I don’t know about you but for me – January went by in a blur. I had a lovely Christmas break and such good intentions to carry that mental space with me into the new year; however, January came on strong and all I could do was try to keep up! So this blog post will be a bit more reflective than directive as I want to stop and reflect, and invite you to do the same, as we enter this second month of the year.
We will call these our February Intentions….January was just the warm up!
I am happy to report success in a couple of areas. I’ve started a winter training program on my indoor bike, so that’s helping push me towards some personal fitness goals (which is also really good for helping me to manage stress!). I also participated in Dry January as I do every year, which allows me to take a step back from alcohol the role it plays in my social activities and personal habits. I’m also remaining very mindful of what I want and need in my life and although I still have some work to do, I’m feeling the awareness that needs to be present before any changes can occur.
My biggest current challenge is being able to balance my time more effectively. Being self-employed allows me the freedom to take on opportunities as they come along but I am not always accurate in assessing the time necessary to tend to these interests! It’s sometimes difficult for me to prioritize tasks which leads me to be in a state of multi-tasking mess, so my February intention is to practice focusing on one thing at time and making sure that I remember to include some downtime and reflection in each day.
I’m also consciously remembering to say “yes” to friends and family who want my time and attention. It’s far too easy to get lulled into work related tasks, but it is my social relationships that I need to fuel me.
I have been working on a couple of projects that I will tell you a bit more about in coming months but for now, it may mean a few less blog posts as these projects are utilizing much of my “creative thinking” space. In the meantime, I hope you will stay diligent in your own intentions and take the time to refocus on what you need to achieve growth and balance in your own life.
As anyone who works with me will know, I love quotes and mantras so I’ll sign off with one of my favourites to keep these intentions in mind for the month ahead:
You can’t always stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
Jon Kabat-Zinn