What would a new year be without a resolution (or ten) to focus on?
I mean we all have a few things that might not be working so well for us.
I’m not entirely sure why we seem to wait until a new year is upon us before we can commit to making some changes.
I suppose there’s just something about a fresh start.
Plus, everyone else seems to be doing it. So, there’s that.
So, what will I be focusing on this year?
In 2016, I hope to live a more intentional life.
What does that even mean, you ask?
Well, let me tell you …
Life is busy.
I feel like we live in an era where “busy” is looked upon as a good thing. It’s sought after. We make ourselves as busy as can be and then it’s all we can think about and talk about.
People ask me how things are and my answer is always “oh, busy!” Like, it’s a good thing to have my head constantly spinning with all that I have to do.
But, here’s the truth of it all. I don’t need to be so busy. In fact, I don’t want to be so busy!
I want to slow down. Live more in the moment, instead of thinking ahead to what I should be dong next.
Obviously, there are things that need to be done. I mean those bathrooms won’t clean themselves (how has the self cleaning shower not been invented yet?!). And there’s only so long that laundry can pile up before we run out of clean clothes.
But, I can be more intentional about those extras I choose to take on.
I can choose to be more present in the moment.
I can choose to focus more on those things that will make life happier and less hurried.
I can choose to live life more purposefully.
I can be more intentional about the choices I make, how I choose to spend my time and the moments I share.
Not only for others, but for myself too.
Now, it’s one thing to talk-the-talk my friends (and believe me, this is a talk I’ve had with myself many a time!). But how am I going to walk-the-walk?
Honestly, there are a zillion ways that I could choose to live a more “intentional life”. It’s a pretty broad statement and it can be pretty overwhelming just to think about.
So, I’ve decided to break it down a bit into more manageable pieces. To set a few goals for myself at the beginning of each month. To give myself a few things to focus on that will help me live with more intention. Not broad, overwhelming, impossible goals, but rather, small, specific, attainable goals that will lead me directly to the intentional life I want to live.
Little things that will make a big difference.
We all know that most resolutions fall by the wayside before that first month has even passed, so my hope is that by announcing my intentions for all the world to see, it will help to keep me accountable to myself.
By making more intentional choices about how I choose to spend my time, my hope is that life will feel a little less hurried, a little less stressful perhaps, leaving a lot more time for the things that make me (and those around me) happier.
For the month of January, here’s what I will be choosing to focus on to help me live a more intentional life:
{Family}: Life has somehow gotten so busy that our family time seems to have disappeared without my even noticing it. I’ll tell ya, Christmas was a huge wake-up call for me – I couldn’t believe the effort it took for us to step back from all of the things we had to do to just enjoy the magic of it all with our little guy.
Honestly, how did we even get here?
How could it feel so impossible to find even a bit of time each day to spend as a family?
2016 will be the year that we are all more intentional about making the time for one another. Hubs and I are going to work hard this month this year to put our family first.
I swear, the older I get, the faster the years are passing and I don’t want another day to go by that I’m not creating happy memories with our family!
Let’s get specific: Making time to spend together as a family 2-3 nights each week, in which we are fully present in each moment together. Finding something special to do as a family each and every weekend (i.e. swimming, skiing, travelling, etc.).
{home}: With the Christmas decorations put away for another year, I’d love to get our entire house clean and organized once again. This might sound like a monumental task to take on in just one month, but after working our way through most of our home with our {Sparking Joy} series, this should be a relatively simple job. The only thing hanging over our heads at the moment has been getting our basement organized – which I must admit, will be a pretty big job in and of itself. The entire space has evolved into a storage room of sorts and every square inch of it will need to be combed through and organized. Overwhelming as it is to think about, it’ll sure feel good to have it done!
Let’s get specific: Clean & organize the basement!
{Blog}: My goal for my blog this month is to get ahead of the game. Honestly, I am pretty good at getting things done (read: the reason for this post in the first place!) – I like to knock things off of my list as soon as they make their way on, but for some reason my blog is the one thing I can never seem to get ahead with. My goal for the month is to get myself to a place where I’m working on things two to three weeks in advance. Whew! What a weight off my shoulders that would be!!!
Let’s get specific: Finish the month 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule (posts done to the middle of February).
{Myself}: This is the one area of my life that seems to always fall to the bottom of the list. With so much going on in our busy lives, I seldom find the time to do much for myself. My hope is that in 2016 all of that will change – in my head I know the importance of looking after myself and what it means to not just me, but my family, so why is it so hard to follow through? This month, I’m going to finally make time for myself in the very best way possible – I can’t wait to reignite my love of yoga!
Let’s get specific: Attend a yoga class one (or more) times per week – all month long!
Really, this list could go on and on (and on), but there are only so many hours in a day and I’m going to choose to spend them creating a slower, happier life. For me and for my family. Because, what could possibly be more important than that?
I would love to hear about your resolutions for 2016! What would you choose to be more intentional about this year?
Wishing you SUCH a lovely day!
I have much the same focus this year Kristi! Good job breaking it down so well and good luck reaching them this month:)
Krista
Thank you Krista! I’m really hoping that if I can break it down & plan it all into my life, I’ll be more successful in making these changes! Hopefully blogging about it all will help keep me accountable too 😉
This list is great! I like how you made it very specific. I really think that is the way to stay on track. I am hoping too on getting ahead on my projects for the blog. Last year was really by the seat of my pants, but I have started keeping a calendar and filling it in with the projects I want to do and when I will post them. Hopefully that will help to keep me on track! Hope all goes well!
