Rather than resolutions I won’t keep or make myself feel bad about, I’ve set some intentions for myself in the hopes of being kinder to myself and a little more realistic in what I want to accomplish. I’m treating the following intentions as daily reminders or mantras that I’m focusing on this year:
Gain “me” time back. I’ve always had a hard time saying “no” when people ask for help, and in finding satisfaction with doing less. This has led to me doing things just because I feel obligated to, rather than out of enjoyment and stretching myself too thin. For 2020, I’ve let go of a few unnecessary responsibilities that were stressing me out. I’ve accepted that I don’t have to constantly be doing a billion things at once to feel accomplished or useful.
I want to reclaim my personal focus and time back to doing things I enjoy, for purposes that set my mind and soul on fire (in a positive way), and to really learn to relax. I also want to spend more time focusing on enjoying time with my family and friends.
Regularly unplug. For most of my youth, I wrote in a journal nearly every day. While most of this writing is probably pretty mundane, it was a productive way for me to get down my thoughts and was one way to decompress. I stopped journaling for a couple years, but I’d like to get back into it by writing just a few things down every day—no matter how silly or insignificant they seem.
My life seems to be increasingly consumed by being plugged in all the time, to my phone, computer, social media. I’m aiming to try little things that will help limit my daily screen time, which leaves me feeling stressed and down on myself. I have been seeking out non-digital hobbies that I enjoy, such as reading, journaling, sewing, exercising, and exploring my neighborhood with my husband and puppy.
Get active—physically, socially, mentally and spiritually. Since I’ve gotten married, moved away from my family and friends, and changed careers I think I’ve been in a strange holding place in my life. Maybe it is also true what they say about your late 20s to early 30s, it’s just another awkward time period. For many years I haven’t felt a push to change much in my life, either out of laziness or fear.
I want to get active by working out regularly again, getting plugged into my community, building strong friendships, and centering my focus on my faith. It took me a few years to want these things again, but I’ve been feeling encouraged to prioritize these aspects of my life.
Be a more conscious consumer and produce less waste. I have been such a fan and a convert to slow fashion, and have gotten better at applying the basic tenets of the movement to most aspects of my consumer habits—buy less, choose well. I want to continue to focus on this and to encourage others as well. I’m also hoping to get braver in my attempts to produce less waste, which means changing up a few habits that might seem out-of-the-norm.
I know I can’t be immediately zero waste overnight, but hope to take little steps to push me along the journey. I want to shop for groceries in bulk and use my own containers, purchase and use less single-use plastics, really understand recycling (this goes for food, cosmetics, and household product packaging), and start composting. This blog post is inspiring me with small steps that I can do at my local Whole Foods Market. I think the biggest thing for me is the fear that someone will look at me weird, but I’m hoping to feel more confident these “strange”, less wasteful public habits and in turn, motivate others to be more waste-conscious.
These intentions are by no means simple. I know I will be taking it day by day, transitioning into better habits, and celebrating the small victories. I’m looking forward to 2020 as a year where I’m committed to taking time to slow down, being kinder to myself, to live with an open mind and heart, and to enjoy where I am.
