this year - evenings for me will still include blogging once in a while, but they’ll also be dedicated to working out, a night for reading, one for a ‘phones off’ evening with my boyfriend, another for learning and nailing a new recipe.I’m hoping it’ll also lend me a little time to concentrate on my career and focus on each and every client and project with a little more vigour. Once one pool of my life is tackled gently, every else tends to slot into its rightful position leaving me feeling oh so content, so I suppose a stronger element of focus will give strength to that feeling every time it arises.
What are your words for the year, if any?