Thanks Pamela! I’m hoping that by breaking it down into smaller steps, things will feel much more manageable and will be easier to keep track of. I know just what you mean about flying by the seat of your pants – I found a few months in the Summer where I was able to get ahead and I remember it feeling like a huge weight off of my shoulders! I think you’ve found just the way to do it. Here’s to a fresh start my friend!
Excellent list – I think it also truly helps to clearly and literally spell your goals out for you to see right there before you, it helps to make them more real and attainable. Good for you especially for making time for yourself – I miss going to my yoga class once a week but you have inspired me to look into when classes are. Thanks and happy new year!
Oh good! I’m SO happy to hear that you’re feeling inspired Katie!!! I definitely have to agree with you about breaking down your goals and laying each little step out there – it’s made things feel so much more manageable! All the best in this year to come!
What a great post! Being more intentional is a good goal, but I love how you broke it down into a few more manageable things. I think I’m going to copy your idea of doing something special as a family each week. I think that would make everyone happier.
And seriously, why haven’t they invented a self-cleaning shower yet. Come on, people!
Hahaha, right?! I think we’ve got ourselves a billion dollar idea here Rebecca!
I’m so happy you’re feeling inspired! It’s just so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day that often those moments pass without my even noticing. I’m hoping this will help me to be more present in the moment and obviously, more intentional with my choices. Wishing you a wonderful 2016!
Love this! I’m doing something similar and was encouraged by this post!
I found this via new nostalgia 🙂
Oh good! I knew I couldn’t be the only one! I’m so happy your feeling encouraged Allison! Good luck on your journey my friend!
Kristi and I have both been sharing our goals for 2016 on the blog recently too. I am completely with you on the organizing. I need to purge and minimalize. I also included reading more books, walking, reading Scripture and praying with my husband, and taking time to sew for others…instead of always making things for me.
Good job for making priorities for 2016 and trying to live more intentionally! Intentional living is good for all of us. It’s a good word. 🙂
Thanks SO, SO much for your sweet words and encouragement Kelli! I think your goals sound positively lovely! Wishing you nothing but the most wonderful things in 2016!
Your post resonates with my goals for this year. It’s time to slow down and savor the moment. To be more intentional. May we both accomplish those goals. I wish you all the best this year! P.S. you have a beautiful blog!
Thank you SO much Sarah! I think every woman out there could probably use a little reminder to slow down every once in a while. Wishing you luck on your journey too! Thanks again!!!
I love your whats, whys, and hows. I’ve learned those are the markers of goals that actually get accomplished. Best wishes going forward!
Oh good! I’m totally winging this, so it’s great to hear that you have faith in the process Kathryn! Thanks for the encouragement!!!
Lovely post. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you SO, SO much Beth!
I love New Year’s Resolutions (or yearly goals as I prefer to think of them). You did a great job of being specific. I would love to get my blogging more organized. Like you, I find myself busy all the time and I know I could accomplish things in a more timely manner so I have more time for moments with the family.
Hope you have a great year!
The term “yearly goal” is absolutely perfect Jamie! I totally agree, if I could focus my attention on getting a few things done instead of spreading myself so thin, I would be so much more productive and have more time to spend with my family! Here’s to a wonderful 2016 for us both my friend!
Thanks for this post, I learned a lot! I agree with breaking things down in manageable steps — totally great for a busy multi-hyphenated mom like me!!! I don’t make resolutions, but I do set a “theme” that threads through the entire year. Last year, I didn’t really blog my intentions, as I had just given birth in January. This year, my goal is to “take things back,” my blog included, but also our family dynamics. Whew! Thanks again, and have a blissful 2016!!
I LOOOOOVE that Martine! Taking things back is such a perfect way of looking at it! Wishing you luck on your journey this year my friend!
I love your list of goals Kristi! I know my list of goals has a few in common with yours! Although its my garage that needs decluttering, not my basement. Although it’s probably a good thing we don’t have a one of those or it would need to be deculttered too! I would also love to work ahead on my blog. But so far that seems to be incredibly difficult! I have a hard time staying motivated or inspired to finish projects in advance. It’s so easy for me to become distracted by my latest idea if it’s not something that needs to be finished right away. I guess that’s what makes it a goal though! If it was easy I would already be doing it! Happy New Year!
Cat
Thanks so much Cat! I’m with you girl, we’ve also got a garage that needs a complete overhaul, but we’ll need some warmer temps to roll in before we can find the motivation to work on that! It’s VERY easy to get distracted by whatever we’re working on/ wanting to work on – I jump all over the place and, if it weren’t for my organized hubs, I’d have nothing but half finished projects around our house!!! So far I’ve gotten myself about a week ahead and it feels great – here’s hoping I can find another week in me somewhere too! Happy New Year my friend! Here’s hoping it’s a great one!
Goal setting is key to being successful in our resolutions! I love that you are setting your focus each month to help you live intentionally! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Thank you SO, SO much Marie! I’m hoping that breaking it down will help me to focus my energy where it really matters!
Great goals! Hoping the very best for you and your family in 2016.
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thank you SO, SO much Cindy! Wishing you a wonderful year to come too!
Another wonderful post Kristi! I love the concept of living an intentional life. The part about being more present in the moment really resonated with me. That is one of my goals for this year as well. It’s so hard, yet so important, to just slow down and enjoy life more. 🙂
Thanks Alicia! I think everybody can use a little reminder to slow down and really take in the moment. It really is so easy to get caught up with everything that the days are gone without our even noticing. This is going to be the year we start to notice those everyday moments that we take for granted, I’m sure of it!