Most of us make new year's resolutions and promptly discard them because we lose motivation. I'd be lying if I said things were any different this year, BUT I'm hoping that because of what my goal is, it will help.
Living with intention means that I will think before I act, make a final decision, or speak. It's been increasingly apparent that our kiddo hears almost everything we say even if we're whispering. There are a lot of expressions that I personally have used over the years that she has begun repeating. While they might be funny at home, or not funny but tolerable to us, we also know she would get in pretty big trouble if she said these things at school.
When she was little, we worried that her dad's conversational cursing (he works in a brewery, and they curse all day long) would be an issue. He was really good at quickly breaking that habit, but then I turned out to be the one with the bad mouth! It's still a challenge to bite my tongue when I'm frustrated; however, we keep telling her not to repeat those words here or at school. There was one day that she spilled her water cup all over the dining table and she said something like, "Christ dammit!".
It's not always words, though. I have been wanting to decrease my waist size for years and setting the intention to eat mindfully and get more physically active are the only ways that is ever going to happen for me. I notice that if I write down my mental to-do list, including intentions, I am more likely to achieve those goals. Thoughts like: "Am I really hungry, or am I just bored?"; "Am I just shoveling food into my mouth, or am I eating slow enough to notice when I'm full?"; "When is the last time I got up and moved (my fitness tracker reminds me once an hour)?"; "When is the last time I drank a full cup of water?". If I can get myself in the habit of mentally checking in, then I can also be more present for my family members when we're all together because I've been taking care of myself.
Last year, those two weeks that I thought I had cancer made me face reality - we don't know when our last day here is. Especially now with all of the new strains of COVID appearing, staying in the present moment is of utmost importance. I want to be more mindful of my contributions to my health so I know that I am taking an active role in my well-being.
Flying by the seat of our pants is fine for social events, but for everything else, I am asking "what brings me joy?" or if a certain outcome or choice is "speaking to me". So far, my husband and our girl have not caught on to this concept in the least. It is my resolution, though, not theirs.
